setDesktopVisibilit​y

displays or hides the Matlab desktop window

Syntax:
currentState = setDesktopVisibility(newState)

Description:
setDesktopVisibility(newState) sets the Matlab desktop window visibility state. Valid values for newState are true, false, 'on' & 'off' (case insensitive).

Note: when the desktop visibility is false/'off' (i.e. hidden), the command window is not accessible for user input. Therefore, this function is very useful for GUI-based applications but not for regular interactive (command-window) use.

state = setDesktopVisibility returns the current visibility state of the desktop window (prior to any modification). The returned state is either true/false (Matlab 7) or 'on'/'off' (Matlab 6).

A minor modification of this function will enable any interested user to enable/disable (rather than show/hide) the desktop.

Examples:
curState = setDesktopVisibility;
oldState = setDesktopVisibility('off'); % hide desktop window
oldState = setDesktopVisibility(result>0);
oldState = setDesktopVisibility(true); % restore visibility

Bugs and suggestions:
Please send to Yair Altman (altmany at gmail dot com)

Warning:
This code relies on undocumented and unsupported Matlab functionality. It works on Matlab 6+, but use at your own risk!