when i run "fprintf(-), this message shows up. Why? This is not an error.

>> sandy_eig(plant,controller,cost)

* was unexpected at this time.

Plant model # 1

Eigenvalues Damping Frequency(rad/sec) Frequency (Hz)

-0.27573 0.28338i 0.697 0.39538 0.06293

-0.27573 -0.28338i 0.697 0.39538 0.06293

-0.82946 0.00000i 1.000 0.82946 0.13201

-11.84036 5.56036i 0.905 13.08096 2.08190

-11.84036 -5.56036i 0.905 13.08096 2.08190

[Walter Roberson]

We will need to see the fprintf() call. If you create the format before the call, we will need to see the code that creates the format as well.

[Stephen23]

Looks like an error to me:

"fprintf(-),

String is not terminated properly.

[dpb]

The pasted code in the subject line is isolated from the context -- as @Stephen23 shows, by itself a different error is generated. The interpreter on the real code didn't like where the " is placed in whatever is the whole line or lines of code. As @Walter Roberson notes, will need to see the whole context to interpret.

But, there's more wrong besides the odd/mismatched double quotes character, the isolated minus as the argument is bad syntax as well

fprintf(-)

Unexpected ')'. When calling a function or indexing a variable, use parentheses. Otherwise, check for mismatched delimiters.