Share Live Scripts and Functions

You can share live scripts and functions with others for teaching or demonstration purposes, or to provide readable, external documentation of your code. You can share the files with other MATLAB® users, or you can share static PDF, Microsoft® Word, HTML, and LaTeX versions of the files for viewing outside of MATLAB.

This table shows the different ways to share live scripts and functions.

Ways to ShareInstructions
As an interactive document

Distribute the live code file (.mlx). Recipients of the file can open and view the file in MATLAB in the same state that you last saved it in. This includes generated output.

MATLAB supports live scripts in Versions R2016a and above, and live functions in Versions R2018a and above.

As a full screen presentation

Open the live script or function, go to the View tab and click the Full Screen button. MATLAB opens the file in full screen mode.

To exit out of full screen mode, move the mouse to the top of the screen to display the View tab and click the Full Screen button again.

With users of previous MATLAB versions

Save the live script or function as a plain code file (.m) and distribute it. Recipients of the file can open and view the file in MATLAB. MATLAB converts formatted content from the live script or function to publish markup in the new script or function.

For more information, see Save Live Scripts as Plain Code.

As a static document capable of being viewed outside of MATLAB

Export the script or function to a standard format. Available formats include PDF, Microsoft Word, HTML, and LaTeX.

To export your live script or function to one of these formats, on the Live Editor tab, select Save > Export to PDF, Save > Export to Word, Save > Export to HTML, or Save > Export to LaTeX. The saved file closely resembles the appearance of the live script or function when viewed in the Live Editor with output inline.

To export all of the live scripts and live functions in a folder, on the Live Editor tab, select Save > Export Folder....

When exporting to LaTeX, MATLAB creates a separate matlab.sty file in the same folder as the output document, if one does not exist already. .sty files, also known as LaTeX Style Documents, give you more control over the appearance of the output document.

To customize the format of figures as well as the document paper size, orientation, and margins before exporting, use settings. For more information, see matlab.editor Settings.

Hide Code Before Sharing

Consider hiding the code in the live script before sharing it as an interactive or static document. When the code is hidden, the Live Editor only displays labeled controls, output, and formatted text.

To hide the code, click the hide code button to the right of the live script. You also can go to the View tab, and in the View section, click Hide Code. To show the code again, click the output inline button or the output on right button.

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