emacs-matlab/NEWS.org

• Changes and New Features in matlab-emacs
  • News in 4.0
    • Debugging
    • matlab-shell: News
    • Menu
    • Performance
    • Bug fixex
    • Quotes
    • Prog mode
    • Support for older Emacsen
    • Loading
    • Completion

Changes and New Features in matlab-emacs

News in 4.0

Debugging

Emacs debugging of MATLAB code is back!

M-x matlab-shell
>> dbstop in file.m

This is a significant improvement over the version that used to exist years ago. There are many improvements and fixes. Full debugging support is provided. You can debug MATLAB scripts, functions, packages, and classes. The debugger integration is using Emacs gud. You have the following capabilities when in a MATLAB M-file:

C-x C-a C-b    Set a breakpoint on current source line (dbstop)
C-x C-a C-d    Delete the breakpoint(s) on the current source line (dbclear)
C-x C-a C-s    Step a single line of code, stepping into functions (dbstep in)
C-x C-a C-n    Next a single line of code stepping over functions (dbstep)
C-x C-a <      Move up the next enclosing stack frame (dbup)
C-x C-a >      Move down the next inner stack frame (dbdown)
C-x C-a C-f    Finish, quit (dbquit)

matlab-shell: News

1. matlab-shell editing of M-files now opens the M-file in Emacs without requiring setup.

   >> edit file.m
   

   will open file.m in your Emacs session. To do this, matlab-shell leverages the Emacs server mode to have MATLAB send the file to be edited to Emacs. matlab-shell will launch a unique server process for you if needed.

2. In matlab-shell, errors are hyperlinked and left-mouse clickable (in addition to middle or RET clickable). Errors are also shown in an error font.
3. In matlab-shell, RET on output lines (i.e. non-command lines) no longer causes lots of unnecessary noise.
4. In matlab-shell, tab completion is much more responsive. matlab-shell is compatible with company-mode. If you have install company-mode, you will get tab completion pop-ups.
5. In matlab-shell, "run cell" and "run region" capabilities are now executed in the base workspace.

Menu

• The MATLAB menu for M-files is now always present. Prior, there would be cases where the menu disappears. The MATLAB menu also contains a new Debug sub-menu.

Performance

• There are a number of performance improvements, meaning emacs is more responsive. For example, in matlab-shell, Emacs is more responsive when processing long output lines from MATLAB.

Bug fixex

• There are a number of bug fixes.

Quotes

• Single and double quote strings are now supported. MATLAB calls single-quote strings char array's and double quote strings are referred to as strings.

Prog mode

Matlab mode is now a derived mode, based on prog mode.

Support for older Emacsen

Support for Emacsen older than 20 has been removed. Xemacs supports has not touched, but has also not been tested, so it might be buggy. The current Matlab version has been successfully compiled with GNU emacs 24,25,26 and 27. There have been difficulties to compile it with Xemacs 21.4.X or 21.5.X, this issue is currently not resolved.

Loading

Faster load time by moving rarely used content into other files.

Completion

TAB completion in the shell was revamped (but should act mostly the same)