is the Matlab OOP documentation I refer to regularly (though less so with more experience now).
Regarding your specific problem, it is difficult to suggest between managing data from multiple days on a higher level vs your first approach as I don't have enough knowledge of the full problem (nor enough time to fully consider that).
In terms of dealing with null data though, if you don't want to have to deal with having e.g.
Instrument1Class.empty
objects in an array of Instrument1 objects you could use more of a design pattern from other languages (you have to crowbar it a bit in Matlab since polymorphism isn't strictly a thing) by using a NullClass version of your main class. You can use inheritance from
matlab.mixin.Heterogeneous
on a base class to allow object arrays of different derived types.
Then something like (kind of pseudo-code but should be mostly Matlab syntax):
classdef Instrument1Base < matlab.mixin.Heterogeneous
Then as another class, your main implementation...
classdef Instrument1 < Instrument1Base
properties
data
end
methods
function plot( obj )
plot( obj.data );
end
end
...
end
Then as the final part of the hierarchy the null version:
classdef NullInstrument1 < Instrument1Base
methods
function plot( obj )
end
end
end
i.e. a hierarchy of 3 classes for 1 instrument (annoying in Matlab language admittedly).
The base class does nothing at all, although you may wish to define abstract functions on here as you would if it were an interface in some other language.
The main class is whatever you have now. I just put a basic plot function as an example.
The null class defines a plot function, but does nothing (you may need it to do something, but basically it will do whatever is sensible for when you have no data).
The idea is that an object of the null class can still call plot so no need to keep checking for emptiness. But that call to plot will just do nothing (or whatever you choose).
You can happily create an array as e.g.
instrumentArray = [Instrument1Base(), Instrument1Base(), NullInstrument1(), Instrument1Base];
due to the base class inheritance from matlab.mixin.Heterogeneous (which is the reason that seemingly pointless base class is needed).
Not sure if that helps at all, but it is at least an idea for you to chew over or someone else to improve upon.
