From bug-octave-request at bevo dot che dot wisc dot edu  Fri Sep 15 20:40:59 1995
Subject: exist() returns wrong value under some circumstances
From: John Eaton <jwe at bevo dot che dot wisc dot edu>
To: torsten at kom dot auc dot dk (torsten martinsen)
Cc: bug-octave at che dot utexas dot edu
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 1995 20:40:26 -0500

torsten martinsen <torsten at kom dot auc dot dk> wrote:

: Description:
: -----------
: 
: 	If a file named FOO (eg. produced by `save') is present in
: 	the current directory, then exist("FOO") will return 2,
: 	signifying that FOO is a function. This is of course only
: 	correct if the FOO file contains a function definition.

This appears to be compatible with Matlab 4.x:

			      < M A T L A B (R) >
		  (c) Copyright 1984-94 The MathWorks, Inc.
			      All Rights Reserved
				 Version 4.2c
				  Nov 28 1994

  >> help exist

   EXIST  Check if variables or functions exist.
	  EXIST('A') returns:
	    0 if A does not exist
	    1 if A is a variable in the workspace
	    2 if A is an M-file on MATLAB's search path
	    3 if A is a MEX-file on MATLAB's search path
	    4 if A is a compiled SIMULINK function
	    5 if A is a built-in MATLAB function

	  Note: EXIST('A') also returns 2 if a file named
	  just 'A' is on MATLAB's search path.

Also, I've just added the return codes 3 (actually for .oct files
instead of .mex files) and 5.

Thanks,

jwe