How to run a script name inputed by the user within a script.

So, I have a script that I want to use to enter variables from an .m file that the user enters.

So, I have

filename=input('Please enter the filename:');

But I want to then run the entered script within the script. Any idea how to do this? I know if I already knew the name of the script I could just put it directly in the script, but I don't know how to do it this way. Thanks.

Answer 1

[Sean de Wolski]

doc run

[james]

If I store the name of the file in "filename" and then type

run filename

It will attempt to execute a script named filename, and not the string that's stored in the input.

[Walter Roberson]

run(filename)

Answer 2

[Daniel Shub]

There is the run function

doc run

[james]

If I store the name of the file in "filename" and then type

run filename

It will attempt to execute a script named filename, and not the string that's stored in the input. How do I fix this?

[Image Analyst]

Yes, running something with the command style is different than running it with the function style. With command style, no parentheses are used and it thinks that what you have there is the string itself except without the single quotes around it, so that's why it tried to run a script called "filename.m". With the function style, you pass in a variable and no quotes and it runs it assuming you made the variable with single quotes:

filename = 'c:/blah/foo.m';

run(filename);

So, bottom line, you should use parentheses and then your existing code should work correctly.

Answer 3

[Alan]

use the 'eval' function

[Daniel Shub]

While I don't like to bash solutions that work, I find this solution to be miserable. Yes, the run function, as suggested by Sean and myself, eventually uses eval, but there is a difference. The run function makes sure that the script is actually a file and not some arbitrary code.

[Walter Roberson]

I agree, run(filename) is much better.