classdef a properties m = ones(2, 2); end methods function val = get_m1(obj) val = obj.m(:, 2:end); end function val = get_m2(obj) m_tmp = obj.m; val = m_tmp(:, 2:end); end function val = get_m3(obj) % Gives syntax error as in following line on matlab R2014b: % ()-indexing must appear last in an index expression. val = obj.m()(:, 2:end); end end end