how do i create a function with one of the inputs being cell array

If I'm creating a function called searchGOterms and want the Key_word input to be a cell array, how do I do that? I created the function below but don't know how to specify Key_word as a cell array. Also, I want to check if the Key_word input is legal, meaning it is not an empty array and if it is to display an error message. Do I use the error function? Thank you!

function [] = searchGOterms(goTerms_fname,Key_word)

Answer 1

[the cyclist]

You could probably use some combination of the following commands to do what you need:

• iscell
• isempty
• nargin

[Adrian]

Thank you, but to declare Key_word as a cell array input in the function,do I need to put brackets around it like this?:

function [] = searchGOterms(goTerms_fname,{Key_word})

which gave me an error message.

[the cyclist]

Types don't generally need to be declared in MATLAB. Just pass in a cell array from the calling function, and the function will "know" it is a cell array. [Or you can check with iscell().]

If you are creating a cell array from scratch, then there is the cell() command [e.g. c = cell(2,3)] that will create the array framework to be filled in.

[Adrian]

great, thank you so much. that helps.