What's the difference between the two?
As far as I understand it, MATLAB Compiler wraps the MATLAB code into a .exe file so that it can be used without installing MATLAB, and only requires the MCR. On top of it MATLAB Builder NE can also be used to produce .Net assemblies to be used with .Net framework instead of the .exe file, but they still require MCR.
Now I don't understand what MATLAB Coder used for? It generates C/C++ code. But is the MATLAB code really converted into C/C++, or is it merely packaged like in the case of MATLAB Compiler? Does it also need the MCR to run?
I understand that this is not exactly a programming question. But I have searched the internet and still haven't found a clear answer. These are very expensive products so I would like to know what I am getting into.
MATLAB Compiler encrypts and archives your MATLAB code (which remains as MATLAB .m code), and packages it in a thin executable (either .exe or .dll) wrapper. This is delivered to the end user along with the MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR). If you wish, the MCR can be packaged within the executable as well.
The MCR is freely redistributable, and you can think of it as essentially a copy of MATLAB without a front-end desktop.
When the user runs the executable, it dearchives and decrypts the MATLAB code, and runs it against the MCR instead of MATLAB. Applications delivered via this method should therefore run exactly the same as they do within MATLAB (including the same speed).
MATLAB Coder converts a subset of the MATLAB language into C code. This can then be used in many different ways, including being brought back into MATLAB as a mex file, compiled with a C compiler to be called from another application, or delivered to an embedded device. Since it is C code rather than MATLAB code, it will often (though not always) run much faster than the original MATLAB code. The C code does not require the MCR. The supported subset of the MATLAB language is very extensive, but there are a few notable restrictions that you would want to look into before committing to this workflow. The code produced is C code, although it can produce a C++ wrapper if you have a need to use a C++ compiler rather than a C compiler.
MATLAB Compiler is intended for the use case that you want to simply and (fairly) straightforwardly share a MATLAB application that you've written with someone who does not have a copy of MATLAB. Since the deployed .m code is encrypted, it can also be used to share MATLAB code while protecting intellectual property.
MATLAB Coder has other use cases, such as wanting to speed up MATLAB code by converting to a mex file, or needing to produce C code for another application or an embedded device.
If you have more detailed questions, I would really recommend that you just call up MathWorks and ask them.
Edit: The information above is correct for versions of MATLAB R2014b and below. As of MATLAB R2015a, functionality from MATLAB Compiler has been remixed with functionality from the MATLAB Builder products, and there is also a new product MATLAB Compiler SDK.
As of R2015a, MATLAB Compiler works in the same way as described above (i.e. encrypt, archive and package, but not producing C), but will now package as .exe, and as an Excel add-in (.xla). Prior to R2015a, this functionality used to be present in the product MATLAB Builder EX for Excel.
As of R2015a, MATLAB Compiler no longer produces .dll components. This functionality has been moved to the new product MATLAB Compiler SDK, which also includes functionality to produce .NET assemblies and Java classes. Prior to R2015a, this functionality used to be present in the products MATLAB Builder NE for .NET and MATLAB Builder JA for Java.
In other words:
In R2014b and below, we had:
MATLAB Compiler: produce .exe and .dll components
MATLAB Builder NE for .NET: produce .NET assemblies
MATLAB Builder JA for Java: produce Java classes
MATLAB Builder EX for Microsoft Excel: produce Excel add-ins.
In R2015a, we have:
MATLAB Compiler: produce .exe and Excel add-ins
MATLAB Compiler SDK: produce .dll, .NET assemblies and Java classes.
The scope and use-cases of MATLAB Coder have not changed across these releases (although there are new features).
Edit: As of R2015b, MATLAB Compiler SDK also produces Python packages.
Additional information on distinguishing MATLAB Coder and MATLAB Compiler for C/C++ can be found here.
Comparison table of different MATLAB Products for code generation.
MATLAB Compiler SDK provides shared libraries that run against a MATLAB Runtime (MCR). It supports most of the features in MATLAB, including graphics, and protects your intellectual property by encrypting your MATLAB code.
MATLAB Coder, on the other hand, provides readable and portable source code. It supports a subset of the MATLAB Language focused on algorithms performing numerical computations.
This MATLAB Answers goes into more details comparing these two approaches:
http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/223937-should-i-use-matlab-compiler-sdk-or-matlab-coder-to-integrate-my-matlab-applications-with-c-c
For example, MATLAB Compiler SDK can be deployed only to platforms that support MATLAB (Windows, Mac, Linux) whereas MATLAB Coder generates C code that can run on any platform that supports C code.
Also, the packaged code from MATLAB Compiler SDK is encrypted to protect IP, whereas the generated C code from MATLAB Coder can be protected in the same way hand written C code is protected.
It's also worth noting that generated C code from MATLAB Coder has the potential of faster execution while the packaged code from MATLAB Compiler SDK will run as fast as it does in MATLAB.
I'm not an expert, but the Coder is described as generating standalone C/C++ code, making no mention of the MCR. I notice however that it says that it only supports a "subset" of the Matlab language, which you can read more about here. The Compiler appears to just package up your Matlab code as you suggested, so probably supports most features.
MATLAB coder generates C/C++ code, which could also depend on 3rd party libraries such as intel's TBB/IPP. If you want truly vanilla C/C++ code, you need MATLAB's embedded coder.
On the other hand, MATLAB compiler produces encrypted executables/libraries/etc which runs against MCR (Matlab runtime library). This requires the target computer to pre-install MCR (at no cost). Since MCR is over 1 GB in size, it's not very retargetable.
MATLAB coder is also more expensive than MATLAB compiler.
