MATLAB Function Reference

perl - Call Perl script using appropriate operating system executable

Syntax

perl('perlfile')
perl('perlfile',arg1,arg2,...)
result = perl(...)
[result, status] = perl(...)

Description

perl('perlfile') calls the Perl script perlfile, using the appropriate operating system Perl executable. Perl is included with MATLAB^® on Microsoft^® Windows^® systems, and thus MATLAB users can run M-files containing the perl function. On UNIX^®[1] systems, MATLAB calls the Perl interpreter available with the operating system.

perl('perlfile',arg1,arg2,...) calls the Perl script perlfile, using the appropriate operating system Perl executable, and passes the arguments arg1, arg2, and so on, to perlfile.

result = perl(...) returns the results of attempted Perl call to result.

[result, status] = perl(...) returns the results of attempted Perl call to result and its exit status to status.

It is sometimes beneficial to use Perl scripts instead of MATLAB code. The perl function allows you to run those scripts from MATLAB. Specific examples where you might choose to use a Perl script include:

• Perl script already exists

• Perl script preprocesses data quickly, formatting it in a way more easily read by MATLAB

• Perl has features not supported by MATLAB

Examples

Given the Perl script, hello.pl:

$input = $ARGV[0]; 
print "Hello $input.";

At the MATLAB command line, type:

perl('hello.pl','World')

MATLAB displays:

ans =
Hello World.

See Also

! (exclamation point), dos, regexp, system, unix

^[1] UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the United States and other countries.

peaks

perms