Why is the build process failing for a shipped model in Simulink or for a model run in Accelerator mode?

When I try to build a built-in demo, I get an error message stating that the build has failed. I have a supported compiler installed and properly set up.

The error message will look similar to the following:

ERROR: NMAKE : fatal error U1073: don't know how to make 'C:\Program'
Stop.
The make command returned an error of 2
'An_error_occurred_during_the_call_to_make' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

A similar error may occur in the build log for models that are run in Accelerator mode.

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

The problem with the build process is due to the following lines in the "model.mk" makefile. The .mk file contains the following code:

MATLAB_ROOT     = C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2013a
ALT_MATLAB_ROOT = C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2013a
MATLAB_BIN      = C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2013a\bin
ALT_MATLAB_BIN  = C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2013a\bin

Since the MATLAB_ROOT and ALT_MATLAB_ROOT variables have the same value, the makefile was using the MATLAB_ROOT value with spaces. The build process does not know how to handle files with spaces in the path. MATLAB normally populates ALT_MATLAB_ROOT with the short path name, usually "C:\PROGRA~1". However, on some Windows systems generation of short path names may be disabled.  Also, if MATLAB was itself installed in a path with a space in it (such as C:\Program Files) in the R2015a SP1 update and later releases, the issue was fixed and would not occur. 

The proper code should have been as below:

MATLAB_ROOT     = C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2013a
ALT_MATLAB_ROOT = C:\PROGRA~1\MATLAB\R2013a
MATLAB_BIN      = C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2013a\bin
ALT_MATLAB_BIN  = C:\PROGRA~1\MATLAB\R2013a\bin

There are a few methods for resolving this issue.

• SOLUTION 1 - Using Windows short names:

This is perhaps the easiest of the solutions. There is a setting in Windows registry that enables/disables the generation of short names for file paths. Please use the following steps to change this setting:

(NOTE: Due to Windows security settings on the Program Files folder, this method may not work.  If you receive a message during step 4 that says "Error: Access is denied.", please use one of the other solutions.)

1. Go to Windows Start menu and search for "regedit.exe". A new window will open.

2. Navigate to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation

3. Change the value of "NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation" to 0.

Changing the value to 0 will enable the usage of short names in Windows paths. More information about this could be found at Microsoft's website:https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-2000-server/cc959352(v=technet.10)

4. However, changing the value above will only set short names files and folders that are created after making the change.  To set a short name for use the "fsutil" function in Windows command prompt.  The syntax to set the short name is as follows:

> fsutil file setshortname <FileName> <ShortName>

For the example of "C:\Program Files" the user would issue the following command to set the short name for "Program Files" to "PROGRA~1".

> fsutil file setshortname "C:\Program Files" PROGRA~1

The directory needs to be in quotations because it has spaces.  

5. To check that the short name was set correctly use the "dir" command with "/x" option to show short names.

> dir C:\ /x

More information for "fsutil" can be found here:https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-R2-and-2012/cc788058(v=ws.11)

• SOLUTION 2 - Create a symbolic link to the MATLAB installation folder:

1. Open a Windows Command Prompt.  And go to the C: directory.

2. Create the symbolic link  to the location that your MATLAB versions are installed.  The syntax is as follows:

> mklink /d <Link> <Target>

For example, a typical MATLAB installation folder is C:\Program Files\MATLAB.  To make a link to that folder called MyMatlab use the following command:

> mklink /d C:MyMatlab "C:\Program Files\MATLAB"

If you open the new MyMatlab folder, you should see the folders for each version of MATLAB that are installed.

3. Create a new shortcut for MATLAB.  This can go on your desktop or wherever you would like.

4. Right click on the shortcut and open Properties.  

5. Go to the 'Shortcut' tab.  In the 'Target:' option there will be a path to the executable that is used to launch MATLAB from this shortcut.  Modify this path to use the newly created symbolic link.  For the example above the, it should read

C:\MyMatlab\R2013a\bin\matlab.exe

6. Launch MATLAB from this shortcut.  Verify the location by typing "matlabroot" without quotations in Command Window, this should have no spaces in it now.

7. If you have multiple versions of MATLAB, repeat steps 3-6 for each version so that they will be launched from a location with no spaces in the path.

This solution will work for the newly created shortcuts.  If you launch MATLAB from a different location it will not use the symbolic link and there will be the same issue with spaces in the path.

• SOLUTION 3 - Change the MATLAB Installation Folder:

The reason we use short path is to avoid white spaces in the paths. By reinstalling MATLAB at a location without any spaces in the paths, you can workaround the build issue. However, this will require you to download and reinstall MATLAB.

