Call matlab from a Python virtual environment

Question

I can call MATLAB from my system python:

>>> import matlab.engine
>>>

but when I load a virtual environment, I now get a segfault:

>>> import matlab.engine
Segmentation fault: 11

I've run the setup.py install instructions for both system python and my virtual environment.

I expected questions like this one, in which I have to set the DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH explicitly would fix things, but I don't have that environment variable set when I run my system python.

What could be different between the two python implementations that would cause this segfault?

EDIT: I'm using OS X Yosemite on a Late 2013 13" Macbook Pro. I'm using Python 2.7 from a freshly installed virtual environment (NOT a virtual machine).

I'm having the same issue. Did you ever make anything of this? — RYS, Sep 09 '15 at 01:11

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 17 '17 at 21:58

1

I did this:

cd "matlabroot\extern\engines\python"
python setup.py install --prefix="installdir"

Where the installdir is my virtualenv, matlabroot the directory for the MatLab install.

Seems to work with my windows server, so far, so good.

Reference here:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_external/install-matlab-engine-api-for-python-in-nondefault-locations.html

edited Apr 17 '17 at 21:58

acidtobi

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answered Apr 17 '17 at 19:27

user3559316

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Try to to format your answer/code to make it more legible. – M-- Apr 17 '17 at 20:11
Anyone get this to work on macOS? macOS seems to always want to use [`mwpython`](https://www.mathworks.com/help/compiler_sdk/python/mwpython.html) which I can't figure out how to get working with `venv`. – phoenix Jan 18 '19 at 12:03

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 22 '18 at 17:50

0

I ran the "python setup.py install" from matlabroot\extern\engines\python with my virtual environment active. Note that I did use venv.

edited Feb 22 '18 at 17:50

Sid Mhatre

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answered Feb 22 '18 at 15:58

Guido Sales Calvano

11

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Oct 13 '20 at 08:50

I have successfully run Matlab 2019b through venv. The command that I used: sudo python3.7 setup.py install --prefix="/home/ubuntu/alexandros/vitrualEnv/py37

You have to give the path to the full environment. In my case, it is /home/ubuntu/alexandros/vitrualEnv/py37/. Inside the virtual environment, you will see

Then you have to go inside the lib and choose the version that you have installed. For instance, mine was 3.7 and that's why I have python3.7 instead of python3. You might have several python folders inside the lib folder like:

However, you have to use the one that is the main. Inside this folder you will see something similar to this:

Call matlab from a Python virtual environment

3 Answers3