Local Variables in Scilab

In Scilab the local variables hold a unique position. They're defined exclusively within a function and remain confined to that space, invisible to the outside world.

What does this mean in practice? Simply put, you can't peek at or tweak a local variable from outside its parent function.

To shed light on this, let's walk through a tangible example.

Consider the following Scilab script:

1. x = 1
2. function myFunction()
3. global x
4. x=2
5. disp(msprintf('x= %d', x))
6. endfunction
7. myFunction()
8. disp(msprintf('x= %d', x))

At the outset, our script assigns the modest value of 1 to the variable `x`.

Venturing inside `myFunction()`, we declare a local variable named "x", bestowing upon it the value 2.

This value is then promptly displayed, resulting in the output:

x=2

Upon the function's conclusion, Scilab gracefully returns control to the main script.

The script, in turn, reveals the value of "x" to us, producing the output:

x=1

This exercise underscores a pivotal point: within its defining function, our local variable 'x' proudly bears the value 2.

Yet, once we step outside, its value reverts to a steadfast 1, unaffected by the internal machinations of the function.