How do I close a Desktop window using Matlab commands?

Like 'winopen' opens a desktop window, is there a command in Matalab that closes a particular desktop window (which does NOT belong to Matlab) ?

e.g. the code:

<MatlabCommand>('C:\Program Files\Altair')

closes the given desktop window.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

You can use system() to invoke taskkill

[Asit Kumar]

If I taskkill explorer.exe all the desktop windows will close, how do I close only a particular window (as per user input)?

[Walter Roberson]

You could probably adapt the technique shown in https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/23580426/close-windows-explorer-window-from-vb.html

[Asit Kumar]

For some reason the script in the page you referred to didn't work. However, I looked for similar ideas involving the use of VBS and found a script that worked.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2935591/get-title-opening-windows-and-close-with-specific-title

Thank you for the insight.

Answer 2

[Jan]

This does not seem to be a task for Matlab. What about AutoHotKey (link)?

If you have a C compiler, try this:

// File: KillWindow.c
// Compile: mex -O KillWindow.c
//
// ATTENTION: !!! This kills the window !!!
//            !!! There is no request to save changes !!!

#include <windows.h>
#include "mex.h"

void mexFunction(int nlhs, mxArray *plhs[], int nrhs, const mxArray *prhs[])
{
  HWND   hWnd;
  size_t Len;
  char   *Name;

    if (nrhs < 1 || !mxIsChar(prhs[0])) {
       mexErrMsgIdAndTxt("JSimon:KillWindow:NInput", 
               "KillWindow needs a char vector as input.");
    }

    // Get name as C string:
    Len  = mxGetNumberOfElements(prhs[0]);
    Name = (char *) mxCalloc(Len + 1, sizeof(char));
    mxGetString(prhs[0], Name, Len + 1);

    // Find window handle of the OS:
    hWnd = FindWindow(NULL, Name);
    mxFree(Name);

    // Close window inf found:
    if (hWnd != 0) {
       // uint WM_SYSCOMMAND = 0x0112; int SC_CLOSE = 0xF060;
       SendMessage(hWnd, WM_SYSCOMMAND, SC_CLOSE, 0);
    }
  }

After compiling, call it as:

doc                  % Open Matlab's Help window, window name is "Help"
pause(2)
KillWindow('Help');  % Help window is closed

Again: Killing a window, which contains modified data, will not ask you for saving!

Isn't it strange that you can access windows of other applications through the WindowsAPI?

[Asit Kumar]

Unfortunately, I have to accomplish the task using Matlab only. I found a way using VB script and used Matlab to create and run the VBS. So problem solved :)

[Christopher Rose]

Great, share the answer

[Asit Kumar]

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2935591/get-title-opening-windows-and-close-with-specific-title