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prefdir - Folder containing preferences, history, and layout files

Syntax

prefdir f = prefdir f = prefdir(1)

Description

prefdir returns the folder that contains

Preferences for MATLAB and related products (matlab.prf)
Command history file (history.m)
MATLAB shortcuts (shortcuts.xml)
MATLAB desktop layout files (MATLABDesktop.xml and Your_Saved_LayoutMATLABLayout.xml)
Other related files

f = prefdir assigns to f the name of the folder containing preferences and related files.

f = prefdir(1) creates a folder for preferences and related files if one does not exist. If the folder does exist, the name is assigned to f.

Remarks

You must have write access to the preferences folder, or MATLAB generates an error in the Command Window when you try to change preferences.

The folder might be a hidden folder, for example, myname/.matlab/R2009a. For more information, see Viewing Hidden Files and Folders.

The preferences folder MATLAB uses and how preferences migrate when you use a new version of MATLAB depend on the version. In R14SP3, there was a change to the way that the preference folders were named and how they migrated, affecting R13 through R14SP2. The differences are relevant if you run multiple versions of MATLAB and one version is prior to R14SP3:

For R2009b back through and including R2006a, and R14SP3, MATLAB uses the name of the release for the preference folder. For example, R2009b, R2009a, ... through R14SP3. When you install R2009b, MATLAB migrates the files in the R2009a preferences folder to the R2009b preferences folder. While running R2009b through R14SP3, any changes made to files in those preferences folders (R2009b through R14SP3) are used only in their respective versions. As an example, commands you run in R2009b will not appear in the Command History when you run R2009a, and so on. The converse is also true.
Upon startup, MATLAB 7.9 (R2009b) looks for, and if found uses, the R2009b preferences folder. If not found, MATLAB creates an R2009b preferences folder. This happens when the R2009b preferences folder is deleted or does not exist for some other reason. MATLAB then looks for the R2009a preferences folder, and if found, migrates the R2009a preferences to the R2009b preferences. If it does not find the R2009a preferences folder, it uses the default preferences for R2009b. This process also applies when starting MATLAB 7.8 (R2009a) through 7.1 (R14SP3).
If you want to use default preferences for R2009b, and do not want MATLAB to migrate preferences from R2009a, the R2009b preferences folder must exist but be empty when you start MATLAB. If you want to maintain some of your R2009b customizations, but restore the defaults for others, in the R2009b preferences folder, delete the files for which you want the defaults to be restored. One file you might want to maintain is history.m—for more information about the file, see Viewing Statements in the Command History Window in the MATLAB Desktop Tools and Development Environment documentation.
The R14 through R14SP2 releases all share the R14 preferences folder. While running R14SP1, for example, any changes made to files in the preferences folder, R14, are used when you run R14SP2 and R14. As another example, commands you run in R14 appear in the Command History when you run R14SP2, and the converse is also true. The preferences are not used when you run R14SP3 or later versions because those versions each use their own preferences folders.
All R13 releases use the R13 preferences folder. While running R13SP1, for example, any changes made to files in the preferences folder, R13, are used when you run R13. As an example, commands you run in R13 will appear in the Command History when you run R13SP1, and the converse is true. The preferences are not used when you run any R14 or later releases because R14 and later releases use different preferences folders, and the converse is true.

Examples

View the location of the preferences folder:

prefdir

MATLAB returns:

ans =

C:\WINNT\Profiles\my_user_name\MATHWORKS\Application Data\MathWorks\MATLAB\R2009a

Run dir for the folder to see the files for customizing MathWorks products:

.                  history.m          
..                 matlab.prf         
cwdhistory.m       MATLABDesktop.xml
shortcuts.xml      MATLAB EditorDesktop.xml
...

In MATLAB, run cd(prefdir) to make the preferences folder become the current folder.

On Windows platforms, go directly to the preferences folder in Microsoft Windows Explorer by running winopen(prefdir).

prefdir - Folder containing preferences, history, and layout files

Syntax

Description

Remarks

Examples

See Also

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