classdef ready for testing with qtfm (quaternions for matlab)?

[Wolfgang Rosner]

Dear developers,

I am looking for a hypercomplex library for octave.

there is a matlab-package here
http://qtfm.sourceforge.net/

but it uses the evil "classdef"  syntax.

I tried with octave 4.1.0+ from
http://hg.savannah.gnu.org/hgweb/octave/branches
download 2014-12-13

but could not get qtfm working.
Using the new gui (great :-) ) debugger, it looks to me like new quaternions 
were constructed as intended, but upon leaving the constructor, the hidden 
private variables (w, x, y, z) appear to be forgotten.

I can inspect q.x etc while debugging in the constructor.
I cannot inspect them in the caller.
whos reports a object size of 0 after leaving the caller


snippet from test log
--------8<----------------------------------------------------

9: q = quaternion(1, 0, 0);
debug>
class: quaternion
method block
constructor: quaternion
property block
property: w
property default:
property: x
property default:
property: y
property default:
property: z
property default:
constructor
deleting quaternion object (value)
ans = quaternion object
>> whos
Variables in the current scope:

   Attr Name        Size                     Bytes  Class
   ==== ====        ====                     =====  =====
        ans         1x1                          0  quaternion

Total is 1 element using 0 bytes

--------8<----------------------------------------------------


I have only basic experience in octave / OO Programming, so this may well be a 
beginners mistake.
Or did I jump right in the middle of a running process of classdef 
development, with still a long way to go for maturity?
I can contribute by feedback my testing experience, if there is a reasonable 
chance for success.
If so, can you give me a pointer to start?

People have been asking for funding development. I can't afford to pay all the 
development, but I could contribute to some kind of crowdfunding pool.

The alternative is to rewrite the classdef stuff to well-tried octave syntax.
Is there a kind of howto -like receipe?
There are only 2 directories @octonion and @quaternion.
So do I only have to rewrite the two constructors there 
@octonion/octonion.m
and
@quaternion/quaternion.m
can all the other methods stay in place?
What about private subdirectories?

Any help appreciated.
I promise to share my experience if it works.

Sincerely 

Wolfgang Rosner
address@hidden