How can I add new images into the MATLAB build-in images?

Basicly, I want to add new images from the internet to the MATLAB built-in images and I want to use like

    imshow('cameraman.tif')

wherever and whenever I want. I found the folder that includes images and it's -> 'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2016a\toolbox\images\imdata' I copied to there a new image and i tried call the new image on command window with

 imshow('new_image.tif')

But it didn't work. Is there any way to do it?

[Ermanas]

Hello again. Anyone who knows this?

[David Wilson]

Notwithstanding Steven's warning, did you do a rehash after you dumped your new image in the directory?

[Ermanas]

Ohh, It worked! I put the external file on the built-in images folder and ran the rehash. Thank you for this solution, could be not right to work with the root folders but it'll give me a practical way of working with my own referance images. I can do this also with Steven's answer but it's good to know that we can do it like this as well.

Answer 1

[Steven Lord]

You shouldn't add, delete, or modify files in a directory under the MATLAB root directory. Put your data files in a different directory and add it to the MATLAB search path.

You can use the pathtool function to add a directory to the search path. Searching the documentation for the phrase "search path" should show more information about the path.

[Ermanas]

Thank you Steven! It's a safer solution.

[Steven Lord]

One added benefit of this approach I forgot to mention: when you install a new version of MATLAB, in order to allow that new version to access your images all you need to do is add the directory containing them to the path.

If you put them under the root directory of your older version you'll need to remember to copy or move them to the new version of MATLAB before you uninstall the older version. Murphy's Law predicts you'll remember about 3 seconds after you press the Uninstall button in the uninstaller. :(

[Ermanas]

Yeah, actually you're definitely right to remembering what I did. So now I have a extra folder on my MATLAB's search path. I appreciate your help.