severe problems opening files with Matlab 2018a

When I try to open a file in Matlab 2018a, I get the following error:

>> open check_adc_vs_fir_samples.m
Error using open (line 146)
PATTERN must be a string scalar or character vector.

Cannot open file using dialog box either, I get same error message popping up as error dialog.

I'm an expert user of Matlab over 15 years, this is the first version of Matlab that I've seen this error. Normally I'm able to debug but can't resolve this on my own. Need Mathworks support.

[Walter Roberson]

Can you do

which -all open

I suspect that you have an open.m on your path that is not provided by Mathworks.

Answer 1

[Jason Jury]

I figured out the problem. I had made my own function for "contains.m" because I was using older Matlab versions (e.g. 2015b) that didn't have this function implemented. My version of this function was confusing Matlab 2018a obviously. If I remove my version of contains.m from the path, then Matlab 2018a works correctly. Thank you.

Answer 2

[Thomas Arnold]

You can also try typing restoredefaultpath into the terminal, that should remove any conflicting files.

[Alessandra Caporale]

Thank you!!! I would like to share my experience with you, with the hope it might help someone in the future!

In my new desktop pc with Windows 10 installed, I was trying to get rid of OneDrive, and I had moved all the files that were in OneDrive\Documents into myPC\Documents. Now during this process, by opening Matlab I got this message

Warning:

"C:\Users\username\OneDrive\Documenti\folder\subfolder

selected using the Last Working Folder preference could not be accessed.

Using "C:\Users\username\Documents\MATLAB" as the initial working folder instead.

Within my myPC\Documents I could open all the MATLAB figures, but I couldn't open any of the scripts (.m files) contained in the script folder. When I tried to do it, I got the error dialog box 'Error using open (line 146) PATTERN must be a string scalar or character vector'.

Solution:

I typed restoredefaultpath in the command window, and now it works nicely!

Thank you!

Answer 3

[Jason Jury]

I don't see anything below that wasn't installed by Matlab

>> which -all open

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\matlab\general\open.m

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+asyncio\Channel.m % asyncio.Channel method open is a built-in method % asyncioimpl.Channel method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\matlab\graph2d\@scribehandle\open.m % scribehandle method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\instrument\instrument\@icdevice\open.m % icdevice method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\shared\instrument\@instrument\open.m % instrument method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\matlab\serial\@serial\open.m % serial method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\sl3d\sl3d\@vrworld\open.m % vrworld method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\simulink\simulink\upgradeadvisor\@UpgradeAdvisor\open.p % UpgradeAdvisor method

[Walter Roberson]

In your Preferences, Editor/Debugger, do you have MATLAB editor selected, or Text Editor with a program name?

Answer 4

[Jason Jury]

Incidentally, I get the same error using built-in "edit" function:

>> edit zipfrnd.m

Error using edit (line 66) PATTERN must be a string scalar or character vector.

>> which -all edit

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\matlab\codetools\edit.m

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\matlab\graph2d\@axischild\edit.m % axischild method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\sl3d\sl3d\@vrworld\edit.m % vrworld method

Answer 5

[DelfinDelfin]

I have the same problem .. Whey I type

which -all open

I get:

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\matlab\general\open.m

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\shared\asynciolib\+asyncio\Channel.m % asyncio.Channel method

open is a built-in method % asyncioimpl.Channel method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\matlab\graph2d\@scribehandle\open.m % scribehandle method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\instrument\instrument\@icdevice\open.m % icdevice method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\shared\instrument\@instrument\open.m % instrument method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\matlab\serial\@serial\open.m % serial method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\sl3d\sl3d\@vrworld\open.m % vrworld method

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2018a\toolbox\simulink\simulink\upgradeadvisor\@UpgradeAdvisor\open.p % UpgradeAdvisor method

Help

[Walter Roberson]

Try

restoredefaultpath
rehash toolboxcache

and then try again.