The only exception to this is when you create new mat files using the matfile function.
Mat file versions.
Moreover the maximum variable size supported by the mat version 5 file format is 2 31 bytes 6.
Matlab releases r2006b and later all support all mat file versions.
Apparently there was a nocompression flag that worked in previous versions of save.
For example data compression and unicode support.
One distinction is by level level 4 and level 5 files have completely different technical structures.
Version 7 3 of mat files uses hdf5 format this format has a significant storage overhead to describe the contents of the file especially so for complex nested cellarrays and structures.
Starting with mat file version 4 there are several subsequent versions of mat files that support an increasing set of features.
New internal format for p code.
Its main advantage over previous versions of mat files is that it allows storing data larger than 2gb on 64 bit systems.
License server support for windows vista.
A file with the mat file extension is most likely a microsoft access table shortcut file that s used to quickly open a table without having to first open the ms access program.
By default all save operations create version 7 mat files.
The only exception to this is when you create new mat files using the matfile function.
But this is no longer supported.
While continuing to use the same general structure new format versions have been introduced to support new capabilities.
The naming of the mat file format versions is somewhat confusing.
The mathworks matlab program uses mat files too but as a container for holding data like functions and variables.
Starting with mat file version 4 there are several subsequent versions of mat files that support an increasing set of features.
Matlab 7 5 r2007b 18 1 6 0 september 1 2007 last release for windows 2000 and powerpc mac.
Hdf5 based mat file support matlab 7 4 r2007a 17 1 5 0 07 2007 march 1 2007 new bsxfun function to apply element by element binary operation with singleton expansion enabled.
Matlab releases r2006b and later all support all mat file versions.