MATLAB: @-folder and functionSignatures.json

classdeffolderfunctionsignaturesjsonoop

Hi everyone.

I have a classdef file in a certain @-folder. In the same folder I put the folder "resources" containing the "functionSignatures.json" file for the class object I created. Unfortunately when I try to use the autocompletion with an instance of the class object, I don't get any suggestion at all, as if Matlab doesn't find the corresponding functionSignatures.json file.

Example

@MyClass/MyClass.m

@MyClass/resources/functionSignatures.json (containing the function signatures for MyClass.m

but when i type "MyClass(' " and press "tab" I don't get any completions.

If I put the MyClass.m and functionSignature.json file in a NOT @-folder everything works fine.

Any suggestion?

Best Answer

The R2019b doc Customize Code Suggestions and Completions says "For MATLAB to detect the function signature information, you must place functionSignatures.json in the folder that contains the function code."

I failed to find reference to a folder named "resources". Could it differ between releases?

Interpreting the documentation is sometimes tricky, because the text describes only the basic case.

I made the following two clips from my R2018a installation.

Proposal: try with functionSignature.json in the same folder as the folder @MyClass.

Related Solutions

MATLAB: How to configure tab completion for the function in MATLAB 2016

As it turns out, MATLAB 2016 uses a functionSignatures.json file to configure automatic tab completion. One can easily read the content of any such file you find within the $matlabroot\toolbox\ folder to understand how it works.

Here is a very simple example functionSignatures.json file showing how to set up tab completion for a function named nd2finfo :

{
"nd2finfo":
{
  "inputs":
  [
    {"name":"nd2file", "kind":"required", "type":"filepath=*.nd2" }
  ]
}
}

This file should be saved within the same folder that has the function definition. While typing in the function input, upon pressing tab, I can see a list of files with the extension .nd2 popping up.

MATLAB: Does the custom function signatures specified in the ‘functionSignatures.json’ file do not show up in the MATLAB Editor or the Command Window

The code suggestions derived from the 'functionSignatures.json' file only apply to Live Scripts (i.e., '.mlx' files) in MATLAB.

To quote from the official MATLAB documentation page for code suggestions at:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/releases/R2018b/matlab/matlab_prog/customize-code-suggestions-and-completions.html

"To experiment with code suggestions, start to call the function from a live script and observe the suggestions...."

Moreover, if you look closely, the screenshots in the documentation page are from a live script and not from the MATLAB Command Line or the MATLAB Editor.

If you will try <TAB> completion in a live script, as per the tutorial published at:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/releases/R2018b/matlab/matlab_prog/customize-code-suggestions-and-completions.html#mw_386ccd79-c5ee-4923-be23-ce9be17d83fa

You will be able to get the code suggestions, as defined in the JSON file.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

MATLAB: How to configure tab completion for the function in MATLAB 2016

MATLAB: Does the custom function signatures specified in the ‘functionS​ignatures.​json’ file do not show up in the MATLAB Editor or the Command Window

Related Question

MATLAB: Does the custom function signatures specified in the ‘functionSignatures.json’ file do not show up in the MATLAB Editor or the Command Window