Startup and Shutdown

Startup command line flags, startup and shutdown files

Caution

Best practice is to run MATLAB^® only as a privileged user whenever elevated privileges are specifically required. A privileged user refers to the root user on Linux^® and Mac, or an administrator on Windows^®.

Functions

expand all

Start and Exit Commands

`matlab (Windows)`	Start MATLAB program from Windows system prompt
`matlab (macOS)`	Start MATLAB program from macOS Terminal
`matlab (Linux)`	Start MATLAB program from Linux system prompt
`batchStartupOptionUsed`	Determine if MATLAB started with `-batch` option
`quit`	Terminate MATLAB program
`exit`	Terminate MATLAB program (same as quit)

Customize Startup and Exit

`startup`	User-defined startup script for MATLAB
`finish`	User-defined termination script for MATLAB
`matlabrc`	System administrator-defined startup script for MATLAB

Topics

Start MATLAB on Windows Platforms

Different ways to start MATLAB on a Microsoft^® Windows platform.
- Configure the MATLAB Startup Accelerator
Start MATLAB on macOS Platforms
Start MATLAB from the Applications folder or a Terminal window.
Start MATLAB on Linux Platforms
Start MATLAB on Linux platforms by typing matlab at the operating system prompt.
Specify Startup Options

Specify startup options (also called command flags or command-line switches) that instruct the MATLAB program to perform certain operations when you start it.
- Commonly Used Startup Options
MATLAB Startup Folder
Set the initial working folder using the General Preferences options in the Preferences Window.
Exit MATLAB
Ways to exit MATLAB.

Troubleshooting

Recovering Data After Abnormal Termination

Techniques for recovering information if MATLAB terminates unexpectedly.

Crash Reporting

Sending crash reports to MathWorks^®.

When MATLAB Terminates Unexpectedly

Using MathWorks Crash Reporter and Crash Analyzer to report an internal error.

Specifying Java Startup Options

You can specify custom Java^® startup options by creating a java.opts file.

Associate .mat Files with MATLAB

To associate a .mat extension type with MATLAB, use Microsoft Windows Default Programs.

Remove canberra-gtk-module and pk-gtk-module Messages

How to remove canberra-gtk-module and pk-gtk-module messages at startup.

Related Information

Cannot Associate .m Files with MATLAB on Windows