Best Matlab Editor replacement?

Is there a way to replace the MATLAB Editor? I think it is hardly better than windows notepad, which appears a bit ridiculous for such a great tool like Matlab. I am missing tons of features from other programming editors, e.g. a better list of functions that is permanently visible and can be sorted and clicked, bookmarks, etc... And, it is also totally slow and it lags with my large GUI project (even when I disable "advanced" features like line highlighting and so on). Is there any recommendation for a better editor and experience how it affects the workflow? Thank you!!

[William Thielicke]

E.g. the app editor in Matlab seems to be way more advanced... Why isn't it available for coding?

[Hans Scharler]

Have you tried the Visual Studio Code integration?

https://blogs.mathworks.com/matlab/2023/04/26/do-you-use-visual-studio-code-matlab-is-now-there-too/

Answer 1

[per isakson]

I have not always been loyal to the Matlab editor (ME)

• Long time ago I used the full version of the ED editor that comes (or did come) with Lahey FORTRAN.
• Then during a shorter period I used Notepad++. Pro: Free and Open, FAST, folding and highlighting for Matlab (maybe not perfect), a zillion features and plugins, a supportive community. Con: hard to remeber how to use all smart features.

Now I use ME and occasionally Notepad++ for special tasks that requires regular expressions, column mode, searches, large files, etc. My main reasons to use ME is integration, code analyzer, debugger, ... . I even tried to contribute, A Notepad++ function list for MATLAB.

"list of functions that is permanently visible" See easyBrowser, MCodeNavigator. And search FEX for tag:IDE.

Answer 2

[Image Analyst]

I also think the MATLAB editor is somewhat lame. It's nowhere near as powerful as programmers editors like SlickEdit, or my favorite, the defunct Codewright, because I think it tries to be like the common CUA editor that almost all Windows programs use. I think there is the ability to use other programmers editrs but last I looked you had to switch back to the MATLAB editor if youi want to do debugging operations like setting breakpoints, stepping through code, and see variable values. So because of that I just stayed with the built-in MATLAB editor even though it's pretty primitive. The one thing I like though is that if you rename a variable it lets you type shift enter to rename all occurrences. Not even MS Visual Stuido lets you do that.

Wikipedia list of editors

Answer 3

[Star Strider]

I’m not certain what you’re looking for in an Editor application. Several people on Answers like Notepad++. I downloaded it and use it for other applications, although not as the MATLAB Editor. (I use the Editor that’s part of MATLAB for MATLAB.)

[Laimonas Sileika]

I am perhaps a litttle late to the party, however, I am searching for an IDE reminiscent of the R Notebook that I could use in place of ME.

The ability to play with cunks of code in any order, regardless of their order within the IDE is very convenient.

[Image Analyst]

@Laimonas Sileika I don't know how R Notebook works but in MATLAB you can click and drag any portion of code and then hit the F9 key to execute it.

[Laimonas Sileika]

Ah, unfortunatley that's not quite what I'm referring to.

It's an IDE not too dissimilar from the live editor in MATLAB, just a tad more fluid when working with simulations.

It's not the end of the world though :)

[AeroSysEng]

Did you ever get a solution for this? I happen to be diving down this rabbit hole myself.

:-D

Answer 4

[Steven Lord]

a better list of functions that is permanently visible and can be sorted and clicked, bookmarks, etc...

In the Navigate section of the Editor tab in the Toolstrip there's an option "Go To". Click on that and you get a list of functions (or sections, if your program has them) as well as the option to go to a specific line and the ability to set, clear, and step through bookmarks. [Bookmarks are different than breakpoints; those are controlled using the Breakpoints section on the Editor tab.]

If there are specific features that you feel would strongly improve your experience with the MATLAB Editor, please submit them as enhancement requests via Technical Support.

[William Thielicke]

Hi Steven, I think Mathworks could just have a look at:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/58497-gavriyashar-matlab-editor-plugin

, and read the comments. A proper function list in a dockable window isn't that exotic, and it would help to work on complex projects. I have about 100 functions or more in a single m file. Things would become even worse if I would split these functions into multiple m files.

As a first step, it would help to make that 'Go To' pop-up window a dockable window...