MATLAB: Parallel Programming inside a user-defined function

Question

Hi all, I am actually quite new to the parallel computing in matlab. So I would like to ask a few questions about it.

Suppose I have written a function, which consists of a lot of parts: the first is a for loop from time zero up to time 1. The second part has a for loop from time zero to time 2. I have 5 parts in total.

Suppose I divide it into 5 cells. Is there a way to run the function to make the 5 cells go in parallel?

Or method 2: is it just write down a generalisation of each cell as a nested function and use parfor or spmd? What is the difference between parfor and spmd?

Thank you very much.

Answer 1

No there is no way to make the 5 cells go in parallel. Use parfor or spmd.

I do not know the differences between the two in detail. spmd is suited for message-passing parallelization, in which the work being done by the parallel parts might not all be the same. parfor is suited for multiple iterations over a loop in which the same work is being done in each iteration.

As you are really doing 5 different kinds of work at the same time, spmd might be more suitable for you.