Why do I receive an error about the EDITOR environment variable when running MATLAB in nodisplay mode?

Why do I receive an error about the EDITOR environment variable when running MATLAB in nodisplay mode?

When I run MATLAB in nodisplay mode and try to run the editor, I receive the following error:

 Error: Environment variable EDITOR is not set.

 ??? Error using ==> system_dependent

 Unknown service.

 Error in ==> /devel/archive/R13/fcs/ship/unix/install/all/toolbox/matlab/general/edit.m (editor)

 On line 249  ==>          system_dependent('miedit', '');

 Error in ==> /devel/archive/R13/fcs/ship/unix/install/all/toolbox/matlab/general/edit.m

 On line 35  ==>    errMessage = editor;

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

This is an intended behavior. To use the MATLAB Editor, you must run MATLAB with a display. You can do this by setting your DISPLAY environment variable or by starting MATLAB without the -nodisplay option.

Here are some instructions on how this could be done:

1) Start MATLAB from the Terminal Window in -nodisplay mode.

 % matlab -nodisplay

2) Once MATLAB starts in the terminal use the SETENV and GETENV function to explore/change the environment variables.

3) To get the current variable value:

>> getenv EDITOR

4) To change it use the following:

>> setenv('EDITOR','emacs');

>> edit % this should launch the Emacs editor.