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Summary Table of Help Functions |
There are several help functions that provide forms of help different than the Help browser documentation, or provide alternative ways to access the Help browser information.
Function | Description |
|---|---|
Displays specified M-file with line numbers. If you want to see only the input and output arguments for a function, use dbtype function 1, which displays the first line of the M-file. | |
Displays the Demos pane in the Help browser, from which you can access demonstrations for the products you have installed. With an argument, runs the specified demo. | |
Displays in the Help browser, the reference page for the specified function, block, or property. Usually more extensive than results for the help function, the reference page provides syntax, a description, examples, illustrations, and links to related functions. | |
On The Open Group UNIX® platforms, this function specifies Web browser information that is used when displaying Internet Web pages. | |
Run the Help browser search feature for the specified term. | |
Displays M-file help (a description and syntax) in the Command Window for the specified function. For MDL-files, displays a description of the model. | |
Opens the Help browser, the MATLAB® interface for accessing documentation. | |
Opens the Help browser. In previous releases, helpdesk displayed the Help Desk, which was the precursor to the Help browser. This function will be removed in a future release. | |
Displays in the Help browser a list of all functions, and provides access to M-file help for the functions. | |
Displays in the Command Window a list and brief description of all functions whose brief description includes the specified keyword. | |
Opens the specified URL in the specified browser. Use web in your own M-files to display HTML documentation you create for your work. | |
Displays the Release Notes in the Help browser. |
To view the reference page for a function, block, or property in the Help browser, use doc. For example, type
doc format
to view the reference page for the format function.
When a function name is used in multiple products, it is said to be an overloaded function. The doc function displays the reference page for the first function on the search path having that name, and displays a hyperlinked list of the overloaded functions in the Command Window.
For example, using the default search path
doc set
displays the reference page for the MATLAB set function in the Help browser. The Command Window displays a hyperlinked list of the set functions located in other directories, such as
database/set
which is the set function for the Database Toolbox™ product. Click a link to go to that set reference page.
To directly get the reference page for an overloaded function, specify the name of the directory containing the function you want the reference page for, followed by the function name. For example, to display the reference page for the set function in theDatabase Toolbox product, type
doc database/set
Some products have more than one function with the same name. For example, MATLAB includes a built-in get function in the graphics directory and a get function in the MATLAB serial directory (for serial port functions). Type
doc get
The reference page for the MATLAB graphics built-in get function appears, and the Command Window lists overloaded functions in other products. But the list does not include any overloaded functions in the same product. Therefore, get in the MATLAB serial directory is not listed as an overloaded function. Type
doc ('get (serial)')
to display the reference page for the get function located in the MATLAB serial directory.
To quickly view a brief description and syntax for a function in the Command Window, use the help function. For example, typing
help bar
displays a description and syntax for the bar function in the Command Window. This is called the M-file help. For other arguments you can supply, see the reference page for help.
Note M-file help displayed in the Command Window uses all uppercase characters for the function and variable names to distinguish them from the rest of the text. When typing function names, however, use lowercase characters. Some functions for interfacing to Sun Microsystems™ Java™ do use mixed case; the M-file help accurately reflects that, and you should use mixed case when typing them. |
If you need more information than the help function provides, use the doc function, which displays the reference page in the Help browser. It can include color, images, links, and more extensive examples than the M-file help. For example, typing
doc bar
displays the reference page for the bar function in the Help browser.
When a function name is used in multiple products, it is said to be an overloaded function. The help function displays M-file help for the first function on the search path having that name, and displays a hyperlinked list of the overloaded functions at the end.
For example, using the default search path
help set
displays M-file help for the MATLAB set function, and displays a hyperlinked list of the set functions residing in other directories, such as
database/set
which is the set function for the Database Toolbox product. Click a link to display the M-file help for that set function.
To directly get help for an overloaded function, specify the name of the directory containing the function you want help for, followed by the function name. For example, to get help for the set function in the Database Toolbox product, type
help database/set
You can create M-file help for your own M-files and access it using the help command. See the help reference page for details.
The Help Report and the Contents Report provide other ways of looking at and managing help for M-files — see Directory Reports in Current Directory Browser.
You can also see the help for an M-file in the Current Directory browser if you have its preference for Show M, MDL, and MAT file contents selected.
Use the help function with an MDL filename to display the complete description for the model file. For example, run
help 4_dap.mdl
and MATLAB displays the description of the Simulink® F-14 Digital Autopilot High Angle of Attack Mode, as defined in the Model > Properties > Description.
Multirate digital pitch loop control for F-14 control design demonstration.
If the Simulink product is installed, you do not need to include the .mdl extension.
You can see the same description in the Current Directory browser if you have its preference for Show M, MDL, and MAT file contents selected.
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