Why do I receive errors when trying the print a figure using the "append" flag?

I have much code that prints generated figures to Postscript files using the following syntax:

print('-dpsc2', '-painters', '-noui', '-append', filename);

However, when there is no file in the directory to append to with the same filename, I receive the following warning/error:

 Warning: File not found or permission denied.

 > In D:\Applications\MATLAB6p5p1\toolbox\matlab\general\@char\delete.m at line 35

   In D:\Applications\MATLAB6p5p1\toolbox\matlab\graphics\private\render.m at line 110

   In D:\Applications\MATLAB6p5p1\toolbox\matlab\graphics\print.m at line 238

 ??? Error using ==> print

 Error using ==> print

 Error using ==> d:/applications/matlab6p5p1/toolbox/matlab/graphics/private/render

 Error using ==> hardcopy

 Can not read PostScript file.

Using the print function with the "-append" option should create a new file if one does not exist, and operates correctly in this manner in MATLAB 5.3 (R11). Why does this occur?

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

This bug has been fixed for Release 14 SP1 (R14SP1). For previous releases, please read below for any possible workarounds:

This has been verified as a bug in MATLAB 6.0 (R12) through MATLAB 7.0 (R14) in the way that the PRINT function operates with the append option when there are other files of the desired filename on the MATLAB path, but there is no file of the desired filename in the directory in which the file is to be written.

Currently, to work around this issue, you can either remove or rename the files on the path which have the same filename as that desired for the figure being exported, or you can use a script similar to the following example to ensure that the append option is left off if there is another file of the same name on the path:

% String variable of filename

filename = 'sampleFile.ps';

% Cell array of strings returned from WHICH

onpath = which(filename,'-all');

% If the filename is found somewhere on the path

if ~isempty(onpath)

% If the filename is NOT found in the current directory

if isempty(dir(filename))

% Print without the append option

print('-dpsc2', '-painters', '-noui', filename);

else

% Print with the append option

print('-dpsc2', '-painters', '-noui', '-append', filename);

end

else

% Print without the append option

print('-dpsc2', '-painters', '-noui', filename);

end