how do I change the default open behavior to not be a class property

How do I change the default behavior in the MATLAB editor so that selecting text and opening it (selecting "open") doesn't go the property first (as opposed to a class with the same path)? (note, this may also apply to functions in the same package, I haven't tested it

Consider the following layout:

+p/@class1

+p/+class1/@class2

If class1 has a property "class2" then if I select code that is "p.class1.class2" and open it the editor goes to the property "class2" instead of the class "class2"

Answer 1

[Deepak]

Hi @Jim Hokanson,

In MATLAB, the behavior of resolving names when selecting and opening code is indeed governed by its internal name resolution rules. When you have a property and a class (or function) with the same name, MATLAB defaults to opening the property first. Unfortunately, there is no direct, documented way to change this behavior. However, you can consider the following workarounds:

1. Manual Navigation:

• Instead of relying on the "open" command, manually navigate to the desired class or function in the Current Folder window or use the "Go To" feature in the editor to find the class or function definition.

2. Use Fully Qualified Names:

• When writing code, use fully qualified names to distinguish between the property and the class. This can help clarify your intentions and make it easier to navigate manually.

3. Refactor Code:

• If feasible, consider renaming either the property or the class to avoid name conflicts. This can improve code readability and reduce confusion.

4. Create Helper Scripts:

• Write a small script or function that uses which or similar commands to programmatically determine and open the desired class or function file.

Below is a sample MATLAB script that helps to open a specific class or function:

function openClassOrFunction(name, type)
    % openClassOrFunction Opens a class or function file by name.
    % 
    % Usage:
    %   openClassOrFunction('className', 'class')
    %   openClassOrFunction('functionName', 'function')

    if nargin < 2
        error('Please specify both the name and type (class/function).');
    end

    switch type
        case 'class'
            % Use the 'all' option in which to find the class file
            filePath = which(name, '-all');
        case 'function'
            % Use the 'function' option in which to find the function file
            filePath = which(name);
        otherwise
            error('Type must be either "class" or "function".');
    end

    % Check if filePath is a cell array and extract the path if needed
    if iscell(filePath)
        filePath = filePath{1};
    end

    if isempty(filePath)
        error('The specified %s "%s" could not be found.', type, name);
    else
        % Open the file in the MATLAB editor
        edit(filePath);
    end
end

Please find attached the documentation of functions used for reference:

nargin: www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/nargin.html

iscell: www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/iscell.html

edit: www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/edit.html

I hope this helps in resolving the issue.