EXIST  EXIST Test for Existence


Usage
 
 Tests for the existence of a variable, function, directory or
 file.  The general syntax for its use is
 
   y = exist(item,kind)
 
 where item is a string containing the name of the item
 to look for, and kind is a string indicating the type 
 of the search.  The kind must be one of 
   -  'builtin' checks for built-in functions
   -  'dir' checks for directories
   -  'file' checks for files
   -  'var' checks for variables
   -  'all' checks all possibilities (same as leaving out kind)
 You can also leave the kind specification out, in which case
 the calling syntax is
 
   y = exist(item)
 
 The return code is one of the following:
   -  0 - if item does not exist
   -  1 - if item is a variable in the workspace
   -  2 - if item is an M file on the search path, a full pathname to a file, or an ordinary file on your search path
   -  5 - if item is a built-in FreeMat function
   -  7 - if item is a directory
 Note: previous to version 1.10, exist used a different notion
 of existence for variables: a variable was said to exist if it 
 was defined and non-empty.  This test is now performed by isset.
 