matlab.general Settings

R2026b

General settings including MAT-file and random number settings

You can customize MATLAB^® using the matlab.general settings. Access matlab.general settings using the root SettingsGroup object returned by the settings function. For example, set the temporary value for the MAT-file save format to "v7.3" (where the default is "v7").

s = settings;
s.matlab.general.matfile.SaveFormat.TemporaryValue = "v7.3"

For more information about settings, see Access and Modify Settings Programmatically.

matlab.general.matfile

SaveFormat — MAT-File version

"v7" (default) | "v7.3" | "v6"

MAT-File version to save MAT-files to, specified as "v7.3", "v7", or "v6".

For more information about MAT-file versions, see MAT File Versions.

Example: s.matlab.general.matfile.SaveFormat.TemporaryValue = "v7.3"

EnableCompression — Enable compression by default

1 or true (default) | 0 or false

Enable compression by default, specified as a numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). Specify true to turn on compression by default or false to turn off compression by default. You can use this setting with MAT-File versions 7 and 7.3.

Example: s.matlab.general.matfile.EnableCompression.TemporaryValue = true

matlab.general.randomnumbers

DefaultAlgorithm — Default algorithm for random number generation

"twister" (default) | "combRecursive" | "multFibonacci" | "pcg" | "philox" | "simdTwister" | "threefry" | "xoshiro"

Since R2023b

Default algorithm for random number generation, specified as "twister", "combRecursive", "multFibonacci", "pcg" (since R2026b), "philox", "simdTwister", "threefry", or "xoshiro" (since R2026b).

For more information about random number generation, see rng.

Example: s.matlab.general.randomnumbers.DefaultAlgorithm.PersonalValue = "threefry"

DefaultSeed — Default seed used for random number generation

nonnegative integer

Since R2023b

Default seed used for random number generation, specified as a nonnegative integer less than 2^32.

Example: s.matlab.general.randomnumbers.DefaultSeed.PersonalValue = 3

matlab.general.windows

AutoCollapse — Automatically collapse windows in MATLAB Online™

true or 1 (default) | false or 0

Since R2023b

Option to automatically collapse windows in MATLAB Online, specified as a numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false).

Collapsed windows are reduced to their title bars.

By default, when you click the MATLAB background, open windows in the foreground collapse. To restore the collapsed windows, click one of the previously open windows.

Specify false to disable the automatic collapse.

Example: s.matlab.general.windows.AutoCollapse.PersonalValue = false

Version History

Introduced in R2018a

R2026b: Specify new algorithms for random number generation: "pcg" and "xoshiro"

When you change the default algorithm for random number generation, you can now specify two additional algorithms: "pcg" and "xoshiro". Alternatively, you can set either generator as the default by specifying it in the MATLAB Settings Window.

R2023b: Change default algorithm and seed for random number generator

To access and modify the default algorithm and seed for the random number generator programmatically, you can access the matlab.general.randomnumbers settings using the root SettingsGroup object returned by the settings function. For example, show the default algorithm and change the default seed for the random number generator.

s = settings;
s.matlab.general.randomnumbers.DefaultAlgorithm
s.matlab.general.randomnumbers.DefaultSeed.PersonalValue = 5

When you first start a MATLAB session or call rng("default"), MATLAB initializes the random number generator using the default algorithm and seed that you have set. If you do not change these settings, then MATLAB uses the factory value of "twister" for the Mersenne Twister generator with seed 0, as in previous releases.

Alternatively, you can change the default algorithm and seed for the random number generator from the MATLAB Settings Window. On the Home tab, in the Environment section, click Settings. Select MATLAB > General, and then select a different option for Default algorithm and select a different value for Default seed in the Random Number Generation setting.

R2023b: Automatically collapse windows in MATLAB Online environment

By default, when you click the MATLAB background, open windows in the foreground collapse. To restore the collapsed windows, click one of the previously open windows.

To modify the setting that determines whether the windows collapse, access the matlab.general.windows settings using the root SettingsGroup object returned by the settings function. Then, access or modify the AutoCollapse setting. For example, disable the automatic collapse.

s = settings;
s.matlab.general.windows.AutoCollapse.PersonalValue = false

Alternatively, disable the automatic collapse from the MATLAB Settings Window. On the Home tab, in the Environment section, click Settings. Select MATLAB > General > Collapsible Windows. Then, clear the Enable Auto-Collapse setting.