code to tell mlx or m files

M and mlx files work slightly differently in outputting figures in separate windows or within the code file. I hope to have an m file that outputs figures in separate windows and another mlx file that outputs inline figures within the code file, so for various needs sometimes I use the m file and sometimes the mlx file. If there's an mlx code 'mymlx.mlx' that just runs 'myfunction' with a single line:

myfunction

There's a 'myfunction.m' in the same directory. The 'myfunction.m' is just regular code like:

function myfunction
...
end

I don't want to paste the same code of myfunction within 'mymlx.mlx'. Then in 'myfunction', is there a way to tell if the current code is in .m or .mlx? If it's in .m, I hope it runs a line that plots figures in separate windows but if it's in .mlx, I hope it runs a line that outputs inline figures within the code file. Without this extra control, both files output in separate windows.

[Govind KM]

Hi @feynman feynman,

Could you give an example for what you want to achieve? I'm a little confused, as a .mlx file will output figures inline and not in separate windows as you have mentioned.

[feynman feynman]

The myfunction.m plots in a separate window.

function myfunction
plot(1,1)
end

The mymlx.mlx with only the following single line plots in a separate window too, given 'myfunction.m' in the same directory.

myfunction

But mymlx.mlx with the following plots inline.

myfunction
function myfunction
plot(1,1)
end

[Govind KM]

mymlx.mlx with the single line

myfunction

plots inline for me in R2024b. Could you try going to the View tab when the live script is open, and in the View section, selecting Output Inline?

[feynman feynman]

yes, sorry, for this sample code it does make no difference between .m and .mlx. But if there's push buttons in a figure, this makes a difference. When I run .mlx, I don't want push buttons to take effect so I need to deactivate them in the code. But in .m, I need them. This is why I need the code to tell by itself if it's in .m or .mlx.

Answer 1

[Les Beckham]

If you want your function to know if it was called from a .m file or a .mlx file you can do that using dbstack. However, I'm not aware of any way that the function could control where any plots that it made would appear. Here's an example of how your function could determine who called it.

function myfunction()
    d = dbstack;
    if contains(d(end-1).file, '.mlx')
        % do something in '.mlx mode'
    else
        % do something in '.m mode'
    end
end

[Walter Roberson]

It turns out to be a bit more complicated.

• .m being run from command line: dbstack filename ends in .m
• .m being run from editor: dbstack filename ends in .m
• .mlx being run from command line: dbstack filename ends in .mlx
• .mlx being run from editor: dbstack filename ends in .m and filename lives within tempdir

For example, .mlx being run from editor:

ST = struct with fields:

file: '/private/var/folders/b0/t3wd0gm1775gljwgsq6kwv780000gn/T/Editor_mjcux/LiveEditorEvaluationHelperEeditor658B6737_D855E04C.m'

name: 'LiveEditorEvaluationHelperEeditor658B6737_D855E04C'

line: 1

[Les Beckham]

Ah, yes. I had forgotten about that hidden layer of the "EvaluationHelper". Thanks for adding that additional information, Walter.

I suppose one could test for contains '.mlx' or contains 'LiveEditorEvaluationHelper'

[feynman feynman]

thanks a lot, then for that reason above how to modify the code provided by @Les Beckham?

[Les Beckham]

I would try this

function myfunction()
    d = dbstack;
    fn = d(end-1).file; % get filename of caller
    if contains(fn, '.mlx') || contains(fn, 'LiveEditorEvaluationHelper')
        % do something in '.mlx mode'
    else
        % do something in '.m mode'
    end
end

[feynman feynman]

@Walter Roberson many thanks but in my .mlx, it identifies .mlx as .m but .mlx as in the following:

tellFileType

function tellFileType
clear;clc;
d=dbstack
filename=d.file
% filename=d(end-1).file
contains(filename, '.m')
contains(filename, '.mlx')
contains(filename, 'LiveEditorEvaluationHelper')
end

[Walter Roberson]

It depends on whether you are executing the mlx from the command line or from the editor.

[feynman feynman]

I executed the above mlx in .mlx editor and yielded the following

[Walter Roberson]

Yes? That agrees with what I posted before,

• .mlx being run from editor: dbstack filename ends in .m and filename lives within tempdir

[feynman feynman]

it works thank you very much