matlab (UNIX) - Start MATLAB program (UNIX platforms)

-help

Display matlab command usage.

-h

The same as -help.

-n

Display all the final values of the environment variables and arguments passed to the MATLAB executable as well as other diagnostic information. Does not start MATLAB.

-e

Display all environment variables and their values just prior to exiting. This argument must have been parsed before exiting for anything to be displayed. The last possible exiting point is just before the MATLAB image would have been executed and a status of 0 is returned. If the exit status is not 0 on return, then the variables and values may not be correct. Does not start MATLAB.

-arch

Run MATLAB assuming this architecture rather than the actual architecture of the machine you are using. Replace the term arch with a string representing a recognized system architecture.

v=variant

Execute the version of MATLAB found in the directory bin/$ARCH/variant instead of bin/$ARCH. Replace the term variant with a string representing a MATLAB version.

v=arch/variant

Execute the version of MATLAB found in the directory bin/arch/variant instead of bin/$ARCH. Replace the terms arch and variant with strings representing a specific architecture and MATLAB version.

-display xDisp

Send X commands to X Window Server display xDisp. This supersedes the value of the DISPLAY environment variable.

-nodisplay

Start the Sun Microsystems JVM software, but do not start the MATLAB desktop. Do not display any X commands, and ignore the DISPLAY environment variable,

-desktop

Allow the MATLAB desktop to be started by a process without a controlling terminal. This is usually a required command line argument when attempting to start MATLAB from a window manager menu or desktop icon.

-nodesktop

Start MATLAB without bringing up the MATLAB desktop. The JVM software is started. Use the current window in the operating system to enter commands. Use this option to run without an X-window, for example, in VT100 mode, or in batch processing mode. Note that if you pipe to MATLAB using the > constructor, the nodesktop option is used automatically. With nodesktop, MATLAB does not save statements to the Command History. With nodesktop, you can still use most development environment tools by starting them via a function. For example, use preferences to open the Preferences dialog box and helpbrowser to open the Help browser. Do not use nodesktop to provide a Command Window-only interface; instead, select Desktop > Desktop Layout > Command Window Only.

-nojvm

Start MATLAB without the JVM software. Use the current window to enter commands. The MATLAB desktop does not open. Any tools that require Java software, such as the desktop tools, cannot be used. Handle Graphics and related functionality are not supported; MATLAB produces a warning when you use them.

ARCH

The machine architecture.

The value ARCH passed with the -arch or -arch/ext argument to the script is tried first, then the value of the environment variable MATLAB_ARCH is tried next, and finally it is computed. The first one that gives a valid architecture is used.

AUTOMOUNT_MAP

Path prefix map for automounting.

The value set in .matlab7rc.sh (initially by the installer) is used unless the value differs from that determined by the script, in which case the value in the environment is used.

DISPLAY

The hostname of the X Window display MATLAB uses for output.

The value of Xdisplay passed with the -display argument to the script is used; otherwise, the value in the environment is used. DISPLAY is ignored by MATLAB if the -nodisplay argument is passed.

LD_LIBRARY_PATH

Final Load library path. The name LD_LIBRARY_PATH is platform dependent.

The final value is normally a colon-separated list of four sublists, each of which could be empty. The first sublist is defined in .matlab7rc.sh as LDPATH_PREFIX. The second sublist is computed in the script and includes directories inside the MATLAB root directory and relevant Sun Microsystems Java directories. The third sublist contains any nonempty value of LD_LIBRARY_PATH from the environment possibly augmented in .matlab7rc.sh. The final sublist is defined in .matlab7rc.sh as LDPATH_SUFFIX.

LM_LICENSE_FILE

The FLEX lm license variable.

The license file value passed with the -c argument to the script is used; otherwise it is the value set in .matlab7rc.sh. In general, the final value is a colon-separated list of license files and/or port@host entries. The shipping .matlab7rc.sh file starts out the value by prepending LM_LICENSE_FILE in the environment to a default license.file.

Later in the matlab script, if the -c option is not used, the matlabroot/etc directory is searched for the files that start with license.dat.DEMO. These files are assumed to contain demo licenses and are added automatically to the end of the current list.

MATLAB

The MATLAB root directory.

The default computed by the script is used unless MATLABdefault is reset in .matlab7rc.sh.

Currently MATLABdefault is not reset in the shipping .matlab7rc.sh.

MATLAB_DEBUG

Normally set to the name of the debugger.

The -Ddebugger argument passed to the script sets this variable. Otherwise, a nonempty value in the environment is used.

MATLAB_JAVA

The path to the root of the Java Runtime Environment.

The default set in the script is used unless MATLAB_JAVA is already set. Any nonempty value from .matlab7rc.sh is used first, then any nonempty value from the environment. Currently there is no value set in the shipping .matlab67rc.sh, so that environment alone is used.

MATLABPATH

The MATLAB search path.

The final value is a colon-separated list with the MATLABPATH from the environment prepended to a list of computed defaults. You can add subdirectories of userpath to theMATLAB search path upon startup. See userpath for details.

SHELL

The shell to use when the "!" or unix command is issued in MATLAB. This is taken from the environment unless SHELL is reset in .matlab7rc.sh.

Note that an additional environment variable called MATLAB_SHELL takes precedence over SHELL. MATLAB checks internally for MATLAB_SHELL first and, if empty or not defined, then checks SHELL. If SHELL is also empty or not defined, MATLAB uses /bin/sh. The value of MATLAB_SHELL should be an absolute path, i.e. /bin/sh, not simply sh.

Currently, the shipping .matlab7rc.sh file does not reset SHELL and also does not reference or set MATLAB_SHELL.

TOOLBOX

Path of the toolbox directory.

A nonempty value in the environment is used first. Otherwise, matlabroot/toolbox, computed by the script, is used unless TOOLBOX is reset in .matlab7rc.sh. Currently TOOLBOX is not reset in the shipping .matlab7rc.sh.

XAPPLRESDIR

The X application resource directory.

A nonempty value in the environment is used first unless XAPPLRESDIR is reset in .matlab7rc.sh. Otherwise, matlabroot/X11/app-defaults, computed by the script, is used.

XKEYSYMDB

The X keysym database file.

A nonempty value in the environment is used first unless XKEYSYMDB is reset in .matlab7rc.sh. Otherwise, matlabroot/X11/app-defaults/XKeysymDB, computed by the script, is used. The matlab script determines the path of the MATLAB root directory as one level up the directory tree from the location of the script. Information in the AUTOMOUNT_MAP variable is used to fix the path so that it is correct to force a mount. This can involve deleting part of the pathname from the front of the MATLAB root path. The MATLAB variable is then used to locate all files within the MATLAB directory tree.