Frequently Asked Questions
Why is MathWorks releasing this patch?
MathWorks has identified a bug in the Windows version of MATLAB that under rare circumstances may cause files in the current working directory that have been copied to the clipboard to be deleted when exiting MATLAB.
What kind of rare circumstances?
This only occurs when the files copied to the clipboard are virtual files (e.g. files copied from a Remote Desktop session, email attachments copied directly from an email client, or files copied from within an expanded zip file), and a file of the same name exists in MATLAB's current working directory.
Are only MATLAB-related files deleted?
No, files of any type are vulnerable to this bug.
Does this bug cause MATLAB to produce incorrect results?
No.
What should I do?
We recommend you install the patch located in Bug Report ID 1090500 .
Do I need administrative privileges to install the patch?
Yes. You need write access privileges to your matlabroot directory. Depending on the level of access of the currently logged in user and your Windows settings, the patch installer may trigger a User Account Control dialog and/or prompt you to enter an administrator user name and password.
Do I need to install the patch on newly downloaded copies of MATLAB?
Copies of MATLAB R2014a and R2014b downloaded from mathworks.com after January 14, 2015 will already have the patch applied.
How can I tell if my installation of MATLAB has been patched?
Run the following command in MATLAB:
>> dir([matlabroot '/bugreport'])
If the patch has been applied, the output of this command will include a filename that starts with:
attachment_1090500_*
I have both MATLAB and Simulink R2014b. Should I install this patch?
No, install the patch located in Bug Report ID 1184018 . It addresses the bug described above, plus several other bugs in Simulink R2014b. See also the frequently asked questions for that bug report.
I have MATLAB R2014b but not Simulink. Should I install this patch?
Yes, install the patch located in Bug Report ID 1090500 .
What about R2014a?
Users of R2014a should install this patch regardless of whether they have Simulink installed. If you have both MATLAB R2014a and Simulink R2014b installed, you will need to apply the patch located in Bug Report ID 1090500 on your R2014a installation, and Bug Report ID 1184018 on your R2014b installation.
What are my options if I don't have administrator privileges for the matlabroot folder ?
There are multiple scenarios in such cases:
1. User doesn't have administrator privileges but the system administrators in the company have administrator privileges. In this case the possible options are:
1.1 System administrators can elevate the permissions for the user temporarily to give them write permissions for matlabroot folder and users can apply the patch themselves.
1.2 System administrators can login to the system and apply the patch themselves. For this step, first the administrator will need to activate MATLAB for themselves and only then they will be able to open MATLAB. This option requires a few extra steps to activate MATLAB for the administrator.
2. User doesn't have administrator privileges and the user has a separate administrator account with a different name but the license is linked to the non-admin user name. Possible options in this case are:
2.1 User logs in with the administrator account and elevates permissions for the other account temporarily giving it write permissions. Users will be able to then apply the patch themselves by logging in with the account that is linked with the license.
2.2 Users login to the system with their administrator account. For this step first the user will need to activate MATLAB for the administrator account and only then they will be able to open MATLAB. This option requires a few extra steps to activate MATLAB for the administrator account.
