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engEvalString (C and Fortran)

Evaluate expression in string

C Syntax

#include "engine.h"
int engEvalString(Engine *ep, const char *string);

Fortran Syntax

integer*4 engEvalString(ep, string)
mwPointer ep
character*(*) string



Engine pointer


String to execute


1 if the engine session is no longer running or the engine pointer is invalid or NULL. Otherwise, returns 0 even if the MATLAB® engine session cannot evaluate the command.


engEvalString evaluates the expression contained in string for the MATLAB engine session, ep, previously started by engOpen.

UNIX Operating Systems

On UNIX® systems, engEvalString sends commands to the MATLAB workspace by writing down a pipe connected to the MATLAB stdin process. MATLAB reads back from stdout any output resulting from the command that ordinarily appears on the screen, into the buffer defined by engOutputBuffer.

To turn off output buffering in C, use:

engOutputBuffer(ep, NULL, 0);

To turn off output buffering in Fortran, use:

engOutputBuffer(ep, '')

Microsoft Windows Operating Systems

On a Windows® system, engEvalString communicates with MATLAB software using a Component Object Model (COM) interface.


See the following examples in matlabroot/extern/examples/eng_mat.

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