mlapp2classdef

MLAPP2CLASSDEF converts an App Designer GUI's class definition, packaged as a *.mlapp file, from XML to a standalone *.m class definition.

The class definition for an App Designer GUI is embedded in an XML file located in a subfolder of the packaged *.mlapp file, which can be accessed like a *.zip file. MLAPP2CLASSDEF strips the XML header & footer and saves the class definition to a *.m file located in the same path as the *.mlapp file.

Syntax

MLAPP2CLASSDEF() prompts the user to select *.mlapp file(s) for processing. Selection of multiple files in the same directory is supported.

MLAPP2CLASSDEF(pathToMLapp) processes the files specified by the user. pathToMLapp can be a string for a single file or a cell array of strings for multiple files. Filepaths should be absolute.

MLAPP2CLASSDEF(..., 'ReplaceAppUI', flag) allows the user to specify whether to replace App Designer UI elements with their "regular" MATLAB equivalents (e.g. App Designer uses uifigure where MATLAB uses figure). flag is a boolean value whose default is false. To prompt the user to select a *.mlapp file with this syntax, pass an empty first argument (e.g. MLAPP2CLASSDEF([], 'ReplaceAppUI', true)).

Examples

% MATLAB prompts user for file(s) to process:
mlapp2classdef()

% Process single user specified file:
myguipath = 'C:\myfolder\mygui.mlapp';  % A single cell is also supported
mlapp2classdef(myguipath)

% Process multiple user specified files:
myguipaths = {'C:\myfolder\mygui.mlapp', 'C:\myfolder\mygui2.mlapp'};
mlapp2classdef(myguipaths)

% Prompt user for file(s), replacing UI elements:
mlapp2classdef([], 'ReplaceAppUI', true)

% Process multiple user specified files, replacing UI elements:
myguipaths = {'C:\myfolder\mygui.mlapp', 'C:\myfolder\mygui2.mlapp'};
mlapp2classdef(myguipaths, 'ReplaceAppUI', true)

Current Limitations

MLAPP2CLASSDEF assumes that the targeted *.mlapp file is a GUI created by MATLAB's App Designer. Other packaged apps are not explicitly supported.

Structure of the packaged *.mlapp file is assumed to be a constant (e.g. ~\matlab\document.xml is the path to the class definition XML). This is only relevant when utilizing MLAPP2CLASSDEF in MATLAB versions older than R2014b.

Replacement of App Designer specific GUI elements with their "regular" MATLAB equivalents is a work in progress. See the below table for a description of UI element support. Many property definitions reference components and/or properties introduced in MATLAB R2016a and cannot be robustly translated to older versions of MATLAB. These function calls are left as-is for the user to handle translation.

UI Element	App Designer Function	"Regular" MATLAB Function	Conversion Supported	Caveats
Figure	uifigure	figure	Yes	Does not modify any input parameters
Axes	uiaxes	axes	Yes	Does not modify any input parameters
Button	uibutton	uicontrol('Style', 'pushbutton')	Yes	Modifies inputs, assumes only App Designer input is parent object
Checkbox	uicheckbox	uicontrol('Style', 'checkbox')	Yes	Modifies inputs, assumes only App Designer input is parent object
Edit Box	uieditfield	uicontrol('Style', 'edit')	Yes	Modifies inputs, assumes only App Designer input is parent object
Text Label	uilabel	uicontrol('Style', 'text')	Yes	Modifies inputs, assumes only App Designer input is parent object
List Box	uilistbox	uicontrol('Style', 'listbox')	Yes	Modifies inputs, assumes only App Designer input is parent object
Radio Button	uiradiobutton	uicontrol('Style', 'radiobutton')	Yes	Modifies inputs, assumes only App Designer input is parent object
Slider	uislider	uicontrol('Style', 'slider')	Yes	Modifies inputs, assumes only App Designer input is parent object
Toggle Button	uitogglebutton	uicontrol('Style', 'togglebutton')	Yes	Modifies inputs, assumes only App Designer input is parent object
Spinner	uispinner	N/A	No	N/A
Text Area	uitextarea	N/A	No	N/A
Gauge	uigauge	N/A	No	N/A
Knob	uiknob	N/A	No	N/A
Lamp	uilamp	N/A	No	N/A
Switch	uiswitch	N/A	No	N/A
UI Alert	uialert	N/A	No	N/A

Most converted GUIs will likely still require MATLAB R2014b and newer. MATLAB's App Designer heavily utilizes the dot notation for accessing properties of UI elements rather than using set and get. See Graphics Handles Are Now Objects, Not Doubles for more information.