Why does FCLOSE not close multiple open files when passed a vector of file identifiers in MATLAB 7.1 (R14SP3)?

When I pass a vector of file identifiers to the FCLOSE function in MATLAB 7.1 (R14SP3), it only closes the first file and leaves the rest open. It should either close all files or warn the user that some files were left open.

The following steps should reproduce the problem:

f1 = fopen('a.txt', 'w');

f2 = fopen('b.txt', 'w');

f3 = fopen('c.txt', 'w');

f = [f1 f2 f3];

fclose(f)

fstillopen=fopen('all')

The variable "fstillopen" contains the following result:

fstillopen =

        4     5

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

The ability to close multiple files with FCLOSE by providing a vector of file identifiers is not available in MATLAB 7.1 (R14SP3).

Note that MATLAB 7.2 (R2006a) produces an error when a vector of file identifiers is passed to FCLOSE.

As a workaround, you can close multiple files as defined with a vector of file identifiers by using a FOR loop and the FCLOSE command. For example:

f1 = fopen('a.txt', 'w');

f2 = fopen('b.txt', 'w');

f3 = fopen('c.txt', 'w');

f = [f1 f2 f3];

for i=1:length(f)

      fclose(f(i));

end

fstillopen=fopen('all')

Or, if you would like to close all open files, you can enter the following:

fclose('all')