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diary

Log Command Window text to file

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Syntax

diary
diary filename
diary off
diary on

Description

diary toggles logging on and off. When logging is on, MATLAB® captures entered commands, keyboard input, and text output from the Command Window. It saves the resulting log to the current folder as a UTF-8 encoded text file named diary. To ensure that all results are properly captured, disable logging before opening or displaying the resulting log.

To see whether logging is on, type get(0,'Diary'). MATLAB returns either 'on' or 'off'.

example

diary filename saves the resulting log to filename. If the file exists, MATLAB appends the text to the end of the file. To see the current diary log filename, type get(0,'DiaryFile').

example

diary off disables logging.

example

diary on enables logging using the current diary log file name.

If the current diary log file name does not include a full path, MATLAB redetermines the path of the file relative to the current folder every time logging is enabled. If the current folder has changed since the last time logging was enabled, MATLAB might save the log to a different file.

example

Examples

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Create a diary file and record several statements and their output.

Enable logging and save the resulting log to myDiaryFile.

diary myDiaryFile

Perform a calculation, and create and display a matrix of ones in the Command Window.

a = 1;
b = sin(a);

x = ones(4)

x =

     1     1     1     1
     1     1     1     1
     1     1     1     1
     1     1     1     1

Disable logging and display the log file in the Command Window.

diary off
type myDiaryFile
a = 1;
b = sin(a);
x = ones(4)

x =

     1     1     1     1
     1     1     1     1
     1     1     1     1
     1     1     1     1

diary off

Input Arguments

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Log filename, specified as a character vector or string. filename can include a full path or a path relative to the current folder. Otherwise, MATLAB saves filename in the current folder.

If filename does not include a full path, MATLAB redetermines the path of the file relative to the current folder every time logging is enabled. If the current folder has changed since the last time logging was enabled, MATLAB might save the log to a different file.

Limitations

Because the output of diary is plain text, the log file does not exactly mirror what you see on screen:

  • The diary file does not include graphics (figure windows).

  • The diary file does not preserve syntax highlighting and font preferences.

  • The diary file shows hidden components in the Command Window, such as hyperlink information generated with matlab:, in plain text. For example, enter this statement in the Command Window:

    str = sprintf('%s%s', ...
   '<a href="matlab:magic(4)">', ...
   'Generate magic square</a>');
disp(str)

    MATLAB displays this in the Command Window:

    Hyperlink with the text "Generate magic square"

    However, the diary file, when viewed in a text editor, shows this text instead:

    <a href="matlab:magic(4)">Generate magic square</a>

Tips

  • To view the contents of the diary file with syntax highlighting, use the type function.

Version History

Introduced before R2006a

See Also

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