There are at least 2 ways to get the data to the base workspace besides the load/save method. First, and highly encouraged, is to return the variables as outputs from the function. Second possibility, which I prefer less, is to have your function issue some assignin statements to the base workspace and get your function variables to POOF (as Steve Lord says) the data into the base workspace.

–Loren

I have tried using Jorgen’s approach, but this approach has also frustrated me because I can’t do it in core memory. You have to save variables to a file and then back in the root workspace reload them. This isn’t reasonable if the variables take much memory. Besides, I don’t like having to type “load foo” every time. And I don’t like creating unnecessary .mat files. Isn’t there any way to simply set the variables from a function directly into Matlab’s root workspace?

Thanks, John

What exactly do you mean about using clear in batch and it not working?

clear should clear the memory from MATLAB, enabling MATLAB to use that memory again, if required. I believe the memory does not get returned to the operating system until you quit MATLAB because of how the underlying memory managers work. It behaves differently on Windows.

–Loren

regards

function S = foo

% Perform calculations, etc.

% Remove loop control variables and other clutter,
% perhaps with clearvars -except.

save fooTemp.mat;
S = load(’fooTemp.mat’);
delete fooTemp.mat;
% There might be a clean way to do this in core memory,
% but the only way I know involves repeated eval calls.
return;

I will put the request in and you can too:

http://www.mathworks.com/support/service_requests/contact_support.do

–Loren

Nice suggestion.

–Loren

I use the following in some of my scripts to check if any breakpoints are set.

s = dbstatus;

if (isempty(s))
clear all
else
fprintf(’\n\n Debug stop set\n Using “clear variables” instead of “clear all”\n\n’);

clear variables
end

Not a perfect solution but at least I can debug, and start with no defined variables.

Use clear variables or clearvars with names, and then separately clear the functions you want to clear by name, e.g., clear foobar. Otherwise, you will clear all functions, including the one you are debugging, and it will lose it’s breakpoints.

–Loren