String containing variables to numerical array

I have a user inputed funciton, that is classed as characters. I want to replace those characters with their now assigned variables to return a numerical array.

Here is the code:

Inputs = inputdlg({['Please input the function you wish to plot in terms of X and Y' newline 'Function ='],'x-interval =','y-interval='});
InputFunction = Inputs{1,1};
x_interval = Inputs{2,1};
y_interval = Inputs{3,1};
x_interval = str2num(x_interval);
y_interval = str2num(y_interval);

[X,Y] = meshgrid(x_interval,y_interval);
InputFunction = str2double(InputFunction)
surf(X,Y,InputFunction)

e.g. function should be given in the form X.*exp(-X.^2-Y.^2), and then evaluated over the extracted intervals.

However (unsurpisingly) str2double(InputFunction) doesn't work.

Any help or suggestions much appreciated.

Answer 1

[Matt J]

f=str2func("@(X,Y) " + InputFunction);

surf(X,Y,f(X,Y))

[Paul]

Shouldn't this be str2func ?

[Matt J]

Yes!

[Isaac]

Thanks for the help!