Re: could matlab-mode be in ELPA or the GNU emacs tree (like auctex and org-mode)?

[Uwe Brauer <oub@mat.ucm.es>]

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>>> "EZ" == Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

>> From: Uwe Brauer <oub@mat.ucm.es>
>> Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2021 09:08:37 +0100
>> 
>> RMS if you read this: would you allow to have a part of matlab-mode that
>> interacts with matlab via the so called matlab shell, to be part of ELPA or GNU
>> emacs?
>> 
>> Rationale: there is already specific code that allows GNU emacs to be
>> compiled in non free systems.

> Can you explain in simple words what is so important about matlab-mode
> that we'd like to have it in ELPA?  Is it syntax support, or is it the
> fact that you can invoke the REPL of the Matlab interpreter from
> Emacs, or is it something else?

Several reasons:

    1. You can use your favorite editor for writing code.

    2. Matlab-mode has a specific syntax support (like auctex does) that concerns keyword expansion, fontification and these sorts of things.

    3. It has a function matlab-shell that does allow you execute code, either the whole part or just parts of it (you have a similar feature using org mode, the python kernel, and jupyter, however not all commands are supported using org mode, plotting for example is not, debugging neither). Again a similarity with auctex

    4. You can debug code, although that worked better in the past, but it is still quite reasonable 

> I'm asking because I never understood why people who use Matlab would
> like to use Emacs in conjunction with Matlab, since the Matlab
> interactive mode provides so many features that are practically
> necessary for any reasonable use of Matlab.  So what can Emacs
> possibly add to that?

I am not sure what you mean by interactive mode here? Do you mean that matlab allows you to open a specific matlab file with emacs, but configuring as an external editor?

If this is the case, then, you cannot debug, and you cannot execute code from emacs, it is more of a one way thing.

I am not sure I answered your question, I have to admit.

regards



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