how to stop a running script in Matlab [duplicate]

Answer 1

If ctrl+c doesn't respond right away because your script is too long/complex, hold it.

The break command doesn't run when matlab is executing some of its deeper scripts, and either it won't log a ctrl sequence in the buffer, or it clears the buffer just before or just after it completes those pieces of code. In either case, when matlab returns to execute more of your script, it will recognize that you are holding ctrl+c and terminate.

For longer running programs, I usually try to find a good place to provide a status update and I always accompany that with some measure of time using tic and toc. Depending on what I am doing, I might use run time, segment time, some kind of average, etc...

For really long running programs, I found this to be exceptionally useful http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/16649-send-text-message-to-cell-phone/content/send_text_message.m

but it looks like they have some newer functions for this too.

Answer 2

Since you mentioned Task Manager, I'll guess you're using Windows. Assuming you're running your script within the editor, if you aren't opposed to quitting the editor at the same time as quitting the running program, the keyboard shortcut to end a process is:

Alt + F4

(By which I mean press the 'Alt' and 'F4' keys on your keyboard simultaneously.)

Alternatively, as mentioned in other answers,

Ctrl + C

should also work, but will not quit the editor.

Answer 3

One solution I adopted--for use with java code, but the concept is the same with mexFunctions, just messier--is to return a FutureValue and then loop while FutureValue.finished() or whatever returns true. The actual code executes in another thread/process. Wrapping a try,catch around that and a FutureValue.cancel() in the catch block works for me.

In the case of mex functions, you will need to return somesort of pointer (as an int) that points to a struct/object that has all the data you need (native thread handler, bool for complete etc). In the case of a built in mexFunction, your mexFunction will most likely need to call that mexFunction in the separate thread. Mex functions are just DLLs/shared objects after all.

PseudoCode

FV = mexLongProcessInAnotherThread();
try
  while ~mexIsDone(FV);
    java.lang.Thread.sleep(100); %pause has a memory leak
    drawnow; %allow stdout/err from mex to display in command window
  end
catch
  mexCancel(FV);
end

Answer 4

if you are running your matlab on linux, you can terminate the matlab by command in linux consule. first you should find the PID number of matlab by this code:

top

then you can use this code to kill matlab: kill

example: kill 58056

Answer 5

To add on:

you can insert a time check within a loop with intensive or possible deadlock, ie.

:
section_toc_conditionalBreakOff;
:

where within this section

if (toc > timeRequiredToBreakOff)     % time conditional break off
      return;
      % other options may be:                         
      % 1. display intermediate values with pause;
      % 2. exit;                           % in some cases, extreme : kill/ quit matlab
end

Answer 6

Matlab help says this- For M-files that run a long time, or that call built-ins or MEX-files that run a long time, Ctrl+C does not always effectively stop execution. Typically, this happens on Microsoft Windows platforms rather than UNIX[1] platforms. If you experience this problem, you can help MATLAB break execution by including a drawnow, pause, or getframe function in your M-file, for example, within a large loop. Note that Ctrl+C might be less responsive if you started MATLAB with the -nodesktop option.

So I don't think any option exist. This happens with many matlab functions that are complex. Either we have to wait or don't use them!.