MATLAB: Reference to non-existent field ‘mathworks’

embedded matlab functionmathworksMATLABreference to non-existent fieldxmlxmlutils

I've been writing Matlab code that generates XML script. I haven't run into any problems until I try to bring data from another script into the XML writing one. I have researched the problem and tried their fixes, like replacing load() with importdata(), removing all clc and clear commands, etc. The error in particular occurs on the line
docNode = com.mathworks.xml.XMLUtils.createDocument('XMLName');
Matlab gives an error "Reference to non-existent field 'mathworks'". I can't seem to find any solutions that I haven't tried and don't know what else to do. If I try running the script without any data being imported it works without any problems. What could be blocking Matlab from being able to read its own XMLUtils files? I can answer any questions you have about the code itself, but cannot upload the code for security reasons.

Best Answer

Does a variable named "com" exist in your code? Perhaps it is created by a load? Check this by using the debugger: Type this in the command window
dbstop if error
and run your code again. When it stops, check "com":
which com -all
[EDITED] After your comment:
As Geoff has said already: If com is a struct, the command with the same name is shadowed and cannot be called. This is the same as:
sum = 1
sum(1:5)  % error, because "sum" is a variable now
There are some solutions:
1. Use another name for the variable. This is the best.
2. Clear the variable temporarily:
comback = com;
clear('com');
docNode = com.mathworks.xml.XMLUtils.createDocument('XMLName');
com = comback;  % Huh, ugly.
3. Try if builtin gets the correct function:
docNode = builtin('com.mathworks.xml.XMLUtils.createDocument', 'XMLName');
I cannot test this currently, but it does not look nice also. Prefer not to shadow builtin function names by local variables.
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