Question

Hi I wanted to know how to use MATLAB as an external solver from a C program. Specifically in my code I wish
to solve several linear systems of the form Ax=b.

I have heard that to go the other way namely Calling C functions in a MATLAB routine one uses MEX files.But I am not really sure how to use Mex files either.

Thank you

Answer 1

you can use the matlab engine as Lagerbaer points out. However sometimes it can be convenient just calling the matlab process commandline style. I use this often when I don’t want to mess with mxArrays etc, or when the amount of matlab code that needs executing gets really large. PseudoCode:

WriteArrayInMFormat( "in.m", myInputNumbers );
LaunchProcess( "matlab", "-nodesktop -r \"myFunction( 'in.m' )\" -logfile out.m" );
ReadArrayInMFormat( "out.m", myResult );

For me this is especially useful when testing things out: instead of having to recompile the C/C++ program each time I change something, I just apply all changes in the myFunction.m file. At that point I don’t even need the C program, instead everything can be tested in matlab.