Attempt to execute SCRIPT ' ' as a function error

Hi,

I am running custom code that has worked fine for a couple of years and I'm suddenly running into the following error:

Attempt to execute SCRIPT graphics/private/adjustGridLineStyles as a function

The function above is a Matlab function, and I have nothing that shares its name.

Prior to this, I had an identical error with two other Matlab functions including the following:

Attempt to execute SCRIPT internal.stats.strCollapse as a function

So I don't think it's my code. I am on a new computer but I have it set up like the old one and I've reset paths to default. Any ideas would be helpful.

Thank you.

[Matt J]

We need to see adjustGridLineStyles.m as well as how it is being invoked.

[Elle Kay]

1) It's a Matlab script, not my own

2) it is invoked 4, 5 functions into a call from my own script

3) it is not specific to that script; everytime I restart Matlab, a different script gets flagged into the same error. For instance, here is the full error relating to the strCollapse.m script:

Error using internal.stats.strCollapse

Attempt to execute SCRIPT strCollapse as a function:

/Applications/MATLAB2014b/MATLAB2014b/MATLAB_R2014b.app/toolbox/stats/stats/+internal/+stats/strCollapse.m

Error in classreg.regr.FormulaProcessor>terms2expr (line 777)

termNames{k} = internal.stats.strCollapse(varNames(ij),'*');

Error in classreg.regr.FormulaProcessor/getStr (line 519)

str = composeFormulaString(f.link,f.responseName,terms2expr(f.terms,f.varNames));

Error in classreg.regr.FormulaProcessor/processFormula (line 595)

f.str = getStr(f);

Error in classreg.regr.FormulaProcessor (line 390)

f = processFormula(f,varNames);

Error in classreg.regr.LinearFormula (line 48)

f = [e-mail](varargin{:});

Error in classreg.regr.LinearMixedFormula/processFormula (line 305)

f.FELinearFormula = classreg.regr.LinearFormula(FELinearFormulaStr,varNames);

Error in classreg.regr.LinearMixedFormula (line 184)

f = processFormula(f,varNames);

Error in GeneralizedLinearMixedModel.fit (line 2180)

model.Formula = classreg.regr.LinearMixedFormula(formula,ds.Properties.VariableNames);

Error in fitglme (line 389)

glme = GeneralizedLinearMixedModel.fit(T,formula,varargin{:});

Error in behavioralOLD_20240213 (line 341)

lm1 = fitglme(allMatT, 'choices ~ target * EP1 + target * Risk1 + Gender + (target|subject)', 'Distribution',

'Binomial', 'BinomialSize', ones(height(allMatT),1), 'Link', 'logit');

[Matt J]

I would do a clean reinstall (i.e., completely deleting all pre-existing Maltab installation folders).

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

This problem is caused by a corruption of the MATLAB installation, one that causes it to lose track of the internal implementation of functions. The search for the function instead finds the .m file that exists only for documentation purposes. Because the documentation .m has only comments, it is technically a script file.

There is a possibility that the system might fix itself if you do

restoredefaultpath; rehash toolboxcache

but it is common that when this sort of corruption occurs that you need to reinstall MATLAB.