open

Open file in appropriate application

Syntax

open name

A = open(name)

Description

open name opens the specified file or variable in the appropriate application.

You can extend the functionality of open by defining your own file-handling function of the form openxxx, where xxx is a file extension. For example, if you create a function openlog, then the open function calls openlog to process any files with the .log extension. The open function returns any single output defined by your function.

example

A = open(name) returns a structure if name is a MAT-file, or it returns a figure handle if name is a figure. Otherwise, open returns an empty array. For increased flexibility and options, use the load function to open MAT-files, and the openfig function to open figures.

Examples

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Open File

Open Live Script

Open the file num2str.m in the Editor. MATLAB opens the file matlabroot\toolbox\matlab\strfun\num2str.m. If a file called num2str.m exists in a folder that is above toolbox\matlab\strfun on the MATLAB path, then MATLAB opens that file instead.

open num2str.m

Open File Not on Path

Open a file not on the MATLAB^® path by including the complete file specification. If the file does not exist, MATLAB displays an error message.

open C:\temp\data.mat

Create Function to Handle an Extension

Create a function called opentxt to handle files with a .txt extension.

Create the function opentxt.

function opentxt(filename)
   [~, name, ext] = fileparts(filename); 
   fprintf('You have requested file: %s\n', [name ext]);

   if exist(filename, 'file') == 2
     fprintf('Opening in MATLAB Editor: %s\n', [name ext]);
     edit(filename);
   else
      wh = which(filename);
      if ~isempty(wh)
         fprintf('Opening in MATLAB Editor: %s\n', wh);
         edit(wh);
      else
        warning('MATLAB:fileNotFound', ...
                'File was not found: %s', [name ext]);
      end
   end
   
end

Create the text file myTestFile.txt.

dlmwrite('myTestFile.txt',[1,2,3,4]);

Read the data from the file. The open function calls the function opentxt to open the file.

open('myTestFile.txt');

You have requested file: myTestFile.txt
Opening in MATLAB Editor: myTestFile.txt

Input Arguments

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`name` — File or variable name
character array | string scalar

File or variable name, specified as a character array or string scalar. If name does not include an extension, then MATLAB searches for variables and files according to the Function Precedence Order. If name is a variable, the open function opens it in the Variables editor. Otherwise, the open function performs one of these actions based on the file extension.

`.m` or `.mlx`	Open code file in MATLAB Editor.
`.mat`	Return variables in structure `A` when called with the syntax `A = open(name)`.
`.fig`	Open figure in Figure window.
`.mdl` or `.slx`	Open model in Simulink^®.
`.prj`	Open project in the MATLAB Compiler Deployment Tool.
`.doc*`	Open document in Microsoft^® Word.
`.exe`	Run executable file (only on Windows^® systems).
`.pdf`	Open document in Adobe^® Acrobat^®.
`.ppt*`	Open document in Microsoft PowerPoint^®.
`.xls*`	Start MATLAB Import Wizard.
`.htm` or `.html`	Open document in MATLAB browser.
`.slxc`	Open report file for the Simulink cache file.

In MATLAB Online™, open only supports opening MAT-files, figures, code files (.m or .mlx), and HTML documents.

Data Types: char | string

Version History

Introduced before R2006a