CODEWITHSUNDEEP
matlab
mHelpMe
mHelpMe

Reputation: 6668

matlab creating paths to stop copying code

I have created a few general function in MATLAB that I intend to use for a few separate projects. However I do not want to copy the function into each separate project function.

I have created a folder called Misc_Function when I have placed these general functions. I know I can reference this functions explicitly by using the path and function name when trying to call the functions.

I believe you can add a path (in my case 'H:\MyTeam\Matlab\Misc_Function') when MATLAB loads up is that correct and if so how do you do this?

Assuming the above can be done I'm interested to know how MATLAB finds the correct function. In my understanding (guess work) MATLAB has a list of paths that it check trying to find a function with the name specified - is that correct? If so what happens when there are functions with the same name?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 64

Answers (3)

saras
saras

Reputation: 265

I believe 'addpath' will add the folder to MATLAB path only for the current MATLAB session. To save the updated path for other sessions, you need to execute 'savepath' command.

As mentioned in the previous comments, adding the folder in startup.m is a good idea since it will be added to the path on MATLAB startup.

To answer your question about how MATLAB finds the correct function, MATLAB maintains a list of directories in its path in a file called pathdef.m. Any changes to the path will be written to this file (when you execute 'savepath'). The path variable is initialized with the contents of this file.

Upvotes: 1

Nemesis
Nemesis

Reputation: 2334

You can check the actual paths where Matlab searches for functions using

path

You will notice, that the most top path (on start up) is a path in your home folder. For Linux this is e.g. /home/$USER/Documents/MATLAB. For Windows it is somewhere in the the c:\Users\%USER%\Documents\Matlab (I think). Placing a file startup.m in this folder allows to add additional paths using

addpath('H:\MyTeam\Matlab\Misc_Function');

or

addpath(genpath('H:\MyTeam\Matlab\Misc_Function'));

on start up of Matlab. The latter (genpath) allows to also add all subdirectories. Simply write a file startup.m and add one of above lines there.

Upvotes: 1

Lumen
Lumen

Reputation: 3574

MATLAB indeed has its own search path which is a collection of folders that MATLAB will search when you reference a function or class (and a few other things). To see the search path, type path at the MATLAB prompt. From the documentation:

The order of folders on the search path is important. When files with the same name appear in multiple folders on the search path, MATLAB uses the one found in the folder nearest to the top of the search path.

If you have a set of utility functions that you want to make available to your projects, add the folder to the top of the search path with the addpath function, like so

addpath('H:\MyTeam\Matlab\Misc_Function');

You have to do this everytime you start MATLAB. Alternatively, and more conveniently, save the current search path with the savepath command or add the above commands to your startup.m file.

Upvotes: 1

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