MATLAB Solving Filename Issues in MATLAB 6.5.1

[darkfall13]

I'm having a weird problem in my copy of MATLAB at work (6.5.1.199709 Release 13 SP1). Originally I was having a problem with naming a file "any.m" as it wouldn't run. So I named it anyd.m and no problem afterward and I just assumed that word was some sort of script or something already defined in the program. Well now here's the kicker. I need to put a date in my filename now and I can't or can (really weirdly) get the files to run. Here's a few examples of filenames and what happens when they run.

4 1 2008.m

? 4 1 2008
|
Error: Missing operator, comma, or semicolon.

FAC 4 1 2008.m

? FAC 4 1 2008
|
Error: Missing operator, comma, or semicolon.

4-1-2008.m

ans =

-2005

(that's the really weird one)

test1m.m
File runs and displays my plot as it should
What's causing this? I have no problems naming files whatever I please on my home computer, though it is running a newer version than here at work.

 

[matonski]

Matlab m-files need to have names that are valid variable names. When you run your script, Matlab behaves as if you simply entered the name of the file into the command line. That's why the filename 4-2001-2008 gave -2005. It interpreted the dashes as minus signs. You can use the function isvarname to check to see if a string is a valid variable name.

 

[darkfall13]

OK thank you, I'll have to devise a new naming scheme for the files I need to create, and isvarname should come in handy thank you.