MATLAB: Does MATLAB crash when I display a cell array containing a 1-by-128 character array

128arraycellcrashlinuxMATLABsegv

Why does MATLAB crash when I display a cell array containing a 1-by-128 character array?
Running the following script under these circumstances produces a segmentation violation on some systems.
1. Use Linux 2.4.7-10smp #1 SMP
2. Start MATLAB 6.5 (R13) with the -nodesktop and -nosplash options in an xterm window wider than 137 characters.
3. Execute the command "FORMAT LONG"
4. Run the following script, which creates a 1-by-128 cell array. It should generate a segmentation violation at the last line.
clear
a{1}=char(32*ones(1,128));
disp('a{1}=')
a{1}
disp('a=')
a
The Segmentation Violation follows:
 ------------
 Segmentation violation detected at Tue Sep 16 13:33:31 2003
 -----------
 Configuration:
   MATLAB Version:   6.5.0.180913a (R13)
   Operating System: Linux 2.4.7-10smp #1 SMP Thu Sep 6 17:09:31 EDT 2001 i686
   Window System:    AT&T Laboratories Cambridge (3332), display walrus.clarendonphotonics.com:10
   Current Visual:   0x22 (class 4, depth 24)
   Processor ID:     x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 4, GenuineIntel
   Virtual Machine:  Java 1.3.1 with Blackdown Java-Linux Team Java HotSpot(TM) Server VM
     (mixed mode)
 Register State:
   eax = 00000001   ebx = 4020de14
   ecx = 00000000   edx = 00000000
   esi = bfff7528   edi = 00000001
   ebp = bf002720   esp = bfff7490
   eip = 40204b11   flg = 00010286
 Stack Trace:
 Please follow these steps in reporting this problem to MathWorks so
 that we have the best chance of correcting it:
   1. Send this crash report to segv@mathworks.com for automated analysis.
      For your convenience, this information has been recorded in:
        /home/fried/matlab_crash_dump.661
 [snip]

Best Answer

This bug has been fixed for Release 14 (R14). For previous releases, please read below for any possible workarounds:
This is a bug in MATLAB 6.5 (R13) in the way that it displays cell arrays. Our development staff is investigating this issue.
Currently, you can try one of the following to work around this issue:
1. Run MATLAB using 'FORMAT SHORT'.
2. Run MATLAB without using the '-nodesktop' command line parameter.
3. Run MATLAB with the xterm window narrower than 137 characters.
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