How do I get the last element of a cell array from a function call?

Say I am making a function call to a function that needs an index as one of its arguments, however, in this case, I only want the last element of the cell array. So far I have this:

twin_start = boundary_times(df,steplists,stepIdx,full_step_str,end);

using end as an argument, but I know you can't use end like that. Is there something I can do to indicate that I want the last element of the cell array when making a function call? Thank you :)

[Rik]

You mean you want only the last element of your output array? I have no idea what kind of input boundary_times is expecting, so I can't tell if you should use some call to numel or something totally different.

[Elizabeth Cisneros]

For the input I am talking about in boundary_times (location) it is just expecting an index

function twin_time = boundary_times(df,steplists,stepIdx,step_str,location)

and this is the array from boundary_times where that index will go in

          %split time window string to determine end time
          twinSplit = strsplit(step_twin,{' ','->'});
          step_BoundaryT = twinSplit{location};

However, there are sometimes where the size of this cell array may vary (this is in a loop by the way) so I am trying to figure out a way to call it where the location input will always be the last element. I've tried length(twinSplit) too but that doesn't work.

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

Write the function to accept a special case, e.g. an empty array indicates end:

if isempty(location)
    step_BoundaryT = twinSplit{end};
else
    step_BoundaryT = twinSplit{location};
end

and then call it like this:

boundary_times(...,[]);

[Elizabeth Cisneros]

Thank you, Stephen! I never thought about actually changing the function.

[Image Analyst]

Well changing the function was what I suggested to you in my earlier answer, but you said "I wouldn't want to hardcode it though because I use this function for other purposes". Glad to see you changed your mind. Obviously if nothing changes in your code (or input data), then nothing will change in the results.

Answer 2

[Image Analyst]

Try this:

% Put contents of last cell of the twinSplit cell array into step_BoundaryT
step_BoundaryT = twinSplit{end};

[Elizabeth Cisneros]

I wouldn't want to hardcode it though because I use this function for other purposes