For example, MATLAB can be installed at a path as below

C:\MATLAB_Install\MATLAB\R2013a

Much like Solution 2, this solution will require you to reinstall MATLAB for all versions that you use.

• SOLUTION 4 - Modify the template makefile

Another way around this issue is to encase the file names in double quotes. This will cause the build process to treat the file names enclosed in double quotes literally which will cause the build to succeed.

To do this, open the template makefile that you are using for code generation. Make a copy of this file and rename it. Inside this file, wherever "$(MATLAB_ROOT)" is used as part of a path, put a double quote before the "$" sign and after the last character in the path. For example, if the original line in the TMF was:

{$(MATLAB_ROOT)\toolbox\rtw\targets\xpc\target\build\xpcblocks}.c.obj :

The line would be replaced with:

{"$(MATLAB_ROOT)\toolbox\rtw_targets\xpc\target\build\xpcblocks"}.c.obj :

In "Configuration Parameters" -> "Code Generation" make sure that the "Template makefile" option points to the modified TMF, or else the changes will not be reflected in the generated code.

This method will need to be repeated for each template makefiles that is used.

A useful documentation page for MATLAB R2017a discussing the methods of enabling build processes for folder name with spaces can be found at the following link:https://www.mathworks.com/help/rtw/ug/enable-build-process-for-folder-names-with-spaces.html

The limitations mentioned in the section 'Build Process Folder Support on Windows' are addressed in the methods mentioned above. 

[Han Geerligs]

Hello,

I experienced the same issue for Accelerator mode in R2011a. I was able to solve it using fsutils DOS command. This essentially the same approach ads changing the registry.

So to my opinion this is a more general problem and should deserve more attention, for example in teh Installation Notes.

Is it considered to put this issue more prominently?

--Han

[Iain]

This solution does not work for me. Here is my error code. Any suggestions? I too have MSVC++ 2010 Express and Windows SDK7.1. I am running 2013b

Trial>> rtwdemo_sil_pil_script ### Starting build procedure for model: Controller Microsoft (R) Program Maintenance Utility Version 10.00.30319.01 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. ### Compiling Controller.c cl -c -DCRTAPI1=_cdecl -DCRTAPI2=_cdecl -nologo -GS -D_AMD64_=1 -DWIN64 -D_WIN64 -DWIN32 -D_WIN32 -W4 -D_WINNT -D_WIN32_WINNT=0x0500 -DNTDDI_VERSION=0x05000000 -D_WIN32_IE=0x0500 -DWINVER=0x0500 -D_MT -MT -D_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS /Od /Oy- -DMODEL=Controller -DNUMST=1 -DNCSTATES=0 -DMAT_FILE=0 -DINTEGER_CODE=0 -DONESTEPFCN=1 -DTERMFCN=0 -DHAVESTDIO -DMULTI_INSTANCE_CODE=0 -DCLASSIC_INTERFACE=0 -DMT=0 -DPORTABLE_WORDSIZES Controller.c Controller.c NMAKE : fatal error U1073: don't know how to make 'C:\Program' Stop. The make command returned an error of 2 'An_error_occurred_during_the_call_to_make' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. ### Build procedure for model: 'Controller' aborted due to an error. Error using rtwbuild (line 241) Error(s) encountered while building model "Controller" Error in rtwdemo_sil_pil_script (line 90) rtwbuild([model '/Controller'])

[Esha Bhargava]

Iain, please contact MathWorks Technical Support.

[Anton Soppelsa]

Dear MWST,

I think I have this problem with R2016b. I tried doing what you said, but:

Solution 1 did not work because the fsutil command fails even if I do it as admin.

Solution 2 (my first option) did not work because even if I launched Matlab from the new path, matlabroot still had spaces in it.

Solution 3 is what I needed to avoid

Solution 4 did not work because is in not possible to know which is the template file used for the operations (no comments any more in the log). I don't want to update all the template files. This is a job for MathWorks...

Questions: If you are aware of this problem since years: 1) Why do you still allow Matlab to be installed in a directory whose name contains spaces? 2) If solution 4 is viable, why didn't you implement it already years ago?

I am using Matlab because it is supposed to save my time, not to waste it.

Sincerely,

[Toby]

Mathworks,

Thanks for this detailed answer.

FYI, I've encountered this error* when running two concurrent sessions of 2016a. After encountering the error message, I closed the second session and re-ran the program in the first session, and the error did not appear again.

It may be worth noting that I have dashes in my working directory name. (i.e. "HWEC-Sim\HWEC-Sim\HW14\Results").

I hope that's helpful to somebody.

*"The make command returned an error of 2 'An_error_occurred_during_the_call_to_make' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."

[Alan Bindemann]

The provided work-arounds listed here are not helpful to us and we share Mr. Soppelsa's frustration.

