continued..

clc

Clear Command Window

Graphical Interface

As an alternative to the clc function, use Clear Command Window in the MATLAB desktop Edit menu.

Syntax

*

clc

Description

clc clears all input and output from the Command Window display, giving you a "clean screen."

After using clc, you cannot use the scroll bar to see the history of functions, but still can use the up arrow to recall statements from the command history.

Examples

Use clc in an M-file to always display output in the same starting position on the screen.



clear

Remove items from workspace, freeing up system memory

Graphical Interface

As an alternative to the clear function, use Clear Workspace in the MATLAB desktop Edit menu, or in the context menu in the Workspace browser.

Syntax

*

clear
clear name
clear name1 name2 name3 ...
clear global name
clear keyword
clear('name1','name2','name3',...)

Description

clear removes all variables from the workspace. This frees up system memory.

clear name removes just the M-file or MEX-file function or variable name from the workspace. You can use wildcards (*) to remove items selectively. For example, clear my* removes any variables whose names begin with the string my. It removes debugging breakpoints in M-files and reinitializes persistent variables, since the breakpoints for a function and persistent variables are cleared whenever the M-file is changed or cleared. If name is global, it is removed from the current workspace, but left accessible to any functions declaring it global. If name has been locked by mlock, it remains in memory.

Use a partial path to distinguish between different overloaded versions of a function. For example, clear inline/display clears only the display method for inline objects, leaving any other implementations in memory.

clear name1 name2 name3 ... removes name1, name2, and name3 from the workspace.

clear global name removes the global variable name. If name is global, clear name removes name from the current workspace, but leaves it accessible to any functions declaring it global. Use clear global name to completely remove a global variable.

clear keyword clears the items indicated by keyword.

Keyword
Items Cleared
all
Removes all variables, functions, and MEX-files from memory, leaving the workspace empty. Using clear all removes debugging breakpoints in M-files and reinitializes persistent variables, since the breakpoints for a function and persistent variables are cleared whenever the M-file is changed or cleared. When issued from the Command Window prompt, also removes the Java packages import list.
classes
The same as clear all, but also clears MATLAB class definitions. If any objects exist outside the workspace (for example, in user data or persistent variables in a locked M-file), a warning is issued and the class definition is not cleared. Issue a clear classes function if the number or names of fields in a class are changed.
functions
Clears all the currently compiled M-functions and MEX-functions from memory. Using clear function removes debugging breakpoints in the function M-file and reinitializes persistent variables, since the breakpoints for a function and persistent variables are cleared whenever the M-file is changed or cleared.
global
Clears all global variables from the workspace.
import
Removes the Java packages import list. It can only be issued from the Command Window prompt. It cannot be used in a function.
variables
Clears all variables from the workspace.

clear('name1','name2','name3',...) is the function form of the syntax. Use this form when the variable name or function name is stored in a string.

Remarks

When you use clear in a function, it has the following effect on items in your function and base workspaces:

* clear name--If name is the name of a function, the function is cleared in both the function workspace and in your base workspace.
* clear functions--All functions are cleared in both the function workspace and in your base workspace.
* clear global--All global variables are cleared in both the function workspace and in your base workspace.
* clear all--All functions, global variables, and classes are cleared in both the function workspace and in your base workspace.

Limitations

clear does not affect the amount of memory allocated to the MATLAB process under UNIX.

Examples

Given a workspace containing the following variables

*

Name Size Bytes Class

c 3x4 1200 cell array
frame 1x1 java.awt.Frame
gbl1 1x1 8 double array (global)
gbl2 1x1 8 double array (global)
xint 1x1 1 int8 array

you can clear a single variable, xint, by typing

*

clear xint

To clear all global variables, type

*

clear global
whos
Name Size Bytes Class

c 3x4 1200 cell array
frame 1x1 java.awt.Frame

To clear all compiled M- and MEX-functions from memory, type clear functions. In the case shown below, clear functions was unable to clear one M-file function from memory, testfun, because the function is locked.

*

clear functions % Attempt to clear all functions.

inmem
ans =
'testfun' % One M-file function remains in memory.

mislocked testfun
ans =
1 % This function is locked in memory.

Once you unlock the function from memory, you can clear it.

*

munlock testfun
clear functions

inmem
ans =
Empty cell array: 0-by-1