MATLAB: Does a new pathdef.m get created and the default documentation directory get reset when I install a new product or update

Question

Why does a new pathdef.m get created and the default documentation directory get reset when I install a new product or update?

When I add a new toolbox or update to MATLAB 6.x (R12.x) the installation writes a new pathdef.m file, destroying my custom path changes, and resets the default documentation directory. This does not happen under MATLAB 5.3.x (R11.x).

Answer 1

This bug has been fixed for Release 14 (R14). For previous releases, please read below for any possible workarounds:

This has been forwarded to our development staff for further investigation.

Currently, the only known workaround is to save your pathdef.m file in a directory other than your root MATLAB directory prior to making any changes to your current installation of MATLAB 6.0 (R12) or 6.1 (R12.1). Once you have gone through the installation, you can exchange the new pathdef.m file with the one you saved. Please be sure to add the path of your new products/update to the pathdef.m file.

For MATLAB 6.5 (R13), the old pathdef.m is saved in the root MATLAB directory as the file "pathdef.old" upon installation of a new toolbox or product, making the above simply a precaution.

To reset your documentation directory, see the solution attached to the bottom of this page.