Start MATLAB program from Windows system prompt (2024)

One or more startup options, specified as strings corresponding to valid startup options from the following tables.

Display Options

Option	Result
`-noFigureWindows`	Disable the display of figure windows in MATLAB.
`-nosplash`	Do not display the splash screen during startup.

Set Initial Working Folder

The initial working folder is the current folder when MATLAB starts.For more information, see MATLAB Startup Folder.

Option Result

Option	Result
`-sd folder`	Set the MATLAB folder to `folder`, specified as a string. Example: `matlab -sd "C:\work"`
`-useStartupFolderPref`	Set the MATLAB folder to the value specified by the Initial working folder preference, located in the General Preferences page of the Preferences.

-sd folder

Set the MATLAB folder to folder, specified as a string.

Example: matlab -sd "C:\work"

-useStartupFolderPref

Set the MATLAB folder to the value specified by the Initial working folder preference, located in the General Preferences page of the Preferences.

Debugging Options

Option Result

Option	Result
`-logfile filename`	Copy Command Window output, including error log reports, in to `filename`, specified as a string. Example: `-logfile output.log`
`-jdb portnumber`	Enable use of the Java^® debugger. The Java debugger uses the default `portnumber` value 4444 to communicate with MATLAB. The port number is optional. However, to use the Java debugger while running multiple MATLAB sessions, you must provide a port number. The `portnumber` value must be an integer in the range 0–65535. The integer cannot be reserved or currently in use by another application on your system.

-logfile filename

Copy Command Window output, including error log reports, in to filename, specified as a string.

Example: -logfile output.log

-jdb portnumber

Enable use of the Java^® debugger. The Java debugger uses the default portnumber value 4444 to communicate with MATLAB.

The port number is optional. However, to use the Java debugger while running multiple MATLAB sessions, you must provide a port number. The portnumber value must be an integer in the range 0–65535. The integer cannot be reserved or currently in use by another application on your system.

Execute MATLAB Script or Function

Option Result

Option	Result
`-batch statement`	Execute MATLAB script, statement, or function non-interactively. MATLAB: Starts without the desktop Does not display the splash screen Executes `statement` Displays figure windows, unless combined with the `-noFigureWindows` option Displays user-generated modal dialog boxes, but does not display unprompted modal dialog boxes Disables changes to preferences Disables toolbox caching Logs text to `stdout` and `stderr` Exits automatically with exit code 0 if `statement` executes successfully. Otherwise, MATLAB terminates with a non-zero exit code. `statement` is MATLAB code enclosed in double quotation marks. If `statement` is the name of a MATLAB function or script, do not specify the file extension. Any required file must be on the MATLAB search path or in the startup folder. Use the `-batch` option in non-interactive scripting or command line workflows. Do not use this option with the `-r` option. To test if a session of MATLAB is running in batch mode, call the batchStartupOptionUsed function. Example: `-batch "myscript"`
`-r statement`	Execute the MATLAB `statement`. Use this option for interactive workflows. Do not use this option with the `-batch` option. Note To set the initial working folder, use the `-sd` option. For example: `-sd folder` Example: `-r "disp(['Current folder: ' pwd])"` Example: `-r "myscript"`

-batch statement

Execute MATLAB script, statement, or function non-interactively. MATLAB:

Starts without the desktop
Does not display the splash screen
Executes statement
Displays figure windows, unless combined with the -noFigureWindows option
Displays user-generated modal dialog boxes, but does not display unprompted modal dialog boxes
Disables changes to preferences
Disables toolbox caching
Logs text to stdout and stderr
Exits automatically with exit code 0 if statement executes successfully. Otherwise, MATLAB terminates with a non-zero exit code.

statement is MATLAB code enclosed in double quotation marks. If statement is the name of a MATLAB function or script, do not specify the file extension. Any required file must be on the MATLAB search path or in the startup folder.

Use the -batch option in non-interactive scripting or command line workflows. Do not use this option with the -r option.

