def saveVarsInMat(filename, varNamesStr, outOf=None, **opts):
    """Hacky convinience function to dump a couple of python variables in a
       .mat file. See `awmstools.saveVars`.
    """
    from mlabwrap import mlab
    filename, varnames, outOf = __saveVarsHelper(
        filename, varNamesStr, outOf, '.mat', **opts)
    try:
        for varname in varnames:
            mlab._set(varname, outOf[varname])
        mlab._do("save('%s','%s')" % (filename, "', '".join(varnames)), nout=0)
    finally:
        assert varnames
        mlab._do("clear('%s')" % "', '".join(varnames), nout=0)
Hacky convinience function to dump a couple of python variables in a
       .mat file. See `awmstools.saveVars`.