(sw-readparam)=

# sw_readparam

## Syntax
 
`parsed = sw_readparam(format,Name,Value)`
 
## Description
 
`parsed = sw_readparam(format,Name,Vale)` parses name-value pair
arguments. The parsing is controlled by the given `format` input. The
name-value pairs are converted into the parsed struct which has field
names identical to the given parameter names and corresponding values
taken from the input. `format` can also define required dimensionality of
a given value and default values for select parameters.
 
`sw_readparam` is used in most of the method functions of [spinw](#spinw).
 
## Input Arguments
 
`format`
: A struct with the following fields:
  * `fname` Field names, $n_{param}$ strings in cell.
  * `size` Required dimensions of the corresponding value in a cell of
    $n_{param}$ vectors. Negative integer means dimension has to match with
    any other dimension which has the identical negative integer.
  * `defval` Cell of $n_{param}$ values, provides default values for
    missing parameters.
  * `soft` Cell of $n_{param}$ logical values, optional. If `soft(i)` is
    true, in case of missing parameter value $i$, no warning will be
    given.