MATLAB: Can’t I save the MATLAB path on Windows with User Account Control (UAC) on

deniedMATLABpathpermissionsavetounable

I am trying to save the MATLAB path on Windows with the User Account Control (UAC) set to "on".

MATLAB is installed in a directory protected by UAC (e.g., C:\Program Files).

If try to execute the function SAVEPATH, my path is not saved and I receive the following warning:

 >> savepath
 Warning: Unable to save path to file 'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2009a\toolbox\local\pathdef.m'. 
 > In savepath at 162

If I try to save the MATLAB path from PATHTOOL ('Set Path' dialog) I get the message:

 MATLAB cannot save changes to the path.
 The path file, pathdef.m, might be read-only 
 or might be in a directory for which you do not
 have write access.
 You can save pathdef.m to a different location,
 In order for MATLAB to user the pathdef.m 
 in future sessions, you need to save it in your
 MATLAB startup directory (the directory from
 which you start MATLAB).
 Would you like to save pathdef.m to another location?

I have full administrative privileges on this computer.

Best Answer

If MATLAB is installed in the default directory (C:\Program Files\...) with UAC enabled, write access to "pathdef.m" will be blocked.

There are three ways to work around this issue:

1. Temporarily turn UAC off by right-clicking on the MATLAB icon, and selecting "Run as Administrator", or

2. Permanently turn UAC off through the Windows Control Panel, or

3. Install MATLAB outside of the "C:\Program Files" folder.

If you are encountering this issue when using the 'pathtool' dialog, note that you can still make temporary changes to the MATLAB path which persist only for your current session. You can do this by adding a folder with the 'pathtool' and then closing the window without clicking "Save", or by using the 'addpath' function:

http://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/addpath.html

For more information on the UAC, which was introduced with Windows Vista, see the following Microsoft article:

How to use User Account Control (UAC) in Windows Vista

Related Solutions

MATLAB: Are users without administrative privileges not able to save their custom paths

The MATLAB path is saved in the 'pathdef.m' file. This is located in the $MATLAB\toolbox\local directory ( where $MATLAB is the MATLAB root directory on your machine, as returned by typing

matlabroot

at the MATLAB command prompt.)

Other users who do not have administrative privileges are not able to write in this directory. This is the reason they are unable to save their paths.

To work around this issue, the users can save their ADDPATH command in "startup.m" in the current startup directory, if they have write permission to that directory.

The startup directory can be modified by right-clicking on the MATLAB shortcup and clicking on "properties".

Or, the users can save their ADDPATH command in a .m file in their respective work directories and run it using startup options each time they start MATLAB.

This can be done as follows:

1. The user must save their ADDPATH command in a file, say (username)_path.m.

2. While starting MATLAB, the user can start it up at the system prompt as follows:

matlab /r (username)_path

Alternatively, if the user starts up MATLAB by double clicking a shortcut, the shortcut may be edited as follows:

1. Right click on the MATLAB shortcut and select properties.

2. In the properties window, select the ‘shortcut’ tab.

3. In the ‘Target’, include the following option

 /r (username)_path

For more information on startup options visit the appropriate page in documentation by typing the following command

web(fullfile(docroot, 'matlab/matlab_env/startup-options.html'))

This page can be viewed online at

http://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_env/startup-options.html

MATLAB: How to move the MATLAB Path from the old version of MATLAB over to a new version

All of the MATLAB Path information is saved in the pathdef.m file. What you can do is save the pathdef.m file from your current installation of MATLAB before you uninstall it. With normal installation settings, you can usually find pathdef.m file in the following directory:

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2013b\toolbox\local\pathdef.m

We suggest uninstalling MATLAB rather than installing on top of a current installation.

After the new version of MATLAB is installed:

1. Open the old pathdef.m file and the new pathdef.m file.

2. Copy and paste all of the directories you wish to keep on the MATLAB Path from the old pathdef.m file into the new pathdef.m file. The new pathdef.m file should already have the MATLAB and Toolbox directories listed, so you should only have to add your personal directories.

3. Save the new pathdef.m file.

4. Open MATLAB and run the PATHDEF command.

5. Run the PATH command to make sure the path was set up properly.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

MATLAB: Are users without administrative privileges not able to save their custom paths

MATLAB: How to move the MATLAB Path from the old version of MATLAB over to a new version

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