What are the main differences between Scilab and Matlab?

12 What are the main differences between Scilab and Matlab?

12.1 Functions

Functions in Scilab are NOT Matlab m-files but variables. One or several functions can be defined in a single file (say myfile.sci). The name of the file is not necessarily related to the the name of the functions. The name of the function(s) is given by

function [y]=fct1(x)
...
function [y]=fct2(x)
...

The function(s) are not automatically loaded into Scilab. Usually you have to execute the command getf("myfile.sci") before using it.

Functions can also be defined on-line (or inside functions) by the command deff.

To execute a script file you must use exec("filename") in Scilab and in Matlab you just need to type the name of the file.

12.2 Comment lines

Scilab comments begins with: //

Matlab comments begins with: %

12.3 Variables

Predefined variables usually have the % prefix in Scilab (%i, %inf, ...). They are write protected.

12.4 Strings

Strings are considered as 1 by 1 matrices of strings in Scilab. Each entry of a string matrix has its own length.

12.5 Boolean variables

Boolean variables are %T, %F in Scilab and 0, 1 in Matlab. Indexing with boolean variables may not produce same result. Example x=[1,2];x([1,1]) [which is NOT x([%T,%T])] returns [1,1] in Scilab and [1,2] in Matlab. Also if x is a matrix x(1:n,1)=[] or x(:)=[] is not valid in Matlab.

12.6 Polynomials

Polynomials and polynomial matrices are defined by the function poly in Scilab (built-in variables). They are considered as vectors of coefficients in Matlab.

12.7 Empty matrices

[]+1 returns 1 in Scilab and [] in Matlab.

12.8 Plotting

Except for the simple plot and mesh (plot3d) functions, Scilab and Matlab are not compatible.

12.9 Scicos

Scicos (Scilab) and Simulink (Matlab) are not compatible.

12.10 A dictionary

Most built in functions are identical in Matlab and Scilab. Some of them have a slightly different syntax. Here is a brief, partial list of commands with significant different syntax.

Matlab Scilab "equivalent"

all                 and
any                 or
balance             balanc
clock               unix('date')  
computer            unix_g('machine')  
cputime             timer    
delete              unix('rm file')
dir                 unix_g('ls')
echo                mode
eig                 spec or bdiag
eval                evstr
exist               exists + type  
fclose              file('close')
feof                
ferror              
feval               evstr and strcat 
filter              rtitr   
finite              (x < %inf)
fopen               file('open') 
fread               read
fseek               file  
ftell             
fwrite              writeb            
global                         
home             
isglobal             
isinf(a)            a == %inf
isnan(a)            a ~= a
isstr(a)            type(a) == 10
keyboard            pause + resume     
lasterr             
lookfor             apropos   
more                lines 
pack                stacksize
pause               halt  
qz                  gspec+gschur
randn               rand  
rem                 modulo
setstr              code2str
strcmp(a,b)         a == b 
uicontrol             
uimenu              getvalue
unix                unix_g 
version             
which               whereis
nargin              [nargout,nargin]=argn(0)
nargout