How to subset a table in a function based on input arguments

Hello,

I am trying to write a function that subset a table based on the arguments used by the user. If the user doesnt select any arguments, then the function returns all the table contents. If the user uses the input argument 'year' then the function should only return year1 and year2. If the user uses the input argument 'type' then the function should only return type1 and type2. Using the arguments year and type should return year1, year2, type1 and type2.

Thoughts ?

function myfun(year, type, gof)


year1 = {1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994}.';
year2 = {1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995}.';
type1 = {'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA'}.';
type2 = {'BB', 'BB', 'BB', 'BB', 'BB', 'BB', 'AA', 'BB', 'BB'}.';
gof1 = {'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC'}.';
gof2 = {'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD'}.';
t = table(year1, type1, year2, type2, gof1, gof2);

year = {'year1', 'year2'};
type = {'type1', 'type2'};
gof = {'gof1', 'gof2'};

if nargin == 0
    % do nothing - i.e return all variables by default
else
    user_request = {year, type, gof}; %else return table subset depending on arguments used
    [~, f_order] = ismember(t.Properties.VariableNames, user_request);
    [~, g_order] = sort(f_order); 
    t = t(:, g_order);   
end
   
file = table2cell(t);
xlswrite('output.xlsx', file);

Answer 1

[Meg Noah]

Can just use an anonymous function:

clc
close all
clear all

getVarsetTable = @(t,userPrefix) t(:,contains(t.Properties.VariableNames,userPrefix));

year1 = {1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994, 1994}.';
year2 = {1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1995}.';
type1 = {'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA', 'AA'}.';
type2 = {'BB', 'BB', 'BB', 'BB', 'BB', 'BB', 'AA', 'BB', 'BB'}.';
gof1 = {'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC', 'CC'}.';
gof2 = {'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD', 'DD'}.';
t = table(year1, type1, year2, type2, gof1, gof2);

t1 = getVarsetTable(t,{'year','type'});
t2 = getVarsetTable(t,{'year','gof'});

Or if you really want a separate function

function [t] = getVarsetTable(t,userPrefix)
idx = contains(t.Properties.VariableNames,userPrefix);
t = t(:,contains(t.Properties.VariableNames,userPrefix));
end

[012786534]

Thank you