Re-enable New Desktop

I recently installed the New Desktop (Beta) Add-on, and really liked the dark-theme it supports (tired of eye stain from the overly bright white UI). I encountered a bug when in a debug instance that I believe was related to this new UI so I disabled the new Desktop. However, it seems this New Desktop was not the problem, I still encounter the bug which I'll post separately about. I'd like to re-enable the New Desktop and get the dark-theme back, but cannot find any method to do so. Clicking the 'Try New Desktop' tells me I need to manage it from the Add-Ons, but I can't find anything like this in the Add-Ons. Please advise.

[Walter Roberson]

On the Home tab, upper part, center right, there should be a "Try the New Desktop" button. Clicking that gets you to the Add-On Explorer for New Desktop for MATLAB (Beta) and you Install from there.

Answer 1

[Andres Adam]

I see what you mean. Try this:

• Go to "Manage Add-Ons"
• Find New Desktop (Beta), which should be installed in your computer.
• Click on the three dots on the right, and uninstall it
• Reinstall the New Desktop from "Get Add-Ons"

[Patrick Bardsley]

Thanks for your response Andres, this is what I did try. However, New Desktop (Beta) doesn't appear in my Add-On manager, but it's seemingly still installed somwhere because I cannot re-install the New Desktop (Beta) from clicking the install link. Do you have any other suggestions?

[Walter Roberson]

You were searching under "Installed". You should search under the general add-ons section.

[Patrick Bardsley]

I don't have access to a General tab here, only Installed and Updates (see attached screenshot).

Clicking on Get Add-Ons just takes me to an internet browser to try to install the Add-On, which brings me back to square one.

[Andres Adam]

How about downloading it directly from File Exchange?

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/119593-new-desktop-for-matlab-beta

[Patrick Bardsley]

Thanks for the suggestion Andres, that also doesn't work, brings me back to the same problem of not being able to install without uninstalling. But I can't uninstall because it won't appear in my Add-On manager.

At this point if I ever want the New Desktop I'll just go nuclear with a full re-install of Matlab. Thanks for your time and help though.

[Andres Adam]

I have also seen a bit of inconsistent behavior but yours sounds more puzzling. I recommend reaching out to our Tech Support and share with them your license number and this thread.

Your license number can be seen if you type this in the MATLAB Command Window:

>> ver -support

[Dan]

I can confirm this problem on my Mac. The new desktop was installed, then I reverted to test something, and now I cannot get back after following all the steps above. There appears to be no way of uninstalling the app so it can be reinstalled.

[Dan]

I can also report that deleting MATLAB, including preferences stored in ~/Libary, does not allow the new desktop to be reinstalled. The app installer insists that the desktop has already been loaded and must be uninstalled, but gives no way of actually doing this.

[Walter Roberson]

@Dan

Try ~/Library/Application Support/MathWorks/MATLAB Add Ons

[Dan]

@Walter Roberson no luck. Even deleting the entire ~/Library/Application Support/Mathworks directory does not allow the new desktop to be reinstalled. I've submitted a support request to see if Mathworks has any input.