Matlab number formatting

This is an issue that has annoyed many (me included).
Matlab, by default, displays floating point numbers in their ‘short’ format. That is, the number ‘0.181096612595921’ will be displayed in the Command Window as ‘0.1811’. The problem is that you have no indication whether that’s the whole number, or like in this case, only a rounded ‘short’ version of it. Also, it’s not very obvious how this should be changed in the environment (the Matlab Help is far from being the best in town).

So, for those of you who are interested, here it is:

1. Changing the format in using the Preferences (these changes will remain forever, until you change them again):
1. Changing the Command Window display:

Click on the menu: File è Preferences. Choose ‘Command Window’ and change the ‘Numeric Format’ combo.

2. Changing the Array Editor:

Click on the menu: File è Preferences. Choose ‘Array Editor’ and change the ‘Numeric Format’ combo.

2. Changing the format for the current session only: use the ‘format’ function. For example:

‘format long g’ – will display the number above as ‘0.181096612595921’,

Whereas ‘format short g’ will display it as ‘0.1811’.

For details about the various options, check the help on the ‘format’ function.