How to run a .m file in a new MATLAB instance?

I'm running a script which calls several functions, and one of these only works in a new version of MATLAB (R2016b). I'm trying to get my version of MATLAB (R2010b) to open a new instance of 2016b MATLAB and run a script within it to finish my program. I currently have:

!"C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2016b\bin\matlab.exe" NewFunction.m

which opens a new instance of MATLAB R2016b but does not execute NewFunction.m within it (or at all).

[Adam Hicks]

!"C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2016b\bin\matlab.exe" -r NewFunction.m &

This tells the new MATLAB instance to run NewFunction using CLI.

However, it seems that it is trying to run NewFunction.m before MATLAB fully starts up and says, "Undefined variable "NewFunction" or class "NewFunction.m"".

Is there a way I can tell MATLAB to wait before executing the command? As far as I know this functionality doesn't exist in Unix/CLI.

[Steven Lord]

When you use the -r flag, whatever is after it should be a valid MATLAB command. "NewFunction.m" is not, unless m is a MATLAB program file inside a package named NewFunction or is a Static method of a class named NewFunction.

If you want to execute a MATLAB program file named NewFunction.m you would need "path_to\matlab.exe -r NewFunction" since NewFunction is what you would type in the MATLAB Command Window to execute that program file.

Answer 1

[Adam Hicks]

I found the solution here .

!"C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2016b\bin\matlab.exe" -r "NewFunction"

This will run NewFunction.m on startup in the new instance of MATLAB.

[Gokul]

Can the same be done in background? Such that the GUI is not shown?

[Steven Lord]

If you're using release R2019a or later, use the -batch option.

[Gokul]

Thank you! Another addition to that, how could I give variable inputs to the function? I tried and failed with this:

inputArg1 = 1;
!"C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2016b\bin\matlab.exe" -r "NewFunction(inputArg1)" 

[ME]

this handles inputArg1 as a string... you could try buidling this command via eval and strcat:

inputArg1 = 1;

eval(['!"C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2016b\bin\matlab.exe" -r "NewFunction(' num2str(inputArg1) ')"'])

[Stephen23]

"you could try buidling this command via eval and strcat:"

Do NOT do that. Call the SYSTEM function. For example:

system(['"C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2016b\bin\matlab.exe" -r "NewFunction(',num2str(inputArg1), ')"'])