Solution 2 does not work for us under r2016b. (It did work under r2013b). Under r2016b matlabroot still returns "Program Files" even when started from the shortcut "ProgramFiles".

Solution 4 is also problematic. As pointed out in a previous comment, it is difficult to determine which template makefiles are being invoked, and editing them requires admin permissions on our machines.

Solution 3 is also not useful since the default installation directory for MATLAB is "Program Files" and asking our customers to reinstall MATLAB in a folder without spaces is not very practical. (For that matter, asking them to create and run MATLAB from custom symbolic links, or adding custom .tmf files to their installation is also problematic).

Solution 1 also doesn't work since our local security policy doesn't allow it.

[loes zaremba]

Still having the same problem with matlab 2018b, none of the solutions are helpful. Pls HELP!

[Karel Viaene]

Hello,

I had this problem before and using SOLUTION 2 helped me to build a .DLL out of a simulink model.

In a later project I experienced the same problems again, but then Solution 2 didn't work out and also reinstalling matlab on a path without spaces didn't help. The odd thing was, I could build using matlab 2019a but not using matlab 2020b or 2021b.

Also changing the compiler with mex -setup didn't help. I tried mingw, Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 (C), Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 (C) and Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 (C).

In the end the problem appeared to be that my build folder was located on the F:\ drive whilst matlab and the Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 (C) were installed on the C:\ drive.

After moving my model files to a folder on the C:\ drive the build was successfull.

Kr,

brecht

[Raheleh Biglari]

It also works for me. I wanted to export simulink model to standalone FMU. I moved the simulink file to C drive (Matlab installed drive). And it works!

Thanks @Karel Viaene

Answer 2

[VAIBHAV]

Thanks Dear, I selected SOLUTION 2,Its working fine. Thanks

Answer 3

[praveen mirajkar]

Hello all I'm getting below error

C:/ProgramData/MATLAB/SupportPackages/R2017a/toolbox/target/supportpackages/armcortexmbase/cmsis_rtos_rtx/src/mw_signal.c gmake: * No rule to make target `C:/ProgramData/MATLAB/SupportPackages/R2017a/toolbox/target/supportpackages/freedomk64f/src/ksdk_armgcc_lib/bm/libksdk_platform.a', needed by `../untitled.elf'. Stop. G:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\untitled_ert_rtw>echo The make command returned an error of 2 The make command returned an error of 2 G:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\untitled_ert_rtw>An_error_occurred_during_the_call_to_make 'An_error_occurred_during_the_call_to_make' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

I've tried all solutions still couldn't fix the problem , can anybody help??

[linkcter wang]

hello,i also meet this problem ,how do you solve this trouble ,please...

Answer 4

[KHALED]

Hello,

I'm using both Matlab 2015b and Matlab 2012b. I tried the second solution but it works only with Matlab 2012B. I don't know how to fix it with Matlab 2015b. Is there any other solution?

Thanks

[Will Robertson]

I'm using Matlab 2015a and also have the same problem, and also haven't been able to fix it based on the answer above.

[Richa Gupta]

Please contact MathWorks Technical Support.

Answer 5

[Salai Selvam V]

Dear friends, I appreciate the Mathworks Support Team for their effort in answering the queries. But to the best of my knowledge & experience, the answer seems to be little beyond the actual scenario. I faced the same problem with the same error messages but I DID correct it very simply not by any method mentioned here.

SCENARIO BEFORE CORRECTION:

I had stored my files (the m file & wrapper c file) in a folder, namely:

D:\Research\MATLAB&C\MATLAB2C\CODEGEN\TutorialToMATLAB2C\CODERAND

THIS IS the problem: The folder names: "MATLAB&C" and "MATLAB2C" and TutorialToMATLAB2C".

I changed the folder names as:

D:\Research\MATLABAndC\MATLABToC\CODEGEN\TutorialToMATLABToC\CODERAND

This sorted out the problem.

My files:

1) The m file: coderand.m

function r = coderand() %#codegen
% The directive %#codegen indicates that the function
% is intended for code generation
r = rand();

2) The C wrapper file: main.c

/*
** main.c
*/
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include "coderand.h"
#include "coderand_initialize.h"
#include "coderand_terminate.h"
int main()
{
    coderand_initialize();

      printf("coderand=%g\n", coderand());

      coderand_terminate();

      return 0;
  }

3) The m script file: cccoderand.m

cfg = coder.config('exe');
cfg.CustomSource = 'main.c';
cfg.CustomInclude = 'D:\Research\MATLABAndC\MATLABToC\CODEGEN\TutorialToMATLABToC\CODERAND';
codegen -config cfg coderand;

That’s all friends. Thanks.