Instructions for setting up MATLAB

Last updated 2020-07-20 by Adam Lu

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Before starting MATLAB

• The following is only needed if you have used MATLAB with this account before and MATLAB has been upgraded to a newer version since

  • Make sure old pathdef.m files are removed by typing this command in a terminal:

    rm ~/pathdef.m
    

Within MATLAB

• Helpful preference settings

  • Under Preferences -> MATLAB -> General -> MAT-Files, choose MATLAB Version 7.3 or later. This will allow saved variables to exceed 2 GB on 64-bit systems, and allow the usage of the matfile() function.
  • Under Preferences -> MATLAB -> General -> Source Control, choose None. This will prevent git from slowing things down
  • Under Preferences -> Parallel Computing Toolbox:
    1. Click on Cluster Profile Manager
    2. Click on Edit
    3. In the field Number of workers to start on your local machine, type 12.
  • Under Preferences -> MATLAB -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Active Settings, change Emacs default set to Windows default set

• Commands to type within MATLAB for chalkboard only:

  • Always use Software OpenGL (chalkboard does not have a graphics card yet)

    % Always select OpenGL
    opengl('save', 'software')
    
    % To revert:
    % opengl('save', 'none')
    

• Add very useful directories to your search path:

  • Click on Set Path
  • Click on Add Folder..., type or find these paths under Folder Name and add them:
    1. /home/Matlab/Settings_Matlab
    2. /home/Matlab/Downloaded_Functions
    3. /home/Matlab/Adams_Functions Note: Please avoid clicking on Add with Subfolders... because that would also add older versions of code saved in .git directories. If you must add subdirectories to your path, add them individually!
  • Click on Save and click yes if it prompts you to save in your home directory.
    • This will create a file called pathdef.m in your home directory.
    • If you start MATLAB from the home directory (which is usually the case), pathdef.m will be read and the saved paths will be loaded.
    • If you start MATLAB from a directory without pathdef.m, only the default paths will be loaded.
  • For more on this, consult these instructions