How can I pass control back to the MATLAB command prompt after keyboard command?

I am debugging some code and have inserted a keyboard command into a loop. The code generates a figure, then when it hits the keyboard command control is passed to the editor (if I start typing, text appears in the code). Instead I would like to pass control to the command window after the keyboard command (if I start typing, text would appear at the command prompt). I tried using commandwindow before the keyboard command, but that did not seem to override the keyboard command's default of passing control to the code. What do you suggest?

for i = 1:50
    figure;
    commandwindow;
    keyboard; 
end

[Donna Calhoun]

Before version 2017a, the script below would immediately return control to the prompt. But starting with 2017a, this script returns control to the editor the first time the keyboard statement is hit; the second time, though, control is returned to the prompt.

This is really annoying, because we use this feature in a library routine. As the OP pointed out, immediately typing upon hitting 'k' (in the example below) edits the library file (our 'key_test.m') file. One has to then undo any typing in the library file that was inadvertently edited, then click to focus on the command window.

% key_test.m
inp = 'k';
while(strcmp(inp,'k'))
    inp = input('Input k or q : ','s');
    switch inp
        case 'k'
            keyboard;
        case 'q'
            return
    end        
end

Is there any chance this will be fixed? Or is this now a "feature"?

[dpb]

While some age on it; issues still abound...

R2016b/Win 7 (and I think earlier are same) when the breakpoint in editor is reached focus is switched to the editor window while the debug prompt appears in the command window. Invariably, one wants focus in the command window but typing as noted above immediately destroys the existing file.

To make matters even worse, now a CTRL-Z to undo will go PAST the changes made to those prior to the previous SAVE so you can actually undo previous corrections.

All in all, a complete cock-up and why, in general, tended to not use the Matlab editor/debug facility nearly as much as could.

Answer 1

[per isakson]

I failed to make my system, R2016a on Win7, behave as you describe. On the contrary it behaves exactly as you want it to do.

The command, keyboard, makes Matlab switch to debug-mode and if I start typing text it appears in the command window after the prompt, K>>. When I move the cursor over the editor window it switches to the spinning wheel. Clicking in the editor allows me to type code. &nbsp

[K E]

I saved your code lines in an mfile and executed the mfile. When I run the mfile, going through the loop the first keyboard instance passes control to the command window but subsequent ones pass control to the code window. [If I click on the command window, then control is passed to the command prompt, but I want to automatically be in the command window, not choose it manually]. If I just copy & paste the lines into the command window control is passed to the command window every time.

[per isakson]

You are perfectly right regarding my example! I was too quick to jump into conclusions.

I would call this a bug and report to tech support. It cannot possibly be an intended behavior.

[per isakson]

Now I have tried your example with commandwindow.

I just typed cssm and then dbcont three times without touching the mouse. Same behavior when I started with&nbsp Run Selection. This example shows expected and wanted behavior on my system, R2016a on Win7.

>> cssm
K>> dbcont
K>> dbcont
K>> dbcont
>>

where

function    cssm()
    for jj = 1:3
       figure;
       commandwindow
       keyboard
    end
end

[K E]

If you are getting the desired behavior (control passed to the command window) on R2016a, and I am not on R2015b/Win 7, I will see if this will be fixed by updating my version.