How do I comment out a large block of code in MATLAB?

 Accepted Answer

To comment out a large block of code in the Editor or Live Editor, select the code and on the "Editor" or "Live Editor" tab, click the "Comment" button. This inserts a "%" symbol in front of each selected line. Alternatively, select the code and type "Ctrl" + "R". To uncomment the selected text, click the "Uncomment" button or type "Ctrl" + "Shift" + “R”.  
On macOS systems, use “Command” + “/” to comment and “Command” + “Option” + “/” to uncomment. On Linux® systems, use “Ctrl” +”/” to comment and “Ctrl” + “Shift” + “/” to uncomment. 
You also can use the block comment operators "%{" and "%}". The "%{" and "%}" operators must appear alone on the lines that immediately precede and follow the block of help text. For example: 
%{ 
     code to be commented out 
%} 

5 Comments

Also, the control-r and control-t work for C source code as well ... putting and removing the // style comments.
THIS METHOD NO LONGER WORKS IN MATLAB 2020
%{
...
%}
it appears there is no way to block comment in MATLAB 2020. You MUST line comment every single line.
Very interesting way to downgrade for the new version.....
That functionality is still present in releases R2020a, R2020b, and R2021a. It is possible that something about your file or how you're writing these comment delimiters is preventing them from being interpreted as block comments. For instance, %{ and %} must appear alone on a line.
x = 1
x = 1
%{ start of block comment?
y = 2
y = 2
%}
z = 3
z = 3
%{
w = 4
v = 5
%}
Because of the text following the %{ before "y = 2" it is a regular comment, not a block comment. So we execute the line that creates the y variable.
Because there is no %{ associated with the %} before "z = 3" it too is a regular comment and the z variable is created.
The %{ and %} surrounding the lines defining the w and v do comprise a block comment, so those variables are not created.
whos
Name Size Bytes Class Attributes x 1x1 8 double y 1x1 8 double z 1x1 8 double
Can you show us a small code segment where you see %{ and %} not functioning as block comments?
In Matlab 2020, you have to use ctrl+/ (cmd+/ for mac) to comment a block and to uncomment you have to use ctrl+t (cmd+t for mac).

Sign in to comment.

More Answers (3)

Ctrl + R comment selected lines. Ctrl + T uncomment select lines.
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/30925796/is-there-a-shortcut-key-to-comment-multiple-lines-in-matlab-editor/30926004#30926004

3 Comments

you are making us fool bc
ctrl+t open new tab.....mf
Ctrl+t opens new tab bc.
Search the list of keyboard shortcuts for the word "comment" or for the key combination Ctrl+T and you should see the actions associated with commenting out code or that will be performed in various components of the MATLAB Desktop in the keyboard shortcut set you've told MATLAB to use.
In my MATLAB installation using the Windows keyboard shortcut set, Ctrl+T creates a new tab in the Help Browser but uncomments code when used in the Editor.

Sign in to comment.

Simply start with *... and write whatever you want. This will enable you to write a very long comment line
For example *... This is a very very long comment
Wick
Wick on 1 May 2018
Edited: Wick on 1 May 2018
Rather than comment large sections of code, I bypass them with the following syntax.
for dont_go_here = []
% code I want to skip including all nested comments, etc. can stay here unmolested
end
This assumes that your if, for, case, try, and switch commands within that block are all terminated properly with an 'end' Otherwise the script won't parse.

Categories

Tags

No tags entered yet.

Community Treasure Hunt

Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!

Start Hunting!