Function Reference

Getting Started

Invoking Octave from the Command Line

argv
Return the command line arguments passed to Octave.
program_name
Return the last component of of the value returned by `program_invocation_name'.
program_invocation_name
Return the name that was typed at the shell prompt to run Octave.

Quitting Octave

quit
Exit the current Octave session.
atexit
Register a function to be called when Octave exits.

Commands for Getting Help

help
Display the help text for NAME.
doc
Display documentation for the function FUNCTION_NAME directly from an on-line version of the printed manual, using the GNU Info browser.
lookfor
Search for the string STR in all of the functions found in the function search path.
info_file
Query or set the internal variable that specifies the name of the Octave info file.
info_program
Query or set the internal variable that specifies the name of the info program to run.
makeinfo_program
Query or set the internal variable that specifies the name of the makeinfo program that Octave runs to format help text containing Texinfo markup commands.
suppress_verbose_help_message
Query or set the internal variable that controls whether Octave will add additional help information to the end of the output from the `help' command and usage messages for built-in commands.

Command Line Editing

clc
Clear the terminal screen and move the cursor to the upper left corner.
completion_append_char
Query or set the internal character variable that is appended to successful command-line completion attempts.
completion_matches
Generate possible completions given HINT.
history
If invoked with no arguments, `history' displays a list of commands that you have executed.
edit_history
If invoked with no arguments, `edit_history' allows you to edit the history list using the editor named by the variable `EDITOR'.
run_history
Similar to `edit_history', except that the editor is not invoked, and the commands are simply executed as they appear in the history list.
history_file
Query or set the internal variable that specifies the name of the file used to store command history.
history_size
Query or set the internal variable that specifies how many entries to store in the history file.
saving_history
Query or set the internal variable that controls whether commands entered on the command line are saved in the history file.
history_timestamp_format_string
Query or set the internal variable that specifies the format string for the comment line that is written to the history file when Octave exits.
EDITOR
Query or set the internal variable that specifies the editor to use with the `edit_history' command.
read_readline_init_file
Read the readline library initialization file FILE.
PS1
Query or set the primary prompt string.
PS2
Query or set the secondary prompt string.
PS4
Query or set the character string used to prefix output produced when echoing commands when `echo_executing_commands' is enabled.
diary
Create a list of all commands _and_ the output they produce, mixed together just as you see them on your terminal.
echo
Control whether commands are displayed as they are executed.
echo_executing_commands
Query or set the internal variable that controls the echo state.