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Overview
How-To

All content below is generated by ERAU faculty.

Topics marked with an asterisk (*) are planned, but aren't quite ready!

Scalar Operations*
Matrix Operations
Programming*
Plots

Using MATLAB

The purpose of this page is to help you understand the basics of the MATLAB interface, access MATLAB resources, and reference the How-To section for ERAU-specific guidance.

The ERAU-Worldwide College of Aeronautics creates the How-To content to target specific areas of need for ERAU students. Be sure to check back frequently, as updates to this page are being made all the time!

Select an option in the menu for more information.

Have a question not answered in the guide? Visit the Support page.

Overivew of the MATLAB Interface

Detailed below are two areas of the MATLAB interface: the MATLAB Workspace & the Plot Tools. It's important to be familiar with the interface to complete your work and to better understand support documentation.

MATLAB Workspace

Once you open MATLAB, you'll be brought to your main workspace. Review the areas of the interface below:

  1. FILE: Create new scripts or live scripts, as well as open saved script files. A live script is an interactive document that combines both MATLAB code and formatted text, equations, and images. This allows you to create documentation of your code that could be submitted for course work. A script file is strictly the MATLAB coding you write.
  2. VARIABLE: Create and open a variable to use throughout your code. This will also be where you save your work.
  3. CODE: Store favorite commands for frequent use well as analyze or run your code. Analyzing your code will help you find inefficiencies or bugs that could prevent your code from running smoothly.
  4. ENVIRONMENT: You may wish to change the layout of MATLAB as well as edit the preferences and add add-ons to improve your MATLAB experience.
  5. RESOURCES: Resources available to you directly in MATLAB should be the first place to look for vendor support documents, community support, and technical support information.

    When you select the Help icon, a new window will open the MathWorks Help Center and you can Explore MATLAB written guides. These guides detail all aspects of MATLAB, and they include example code as well as Live Script files you can use to explore the code directly in MATLAB. Read more about Live Scripts & Functions.
  6. Search Documentation: You may wish to utilize the Search Documentation tool bar, which will find potential functions you may want to use as well as support documents related to the topic you search.
  7. Current Folder: Use this section to organize projects and access any MATLAB Live Script documents you've opened from the Resources section.
  8. Command Window: This is where you'll type your code. Hit 'enter' to execute the line(s) of code as you type.
  9. Workspace Your workspace will show the variables you've defined in the Command Window. You can double click a variable in the Workspace to open a table of values for that variable, which are also determined by your code.
MATLAB Interface

Plot Tools

In addition to basic tool bar icons for saving, printing, and creating new plots, the Plot interface includes the following icons:

Icon to to link/unlink data and plot in MATLAB

Link/Unlink Plot: Opens a window that shows linked data and allows you to adjust values as necessary.

Icon to insert a color bar on a plot in MATLAB

Insert Color Bar: Generates a color bar gradient on the right side of your plot. Right-click on the color bar to change/view settings such as location, coloring, code, etc.

Icon to insert legend on a plot in MATLAB

Insert Legend: Generates a legend in the top right corner of your plot. Right-click the legend to chagne/view settings such as title, font, color, border, etc.

Icon to edit a plot in MATLAB

Edit Plot: Allows you to change the size of the entire plot as well as right-click the plot to add data, clear axises, change color/font, cut/copy/paste, etc. When the Edit Plot icon is unselected, you will be able to pan, zoom, and click the plot without editing the plot itself.

Icon to open Property inspector in MATLAB

Open Property Inspector: Opens a window that allows you to manipulate both aesthetics of the plot as well as control the viewing angle, interactivity, callbacks, parent/child relationships, grid, labels, etc.

Plotting Interface

You can select a variable in the Workspace, then select the PLOTS tab, and plot the variables in your Workspace.

Choosing your plot

Depending on the code you enter in the Command Window, MATLAB may automatically open a plot when the code is executed (see image below).

Plots opened from code execution

To read more about how to code 2D, 3D, Function, and Script plots, visit the How To > Plots section of this page or the MATLAB Help Center: Documentation on Graphics.

MATLAB Resources

There are a few resources available to help you use MATLAB, separate from ERAU created guidance. ERAU strongly encourages you to explore and utilize the resources below.

MathWorks Tutorials, Videos, and Help Center

Note: You must be logged into the MathWorks website to utilize any of the MathWorks resource linked below.

Your MathWorks has several training courses, both self-paced and synchronous. Visit the MathWorks Tutorials to browse their current offerings. Some courses will be free to you as a MathWorks account member, and others will require additional purchase, should you choose to enroll.

Some of the self-paced, free online courses you might find useful are:

You can also browse the MATLAB Video Portal for videos one data science and machine learning, image processing and computer vision, etc.

Visit the MATLAB Help Center for comprehensive documentation of the product.

LinkedIn Learning: Learning MATLAB

Note: You must be logged into ERNIE to utilize any of the LinkedIn Learning resources below.

LinkedIn Learning is an online learning tool available to all ERAU students. It provides video tutorials on a wide variety of subjects such as business, design, and education.

A great course on LinkedIn Learning is Learning MATLAB (1h 13m), which introduces how to install, understand, and use my MATLAB. Many of the topics are useful in building foundational MATLAB knowledge!

How-To: Basic Math

This section is coming soon!

How-To: Vector Matrix

This section is coming soon!

How-To: Function Plot

This section is coming soon!

How-To: Script Plot

This section is coming soon!