Starting MATLAB Startup Options You can define startup options for MATLAB, which instruct MATLAB to perform certain operations upon startup. There are two ways to specify startup options for MATLAB: • “Using the Startup File for MATLAB, ” on page 1-5 • “Adding Startup Options for Windows Platforms” on page 1-5 or “Adding Startup Options for UNIX Platforms” on page 1-7 Using the Startup File for MATLAB, At startup, MATLAB automatically executes the master M-file and, if it exists, . The file , which lives in the local directory, is reserved for use by The MathWorks, and on multiuser systems, by your. | Starting MATLAB Startup Options You can define startup options for MATLAB which instruct MATLAB to perform certain operations upon startup. There are two ways to specify startup options for MATLAB Using the Startup File for MATLAB on page 1-5 Adding Startup Options for Windows Platforms on page 1-5 or Adding Startup Options for UNIX Platforms on page 1-7 Using the Startup File for MATLAB At startup MATLAB automatically executes the master M-file and if it exists . The file which lives in the local directory is reserved for use by The MathWorks and on multiuser systems by your system manager. The file is for you to use to specify startup options. You can modify the default search path predefine variables in your workspace or define Handle Graphics defaults. For example creating a file with the line addpath home me mytools cd home me mytools adds home me mytools to your default search path and makes that directory the current directory upon startup. On Windows platforms place the file in matlabroot toolbox local where matlabroot is the directory in which MATLAB is installed. On UNIX workstations place the file in the directory named matlab off of your home directory for example matlab. Adding Startup Options for Windows Platforms You can add selected startup options also called command flags to the target path for your Windows shortcut for MATLAB or include the option if you start MATLAB from a DOS window. To do so 1-5 1 Starting and Quitting MATLAB 1 Right-click on the MATLAB shortcut icon and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box for opens to the Shortcut panel. 2 In the Target field after the target path for add one or more of the allowable startup options listed here. Option Description automation Start MATLAB as an automation server minimized and without the MATLAB splash screen. For more information see Client Server .