path (MATLAB Functions)

View or change MATLAB directory search path

Graphical Interface

As an alternative to the path function, use the Set Path dialog box. To open it, select Set Path from the File menu in the MATLAB desktop.

Syntax

path
path('newpath')
path(path,'newpath')
path('newpath',path)
p = path(...)

Description

path displays the current MATLAB search path. The initial search path list is defined by toolbox/local/pathdef.m.

path('newpath') changes the search path to newpath, where newpath is a string array of directories.

path(path,'newpath') adds the newpath directory to the bottom of the current search path.

path('newpath',path) adds the newpath directory to the top of the current search path.

p = path(...) returns the specified path in string variable p.

Note Save any M-files you create and any MathWorks supplied M-files that you edit in a directory that is not in the $matlabroot/toolbox directory tree. If you keep your files in $matlabroot/toolbox directories, they can be overwritten when you install a new version of MATLAB. Also note that locations of files in the $matlabroot/toolbox directory tree are loaded and cached in memory at the beginning of each MATLAB session to improve performance. If you save files to $matlabroot/toolbox directories using an external editor or add or remove files from these directories using file system operations, run rehash toolbox before you use the files in the current session. If you make changes to existing files in $matlabroot/toolbox directories using an external editor, run clear functionname before you use the files in the current session. For more information, see the rehash reference page or the Toolbox Path Caching topic in the MATLAB Desktop Tools and Development Environment documentation.

Examples

Add a new directory to the search path on Windows.

```
path(path,'c:/tools/goodstuff')
```

Add a new directory to the search path on UNIX.

```
path(path,'/home/tools/goodstuff')
```

See Also

addpath, cd, dir, genpath, matlabroot, partialpath, pathdef, pathsep, pathtool, rehash, restoredefaultpath, rmpath, savepath, startup, what

Search Path topic in the MATLAB Desktop Tools and Development Environment documentation

Patch Properties path2rc