Is there a null device in Matlab?

Question

I'm trying to find an easy way to turn logging to a text file on and off much like the example seen here in Python. Their solution was to use a valid file name where logging is desired and to use the null device 'dev/null' otherwise. They're using redirection but I wish to use fopen.

Is there some way to do something like the following, which word work for Unix or Windows systems if that matters.

nullFID = fopen('/dev/nul', 'w')

The script I'm altering could benefit greatly with detailed logging in certain breaking scenarios where we want to pull up a fine level of detail for a handful of files but that would otherwise grow too large for the batch processing the script normally targets.

Answer 1

Looks like this can be done, someone posted an answer on MathWorks using a similar term of "null file". Not sure if that's valid terminology but could be a shortening of "null device file".

The way to reference the null device is OS dependent...

nullFID = fopen( 'NUL:'    ); % Windows
nullFID = fopen('/dev/null'); % UNIX

And it also appears the reference varies from Matlab releases. Consider the following script

ver
nullFID = fopen( 'NUL:' , 'w' )
fprintf( nullFID , '12345' )
nullFID = fopen( 'NUL:'  )
fprintf( nullFID , '12345' )
nullFID = fopen('NUL' , 'w' )
nullFID = fopen('NUL' )

And the following output generated from two versions of Matlab...

R2011b

>> ver
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATLAB Version 7.13.0.564 (R2011b)
MATLAB License Number: xxxx
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Version 6.1 (Build 7601: Service Pack 1)
Java VM Version: Java 1.6.0_17-b04 with Sun Microsystems Inc. Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM mixed mode
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATLAB                                                Version 7.13       (R2011b)

>> nullFID = fopen( 'NUL:' , 'w' )
nullFID = 119

>> fprintf( nullFID , '12345' )
ans = 5

>> nullFID = fopen( 'NUL:' )
nullFID = 120

>> fprintf( nullFID , '12345' )
ans = 0

>> nullFID = fopen('NUL' , 'w' )
Warning: You have chosen a reserved DOS device name for your filename.
Please choose another valid filename
nullFID = -1

>> nullFID = fopen('NUL')
nullFID = -1

R2015a

>> ver
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATLAB Version: 8.5.0.197613 (R2015a)
MATLAB License Number: 1093113
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional  Version 6.1 (Build 7601: Service Pack 1)
Java Version: Java 1.7.0_60-b19 with Oracle Corporation Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM mixed mode
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATLAB                                                Version 8.5        (R2015a)

>> nullFID = fopen( 'NUL:' , 'w' )
nullFID = -1

>> fprintf( nullFID , '12345' )
Error using fprintf
Invalid file identifier. Use fopen to generate a valid file identifier.

>> nullFID = fopen( 'NUL:' )
nullFID = 8

>> fprintf( nullFID , '12345' )
ans = 0

>> nullFID = fopen('NUL' , 'w' )
Warning: You have chosen a reserved DOS device name for your filename.
Please choose another valid filename. 
nullFID = -1

>> nullFID = fopen('NUL' )
nullFID = -1

Answer 2

R2018a

None of the suggestions above appear to work in R2018a anymore:

>> ver matlab
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATLAB Version: 9.4.0.813654 (R2018a)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Version 10.0 (Build 16299)
Java Version: Java 1.8.0_144-b01 with Oracle Corporation Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM mixed mode
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATLAB                                                Version 9.4         (R2018a)
>> nullFID = fopen( 'NUL:' , 'w' )
Error using fopen
The file name contains characters that are not contained in the filesystem encoding.
 Certain operations may not work as expected.

>> fprintf( nullFID , '12345' )
Undefined function or variable 'nullFID'.

>> nullFID = fopen( 'NUL:' )
Error using fopen
The file name contains characters that are not contained in the filesystem encoding.
 Certain operations may not work as expected.

>> fprintf( nullFID , '12345' )
Undefined function or variable 'nullFID'.

>> nullFID = fopen('NUL' , 'w' )
Warning: You have chosen a reserved DOS device name for your filename.
Please choose another valid filename. 

nullFID =

    -1

>> nullFID = fopen('NUL' )

nullFID =

    -1