Attached is a fix for the focus not happening when the Variable Editor is in a hidden state.  The solution is just to make sure that the Variable Editor is not hidden prior to doing all the other steps.  Seems to work.

(file #43850)

Apparently, the "[10x1 double]" changes its value if I press enter  in the command line (i.e, without issuing any command) after adding a row/column. This is most probably due to calling of  update_description () when the variable editor is in picture. Still confused as to how it invokes update_description () when I press enter idly.

Try the following steps:

a = num2cell (rand (3));
a{2, 3} = rand (2);
openvar ('a')

Now, in the V.E., double-click on the 2,3 cell that indicates "[2x2 double]" and the window a{2,3} appears.  Now go back to the command window and type

a{2,3} = 10

(Leave off the semicolon so the contents is printed.)  Look back at the V.E.  Both the "a" and "a{2,3}" will have been updated properly; they both indicate "10".  Now, go to the "a{2,3}" window and change the value of the 1,1 cell from 10 to 500.  Look over in the "a" tab window and the cell at 2,3 still indicates "10".  Go to the command line and look at "a":

>> a
a =
{
  [1,1] =  0.18730
  [2,1] =  0.076038
  [3,1] =  0.93187
  [1,2] =  0.36252
  [2,2] =  0.74575
  [3,2] =  0.21012
  [1,3] =  0.27078
  [2,3] =  500
  [3,3] =  0.33235
}

which indicates "500".  So the command is properly making its way back to the core, but the V.E. "a" tab window isn't being updated (which probably isn't noticeable when all it displays is "[2x2 double]").

Maybe it is as simply as calling "update ()", which is already done with a few editing operations, but not all.