Related
I would like to use the Application Compiler (Appdesigner -->Standalone Desktop App) on my MATLAB app. This app calls a .m file which is using the rtwbuild command to deploy a Simulink model to an arduino. The app works well when run in MATLAB, however after compilation I receive an error with rtwbuild:
Error using rtwbuild
The Matlab Path must have these directories for Simulink to function:
toolbox/simulink/blocks, toolbox/simulink/simulink
Matlab cannot continue. Please restore the path and restart Matlab
The documentation says, that no Simulink functions are supported for the MATLAB Compiler (see here) and the rtwbuild function seems to be a Simulink function, since it is in the documentation in the category "Simulink Coder" (see here). However, I do not have the Simulink Coder Toolbox and the app was running in MATLAB anyway, so I am not sure if rtwbuild is really a Simulink function.
To keep it short, my question is the following:
"Is it possible to use the Application Compiler on .m scripts including the rtwbuild command?"
Thank you for your help!
rtwbuild is without a doubt a Simulink Function, which means the MATLAB-Coder can not generate code. More generally speaking, you can not deploy the code generator. Generating code from M or Simulink requires a full MATLAB (Simulink) to be running. It would be foolish to let you use such a key feature without a MATLAB (Simulink) license (personal opinion).
About your confusion about rtwbild being part of the Simulink Coder. The Support Package for Arduino Hardware allows you to use certain deployment features. You can for example get binaries, you can not access the C code without having a Coder License. For details refer to "Additional Capabilities with Simulink Coder and Embedded Coder" in the documentation.
The documentation does not reflect these special cases, but obviously TMW did not re-invent the wheel when providing the Support-Packages for Arduino. Instead some "Simulink Coder" functions do not require a Simulink Coder License when used with the code generation Target Arduino. Same is true for the Raspberry and to a limited extend for the (rapid) accelerator mode.
I have some code that plots triangles in MATLAB.
I need to be able to somehow execute this code from my C program which generates these points.
Is that possible? How can it be done?
Just a thought:
Can I somehow embed MATLAB code in C, so that it can compile on a C compiler?
The Mathworks site has full details; a demo video of calling the Matlab engine from C, and also the Matlab to C Compiler.
As mentioned previously by answerers, you can call a live copy of MATLAB from C via the MATLAB Engine interface.
If the end-product needs to be used where there is no live copy of MATLAB, you can deploy the application using MATLAB Compiler. However, MATLAB Compiler does not, as another answer has suggested, convert MATLAB programs into C code (and hasn't done for a few versions now). Instead, it archives and encrypts your MATLAB program, and packages it into an executable or shared library that executes against the MATLAB Compiler Runtime (shareable royalty-free). The executable or shared library can then be called from C.
Alternatively you could go the other way around, and call your C code from MATLAB, using either loadlibrary or MATLAB's MEX interface.
Update: As of release R2011a, you can also use MATLAB Coder to generate C code directly from a subset of the MATLAB language.
Look at this presentation about integrating MATLAB Algorithms in C or C++ Applications http://www.mathworks.com/videos/integrating-matlab-algorithms-in-c-or-c-applications-86431.html
What is the simplest way to compile m-file without installed matlab?
And can someone say when will users get possibility for compiling programs with training networks (not only using training networks in compiling)?
MATLAB is not a compiled language, it is interpreted at runtime, so you need to have MATLAB installed to run a m-File (script). You can use the MATLAB compiler software to create a standalone application from an m-File or a function.
To run an m-file without having MATLAB, you can use GNU Octave. Octave is an open-source software which has almost the same syntax and functionality as MATLAB. They are not 100% identical though, so you will have to migrate your script. As mentioned in this question, code which runs in MATLAB will almost always run in Octave too, so it should work quite well.
for very basic scripting you can use this online octave(/matlab) compiler I found http://www.tutorialspoint.com/matlab/try_matlab.php There are some limitations of course, but for basic scripts it works well
I've recently created a chess engine on MATLAB and have been trying to interface it with XBoard/WinBoard. I can't find any good source on how to do this with MATLAB, this includes how to make my engine (an .m file) into an .exe file, as well as including the actual UCI communication protocols in it.
Any help or insight on the topic would be appreciated!
See this answer and this MATLAB Central submission for UCI communication from MATLAB.
Regarding creation of a standalone .exe, you will need to use the MATLAB Compiler or MATLAB Coder:
MATLAB Compiler. Can generate executables with using any functions. Requires the MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR) libraries at runtime.
MATLAB Coder. Can generate C++ code (and executables) with a subset of MATLAB's functions. Does not require the MCR at runtime.
is there s a way to convert simulink blocks or a matlab ".m" code to C code automatically ?
I'm not aware of any direct translation tool, but there are a few alternatives:
Matlab Compiler will let you create a shared library (callable from C code) from your .m code.
GNU Octave is an open source interpreter that has many of the same functions as Matlab. It is open source, and written in C. You might feasibly build a C library based on on this, although it would be a lot more heavy-weight than option (1).
To convert Simulink models or MATLAB m-code to C you need Real-Time Workshop.
It supports only subset of MATLAB language and oriented for embedded systems.
Look also at other MatWorks products for code generation and application deployment:
http://www.mathworks.com/products
With MATLAB Compiler you will not get a C code, but a binary code, executable or library (dll), which will run on machines without MATLAB installed, but with MATLAB Compiler Runtime (MCR) library. It quite large in size, and platform specific and I believe it has to match the MATLAB version of compiled code.
For the new coming release 2011a The MathWorks developed new code generation products: MATLAB Coder, Simulink Coder and Embedded Coder.