matlab file on disk might be empty

Well, I frequently get this error now, which makes it nearly impossible to improve my codes, because I always have to save the file under a new name. Is anyone familiar with this problem (current Windows 10, current Matlab R 2018.b)? I'm grateful for any hints that might solve this issue....

Thanks a lot!

Peter

[Rik]

Can you find any pattern for when this error occurs? And can you post the complete error message? There might be a helpful detail.

Also, it might be better if you replace "aktuelles" with something like "current version" or "fully updated" so people who don't speak German also understand what you mean without guessing.

[Guillaume]

Are the files saved on a networked drive or a synchronised folder?

[Jan]

Is this the complete error message?

[Peter Bäuerle]

Complete error message:

Error writing [filename].m

The file on disk might be empty or incomplete. Ensure there is sufficient free space on your drive, and then save the file again. Do not reload the file before you successfully save it.

[Peter Bäuerle]

Thanks for your hints so far: it is indeed related with the network. As soon as I save the file on my local disk and work on this it behave normal. Hoiwever, this an institute network and normally we are working on the network drive, were is sufficient space for large amount of data. By doing so, the error occurs permanent....

Any idea for a network solution (right now I'm working with the local drive)?

Best,

Peter

[Jan]

Which file system do you have on the network disk? Do other computers access your files?

It might be easier to store the files locally and synchronize them, when you shut down Matlab or the computer.

Answer 1

[Guillaume]

I would suggest you contact your IT. There's clearly a synchronisation problem between your computer and the network drive. Note that it is not restricted to matlab, it's just that matlab is more sensitive to it.

[Yony]

Dear Guillaume

My company has the same problem (it occors on two laptops with Matlab 2017b and Windows 10). Can you please elaborate on the synchronization problem? My IT does not know what to fix.

Best

Yony

[Guillaume]

Unfortunately, I don't know what causes this, but it seems that it's always on network drives. The problem has also been reported with other programs so I know it's not isolated to matlab although matlab appears to be more sensitive to it for some reason.

Mathworks may have some better idea of the cause of the problem so I suggest that you contact support directly.

[Jan]

@Yony: The OP did not explain exactly, in which environment the problem occurs. Your case is not clear also: Does it concern OneDrive, Dropbox or otehr folders, which are syncronized? Are the files stored locally or on a network drive? Please post more details.

[Yony]

@Jan: Standard network drive, accessed by Windows. Not a cloud or other software like OneDrive. Other computers connected to the network do not have this problem.

[Peter Bäuerle]

The same for me: Microsoft Windows 10, this a network PC, so I have to login to the institutional network. I'm currently running Matlab R2018b (Update 4). I still work on the local disk, which is working, but not an overall good solution.

[Qian Cao]

Same issue for me on Windows 10, Folder shared over network, R2019a. Invoking the file with local file path is fine but when opened as \\computer-name\folder-name unable to save directly without first getting "Error writing ... The file on disk might be empty ..." --> OK --> "This file has been modified outside of MATLAB editor. Do you want to reload it" --> OK ... so MATLAB does save it in the end but not before throwing these error messages... Is a more specific diagnosis found yet? Thanks.

[Jan]

@Yony, Peter Bäuerle, Qian Cao: It would be really helpful if you post more details. What e.g. is a "standard network drive"? It can be a folder on a NAS driven by a Samba server under Linux, or an old network resource connected by the outdated SMB v1. Which settings do you use for the Change Notifications? See

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_env/troubleshoot-change-notification-handles.html

[Yony]

@Jan

Network drive NTFS from win 2012 R2.

Firewall PaloAlto FW

Laptop has Windows 10 Pro version 1709

Matlab 2017b

system_dependent('RemotePathPolicy', 'Status'): None

system_dependent('DirChangeHandleWarn', 'Status'): Once

Note that one other computer sometimes has this problem, but other don't

[Andy Brown]

I only get this error message if I have two versions of Matlab running. I've only noticed it since I upgraded to Windows 10, so can't say for sure whether the problem existed before the upgrade.

[Walter Roberson]

There was a Windows 10 network filesystem issue that was triggered when automatic file synchronization was turned on; if I recall correctly it involved Windows Live. I am not sure when the problem was fixed.

[Walter Roberson]

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/354614-cd-to-onedrive-doesn-t-work-on-windows-10-build-16273-1#answer_280466 is the issue that I was thinking of.

Answer 2

[Niko Seubert]

Did you solve that issue ??

Can i finally switch that "check" off???

Answer 3

[Peter Bäuerle]

You can do the switch - the problem itself is not solved, but I changed the matlab working directory completely to my local disk and thus circumvent the problem.... that's sufficient right now.

Answer 4

[Niko Seubert]

Well that is not really an option since "working remote" is on the rise.

Also i can NOT ask the IT guys to finally get the network right (they habe been trying ;) ;) ).

But since we pay a lot of money for licenses and maybe the matlab dudes might want to FIX IT!!!

[Curtis DeGasperi]

The problem doesn't seem to be limited to newer releases. I'm running R2015b and this problems started a year or more ago for me. Other users in my group have told me they have never experienced this issue. A while ago I did an install on a new computer and all was well for many months, but the problem is back. It does seem odd that I can find complaints about the issue going back to at least 2017 on the interwebs, but nobody seems to really have any idea how to fix it. Maybe it is a Matlab issue. I don't see our IT people spending too much time puzzling this out as it seems to be a very isolated problem (one person and one program).