One click open .m file in the octave GUI editor

[orion777]

Hallo to everyone!

I'm using xfce 4.16 and octave 7.3.0-r2.

I would like to open the *.m files in the octave GUI interface by simply clicking on the *.m file.

I have tried:
octave --gui in the file open menu - but this cause m file code to run and then exit (no GUI appears)
octave --gui --persist in the file open menu - then, when I'm clicking on the *.m file, the file runs, the results (figures) opens and stay opened, the GUI opens too, but the GUI contains no *.m file code in the editor (the GUI editor remains empty).

I'm mostly working with a MATLAB on Windows computers; typically I'm starting the MATLAB by clicking onto the *.m files (these, typically, are on USB drives); I'm not starting the MATLAB first, and then searching the file through the matlab's explorer...

[mike155]

'octave --help' prints:

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...
Usage: octave [options] [FILE]
...
FILE  Execute commands from FILE.  Exit when done
      unless --persist is also specified.

You could use option '--eval'. The command below opens a file in Octave's editor:

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octave --gui --persist --eval "edit /usr/share/octave/7.3.0/etc/tests/fixed/publish/test_script_example.m"

You could also open Octave and use drag&drop from Thunar (or a similar file manager) to open files in Octave's editor.

[orion777]

Thanks for the answer!

However, I still can't do what I want.

I would like to open any *.m file by double click on it (in the xfce environment).

If I press mouse right button, then
Open with then
Open with another application,
where in the field Use a custom command I enter /usr/bin/octave --gui --persist --eval
the double click on the *.m file opens the octave in the GUI mode, but the octave by itself returns an error in the Command Window

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error: parse error:

  syntax error

>>> /home/user/Desktop/hexa.m
    ^
>>

[mike155]

Create a file ~/bin/octave_edit with the contents below:

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#!/bin/sh
octave --gui --persist --eval "edit '$1'"

Make it executable:

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chmod u+x ~/bin/octave_edit

Open Thunar, right click on a .m file, select 'open with', 'set default file' and select the script you created: 'octave_edit'. Don't forget to enable "Use as default for this kind of file".

[orion777]

Yes, it works! Thanx a lot!!