Placing Functions Inline to Script

[Fritz Sonnichsen]

I am a new octave user (matlab refugee) and trying to get through a few 
very basic problems to get going. I am trying to define functions within 
a script as shown in the code below. The script fails claiming it cannot 
find the function. The only workaround is to make the main script a 
function as well but this has some repercussions regarding preserving 
variables. Short of having separate files running around with my 
functions is there a way to help the script "see" the function definition?

Thanks
Fritz

%%%%%%%%%% script %%%%%%%%
maxpoint(3);

%%%%%%%% functions %%%%%%%
function maxpoint (p)
printf("point= %d",p);
endfunction

error: 'maxpoint' undefined near line 2 column 1