import matlab.engine fails with linux and a non-standard installation directory

Hi

I've installed python in $HOME/usr/local and then the matlab link with:

$HOME/usr/local/bin/python setup.py build --build-base="$HOME/temp" install

However when I 'import matlab.engine' in python, I get the error

EnvironmentError: The installation of MATLAB Engine for Python is corrupted.  Please reinstall it or contact MathWorks Technical Support for assistance.

I tried setting LD_LIBRARY_PATH=~/usr/local/lib/, and that didn't work. I also noticed that matlabengineforpython2_7.so had not been installed, but I wasn't sure what to do about that

Any suggestions? Do I gave to set any matlab related environment variables?

thanks

Richard

Answer 1

[Bo Li]

Does your Python version support wide-Unicode?

>>> import sys
>>> if sys.maxunicode > 65535:
...     print 'wide-unicde'
... else:
...     print 'narrow-unicode'

Following link mentions the System Requirements:

http://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_external/system-requirements-for-matlab-engine-for-python.html

What is the output in verbose mode?

%python -vvv
>>>import matlab.engine
>>>import matlabengineforpython2_7

[Richard Black]

Hi

thanks for your reply. I had to build my version of python...not only did I not add the unicode option, but I also forgot to put the --enable-shared in the configuration step, so there was no libpython2.7.so.1.0

My final configure was:

./configure --enable-unicode=ucs4 --prefix=$HOME/usr/local --exec-prefix=$HOME/usr/local --enable-shared

Anyway, it was loading stuff with python -vvv that helped identify this

thanks again

Richard