Why is the formatting of my MATLAB documentation broken?

Since I upgraded my computer to Windows 8.1 I have an ugly problem with the MATLAB documentation.

This screenshot shows my problem. Can anyone suggest a way to fix this?

Answer 1

[Wendy Fullam]

Hi Otto,

I'm the product manager for online doc & support. The issue you've reported is captured in this bug report (login required).

There are currently two ways around the issue:

• If you have internet access - In the Help browser's toolbar, click the Preferences icon, and then, under Documentation Location select Web, on mathworks.com.
• If you do not have internet access - Downgrade your Internet Explorer release to Internet Explorer 9 OR - upgrade to R2013b(8.2), as the issue was addressed in the latest release.

If you have a current subscription to MathWorks Software Maintenance Service (SMS), you can download product updates here.

Please email me directly at [e-mail] with questions.

[Image Analyst]

Your description is not totally correct. Internet Explorer is not my default browser. Firefox is - I verified it - so you might want to update your bug report.

I never even activated Internet Explorer. When I launch it, it says that I have to accept the Bing Toolbar and there's an OKAY button, but no "Not OK" button. You can't use it unless you agree to the Bing Toolbar. So I don't use it. Not that I wanted to anyway - I just wanted to see the version. But I was able to find out what version is installed by doing Start->Default Programs->Set your default programs->Internet Explorer. It says I have version 11, though like I said I've never used it and it is not my default browser.

So, it appears that merely having Internet Explorer version 11 installed causes the problem, regardless if it's your default browser, regardless if you've ever used it , or even regardless if you've even activated it . Just sitting there as an apparently lifeless chunk of code is enough to mess up MATLAB.

It looks like there is no fix. You either have to use web-based help instead of the local help, or you need to upgrade to R2013b. I was going to wait a while to upgrade (because I have 18 computers around the globe to update with a new massive MCR) but it looks like this will force the issue and I'll have to upgrade immediately.

[Wendy Fullam]

Thanks for the catch. The Bug Report has been updated accordingly.

The development lead for the Help Browser Team informed me that they are preparing a downloadable fix which will help alleviate these pains for 13a customers. We will update the Bug Report as appropriate.

[Cedric Wannaz]

For those of us who have a University license for faculty and staff, it's not possible to upgrade from 2012b to 2013b without buying a new license (I guess..?), and we shouldn't have to downgrade IE from version 11 to 9 (on my system, I could cancel the update from 10 to 11, but not from 9 to 10 anymore). Will this patch also apply to 2012b?

[Matt J]

I find things work fine under IE10.

[Cedric Wannaz]

Thank you for the information, Matt, the downgrade to IE 10 worked for me!

[Jessee]

The patch at http://www.mathworks.com/support/bugreports/989850 worked for me.

[Matt J]

Good to know it's now available!

Answer 2

[Wayne King]

Hi Otto, if you look in your matlab/help directory, do you see the following files?

basecodes.properties

docstyle1.css

documentation-center.html

[Otto]

Yes they are there. When I open documentation-center.html in chrome or ie it works, but the Matlab help is still corrupted.

[Image Analyst]

I'm not sure why this answer was accepted. I have those documents also and my help is still messed up, even past restarting MATLAB and rebooting. Thinking they might be corrupted, I copied some from R2012b and it didn't help.

[Sam Roberts]

I also have the same issue. I have R2012a and R2013b installed, and the above issue occurred in R2012a only (not present in R2013b), immediately following installation of Internet Explorer 11. It was not solved by a subsequent reinstall of R2012a.

Answer 3

[Otto]

My problem is still present. I think it is caused by Internet Explorer 11.

Could you kindly help me?

[Wayne King]

This is an issue with the version of IE that ships with Windows 8. It is being investigated.

[Image Analyst]

Please investigate it for Windows 7 also because I have the issue with R2013a and Windows 7. Not sure what IE version I have - I'll check later tonight.

[Sam Roberts]

I have the issue on Windows 7 with 2012a (but not 13b), immediately after installing IE11, and not solved by a reinstall of 12a.

Answer 4

[Otto]

Please help me.

[Greg]

Same problem here. I am running Windows 7, and after a recent "Windows Update" in which IE 11 was installed, the Matlab documentation is now broken. I really need a fix for this, as the documentation is often used.

Answer 5

[Mehmet Kivanc Çelik]

I am also facing the wrong formatted documentation. Will the installation of R2013b solve the problem?