slow perfomance if network directories are in path

I add several network directories to the path during startup.

If network is not very very good, Matlab performance is dramatically reduced. Each input in the command window takes several seconds. Even if it is just a simple calculation like 1+1. I got the feeling that Matlab is searching the whole path before executing the input. This takes some time due to bad network performance.

Is there any option to increase performance? Such as caching all m files in the path?

[Bruno Luong]

Is there any option to increase performance? Such as caching all m files in the path?

That's exactly what MATLAB does before running, therefore it must scan the path.

If you don't want it to scan the network folder, then remove it from the path. I believe rmpath and addpath are the commands

[Björn Rumberg]

I would like MATLAB to cache it, but not before every command entered in command window. Can I tell manually when to refresh cache and when not to as there were no changes made? Removing the path is not an option.

[Bruno Luong]

" Can I tell manually when to refresh cache and when not to "

Yes REHASH for the first part, no for the second part of your question AFAIK.

Put your commands in function (and not in script) then it caches at the beginning once.

If you use script then there is no way to stop it beside removing the path. That's how it supposes to work.

[Walter Roberson]

I suspect that the basic problem is that MATLAB automatically checks directories on the path for changed files when it gets to the command prompt. The standard toolboxes are exempt as those are not expected to change.

Be sure to avoid having a network drive open in the directory window.

Answer 1

[Mathias]

I don't have network pathes in path but tried to check network pathes for existence (i.e. \\device\folders). If the device is not existent it takes around 45sec to check this. After some readings i found a fast solution to get this information. This can be used to deselect invalid pathes for search.

    % check for existence of devices
    devexists = true;
    dev = regexp(pathname, '(?<=^\\\\)[^\\]+(?=\\)', 'ignorecase', 'once', 'match'); % device name
    if any(dev)
        [~, txt] = dos(['nslookup "' dev '"']);
        if any(strfind(txt, 'Non-existent domain'))
            devexists = false;
        end
    end