To test if a session of MATLAB is running in batch mode, call the batchStartupOptionUsed function.

Example: -batch "myscript"

-r statement

Execute the MATLAB statement. Use this option for interactive workflows. Do not use this option with the -batch option.

Note

To set the initial working folder, use the -sd option. For example:

-sd folder

Example: -r "disp(['Current folder: ' pwd])"

Example: -r "myscript"

Use Single Computational Thread

By default, MATLAB uses the multithreading capabilities of the computer on which it is running.

Option	Result
`-singleCompThread`	Limit MATLAB to a single computational thread. This option is for numerical computations only.

Disable Searching Custom Java Class Path

Option	Result
`-nouserjavapath`	Disable use of `javaclasspath.txt` and `javalibrarypath.txt` files. For more information, see Specifying Java Startup Options.

OpenGL Library Options

These options control the use of software OpenGL^® libraries when MATLAB detects a graphics driver with known issues. For more information, see Graphics Features That Have Specific Requirements.

In a future release, these options will be removed. For more information, see Version History.

Option	Result
`-softwareopengl`	Force MATLAB to start with software OpenGL libraries.
`-nosoftwareopengl`	Disable auto-selection of OpenGL software.

COM Server Options

Option Result

Option	Result
`-automation`	Start MATLAB as a Component Object Model (COM) Automation server. MATLAB does not display the splash screen and minimizes the window. Use for a single call to MATLAB.
`-regserver`	Register MATLAB as a COM server in the Windows registry. You must have administrator privileges to change the Windows registry. Based on your User Account Control (UAC) settings, you might need to right-click a Windows Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. If that option is not available, contact your system administrator. Alternatively, you can register MATLAB from the MATLAB command prompt. Type: regmatlabserver For more information, see Register MATLAB as COM Server and regmatlabserver.
`-unregserver`	Remove MATLAB COM server entries from the registry.

-automation

Start MATLAB as a Component Object Model (COM) Automation server. MATLAB does not display the splash screen and minimizes the window. Use for a single call to MATLAB.

-regserver

You must have administrator privileges to change the Windows registry. Based on your User Account Control (UAC) settings, you might need to right-click a Windows Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. If that option is not available, contact your system administrator.

Alternatively, you can register MATLAB from the MATLAB command prompt. Type:

regmatlabserver

For more information, see Register MATLAB as COM Server and regmatlabserver.

-unregserver

Remove MATLAB COM server entries from the registry.

Wait for MATLAB to Terminate

By default, when you call the matlab command from a script, the command starts MATLAB and then immediately executes the next statements in the script. The -wait option pauses the script until MATLAB terminates.

Option	Result
`-wait`	Use in a script to process the results from MATLAB. Calling MATLAB with this option blocks the script from continuing until the results are generated.

Specify License File

For more information, see Update or Modify Network License Files.

Option Result

Option	Result
`-c license`	Use the License File, `license`, specified as a string, a semicolon-separated list of license file names, or a `port@host` entry. If specifying multiple files, separate the names by semicolons and enclose the entire list in quotation marks. If the path to your license file contains a space, enclose the path name in quotation marks. Example: `-c license.lic`

-c license

Use the License File, license, specified as a string, a semicolon-separated list of license file names, or a port@host entry. If specifying multiple files, separate the names by semicolons and enclose the entire list in quotation marks. If the path to your license file contains a space, enclose the path name in quotation marks.

Example: -c license.lic

Help Options

Option	Result
`-h`	Display options without starting MATLAB.
`-help`	Same as `-h` option.
`-?`	Same as `-h` option.

Start MATLAB program from Windows system prompt (2024)

Display Options

Set Initial Working Folder

Debugging Options

Execute MATLAB Script or Function

Use Single Computational Thread

Disable Searching Custom Java Class Path

OpenGL Library Options

COM Server Options

Wait for MATLAB to Terminate

Specify License File

Help Options

References