Specifying Precedence of User-Defined Classes :: Classes and Objects (Programming)

Programming

Specifying Precedence of User-Defined Classes

You can specify the relative precedence of user-defined classes by calling the inferiorto or superiorto function in the class constructor.

The inferiorto function places a class below other classes in the precedence hierarchy. The calling syntax for the inferiorto function is

```
inferiorto('class1','class2',...)
```

You can specify multiple classes in the argument list, placing the class below many other classes in the hierarchy.

Similarly, the superiorto function places a class above other classes in the precedence hierarchy. The calling syntax for the superiorto function is

```
superiorto('class1','class2',...)
```

Location in the Hierarchy

If objectA is above objectB in the precedence hierarchy, then the expression

```
objectA + objectB
```

calls @classA/plus.m. Conversely, if objectB is above objectA in the precedence hierarchy, then MATLAB calls @classB/plus.m.

See How MATLAB Determines Which Method to Call for related information.

Object Precedence How MATLAB Determines Which Method to Call