How to edit MATLAB file kmeans.m?

Hello Friends,

I want to edit kmeans.m but it does not allow me to make any changes. I tried 'fileattrib' to make it writable file by

fileattrib('kmeans.m', '+w');

but even this does not work. I also tried to give the full path as follows:

fileattrib('/usr/local/MATLAB/R2014a/toolbox/stats/stats/kmeans.m','+w')

Error using fileattrib
Operation not permitted

I will appreciate any advise.

[Stephen23]

Do NOT edit or change any MATLAB toolbox files.

This has two very significant risks:

1. introducing bugs, which then cannot be reverted because you have changed the original file and you no longer have an original version.
2. changing function behavior and outputs: other functions may depend on the one that you edit. Will they still work correctly ? How do you know ?

If you want to write some code based on a MATLAB toolbox file, always copy it to your user directory and work with that copy only. Never replace the original files.

Answer 1

[the cyclist]

I would strongly advise against directly editing a read-only MATLAB file.

Instead copy it to your own directory, and edit your own file ...

copyfile /Applications/MATLAB_R2016b.app/toolbox/stats/stats/kmeans.m ./my_kmeans.m

It will still be read-only, but after make changes and try to save, you will be given an option to overwrite.

[hello_world]

Thanks for this reply. I already knew this option but this does not help me because I want to call Davies-Bouldin Criterion using kmeans clustering. In order to do so, I must change other MATLAB files and save them in a different directory. I tried to change some of them, but there are some which I could not change because it gives error. I do not know why.

[Adam]

You would have to copy them in that case. Matlab toolbox files are not meant to be messed around with and edited.