mfilename not working on Live Editor?

Hi. I'm using matlab 2016a. Inside a Live Editor script, I'm trying to get the script name, using the function mfilename, without any parameters, to get it. What matlab gives as an output is: MatlabEvaluationHelper.

I've tried to export this code to a classic matlab .m file, and seems to work fine. Any idea on what could be the problem? Thanks in advance

Answer 1

[Cam Salzberger]

Hello Jaime,

I am afraid that mfilename does not function inside live scripts or functions. Our developers are aware of this feature request, and are considering possible resolutions for future releases of MATLAB.

Can you describe what you are trying to accomplish with "mfilename"? There may be other ways to get a similar workflow to what you desire.

-Cam

[Jaime López]

Well. Even when I have only written the .mlx file, to share it with some coleagues I use the .m file, (just by saving the current file as a new .m one). In this new .m file, I want to arrange some figures in the screen, modifying both position and size, but I don't want that changes to affect the .mlx file, so I waas planning on adding an if clause, that checked the current file name (and extension if possible) to resize the figures only if it is a .m file.

[Jaime López]

Currently I'm doing the trick just based on that mfilename output, using: if strcmp(mfilename, 'MatlabEvaluationHelper') ... end

[Cam Salzberger]

Hmm, I'm not sure it would have worked either way. "mfilename" specifically does not include the file extension, so you couldn't just look for ".mlx" or ".m".

Your solution seems good for now, but there is an issue with consistency across releases. For example, on the latest release, the result mfilename is something like "LiveEditorEvaluationHelperE799522741". You could just check for if the result of mfilename matches the known name of the file, but in the future, mfilename's behavior in live scripts may change to match that in regular scripts.

One trick you can use, for now at least, is to check the visibility of the figure immediately after creation. In Live Editor, the figure 'Visible' property defaults to 'off', whereas it defaults to 'on' in regular scripts (assuming no defaults are set in the graphics root to contradict this). This should be a simple way to tell the environment, for at least R2016a through R2017b.

Hope that helps!

-Cam

[Jaime López]

Consistency across releases is a must, because my coleagues don't always use the same version I'm using, so I'll try your approach. Lots of thanks

[Sean de Wolski]

If you want to arrange figures, you could call figure('Visible', 'on') which opens Live Script figures outside of the live script canvas.

[Mate D]

Hello,

is there any update on the progress of this function in live script or any workaround ?

[Cam Salzberger]

This answer lists a workaround for Live Scripts that should work for most people. As far as I'm aware, it's still the best answer so far.

[Chris Jennings]

Ummm ... that workaround doesn't work.

Its very annoying that Live Editor doesn't support mfilename or an equivalent, and it's taking way to long for this to be fixed. I have many harc copy plots that I used to print filename on for traceability. Now I have to HAND ANNOTATE, which is error prone and time consuming.

[Jan Kappen]

This is the solution (from Get path from running script - (mathworks.com)):

filePath = matlab.desktop.editor.getActiveFilename;
fprintf('%s\n',filePath);

[Mike Alger]

hmm that doesn't seem to return anything in 2018b was this added later on?

running it in the script or on the command window with with a mlx file open in the editor yeilds the following:

matlab.desktop.editor.getActiveFilename
ans =
0×0 empty char array

[Ornit]

mfilename still does not work properly in live editor, R2022a. Returns some location on my C drive (while the script is in fact running on a network drive).

However, Jan Kappen idea (filePath = matlab.desktop.editor.getActiveFilename; from 13 Jan 2022) works perfectly. Thanks!

[Bradley Stiritz]

Thank you Jan Kappen for the workaround! and thanks Omit for the +1

After 5 years, it would be nice if the mfilename doc page could be updated to mention the limitation and workaround.