Exit MATLAB

Ways to Quit or Exit

At any time, do one of the following:

• Click the close button on the MATLAB^® desktop.

• Click on the left side of the desktop title bar and select Close.

• Type quit or exit at the command prompt.

MATLAB closes after:

• Prompting you to confirm exiting, if that preference is specified.

• Prompting you to save any unsaved files

• Running a script when exiting, if the finish.m script exists in the current folder or on the search path.

Confirm Exiting

To set a preference that displays a confirmation dialog box when you exit:

1. On the Home tab, in the Environment section, click Preferences.

2. Select MATLAB > General > Confirmation Dialogs.

3. Select the Confirm before exiting MATLAB check box and click OK.

MATLAB then displays the following dialog box when you exit.

You can also display your own exit confirmation dialog box using a finish.m script, as described in the following section.

Run Script When Exiting

When MATLAB exits, it runs the script finish.m, if the file exists in the current folder or anywhere on the search path. You create the script containing statements such as saving the workspace or displaying a confirmation dialog box. For more information, see finish.

There are two sample files in matlabroot/toolbox/local that you can use as the basis for your own finish.m file:

• finishsav.m — Includes a save function so the workspace is saved to a MAT-file.

• finishdlg.m — Displays a confirmation dialog box that allows you to cancel quitting.