To initiate a MATLAB session in Rick's Lab simply enter matlab at the shell prompt of an xterm. MATLAB will display some introductory information before printing the MATLAB prompt >>. (Hint: Due to difficulties with the license server, MATLAB may not always start the first time you try it, even though licenses are available. Before you conclude all licenses are in use, try to start MATLAB several (;SPMgt;5) times.) At the prompt users are free to enter sequences of MATLAB expressions, commands and assignment statements. (See Section 3.) MATLAB places all ASCII output in the xterm window from which MATLAB was invoked, but automatically creates additional windows for graphical output.
To recall or edit previous command lines MATLAB provides command line editing
using Emacs-style keystrokes. Using the 
and 
keys you
can cycle through previous commands. The 
and 
keys
move the cursor left and right along the current
command line. In its default mode MATLAB
inserts characters before the cursor. Cntrl-T toggles the
command line editor between the insert and over-write modes.
The delete key eliminates the character lying under the cursor.
Once all necessary corrections (if any) have been made to the
command line, it can be entered by hitting <rtn> with the cursor in any
position. For more information consult the cedit help page by
entering
>> help cedit.
To terminate a MATLAB session
enter the command
>> exit
or
>> quit