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Build and Run C Engine Application on Windows

R2026b

Note

The MATLAB® Engine API for C++ is recommended over the Engine API for C. The MATLAB Engine API for C++ includes modern C++ features for writing engine applications. For more information, see Call MATLAB from C++. There are no plans to remove the Engine API for C.

This example shows how to verify the build process on Windows® platforms using this C code.

/*
 *	engwindemo.c
 *
 *	This program illustrates how to call MATLAB
 *	Engine functions from a C program on Windows.
 *
 * Copyright 1984-2017 The MathWorks, Inc.
 */
#include <windows.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include "engine.h"
#include <matrix.h>
#define BUFSIZE 256

static double Areal[6] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 };

int PASCAL WinMain (HINSTANCE hInstance,
                    HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,
                    LPSTR     lpszCmdLine,
                    int       nCmdShow)

{
	Engine *ep;
	mxArray *T = NULL, *a = NULL, *d = NULL;
	char buffer[BUFSIZE+1];
	double *Dreal, *Dimag;
	double time[10] = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 };

	/*
	 * Start MATLAB engine
	 */
	if (!(ep = engOpen(NULL))) {
		MessageBox ((HWND)NULL, (LPSTR)"Can't start MATLAB engine",
			(LPSTR) "Engwindemo.c", MB_OK);
		exit(-1);
	}

	/*
	 * PART I
	 *
	 * For the first half of this demonstration, we will send data
	 * to MATLAB, analyze the data, and plot the result.
	 */

	/*
	 * Create a variable from our data
	 */
	T = mxCreateDoubleMatrix(1, 10, mxREAL);
	/*
	 * Copy data from time to matrix T
	 */
	#if MX_HAS_INTERLEAVED_COMPLEX
		memcpy(mxGetDoubles(T), time, 10*sizeof(double));
	#else
		memcpy(mxGetPr(T), time, 10*sizeof(double));
	#endif
	/*
	 * Place the variable T into the MATLAB workspace
	 */
	engPutVariable(ep, "T", T);

	/*
	 * Evaluate a function of time, distance = (1/2)g.*t.^2
	 * (g is the acceleration due to gravity)
	 */
	engEvalString(ep, "D = .5.*(-9.8).*T.^2;");

	/*
	 * Plot the result
	 */
	engEvalString(ep, "plot(T,D);");
	engEvalString(ep, "title('Position vs. Time for a falling object');");
	engEvalString(ep, "xlabel('Time (seconds)');");
	engEvalString(ep, "ylabel('Position (meters)');");

	/*
	 * PART II
	 *
	 * Create another mxArray, put it into MATLAB,
	 * and calculate its eigen values.
	 * 
	 */

	a = mxCreateDoubleMatrix(3, 2, mxREAL);
	/*
	 * Copy data from Areal to matrix a
	 */
	#if MX_HAS_INTERLEAVED_COMPLEX
		memcpy(mxGetDoubles(a), Areal, 6*sizeof(double));
	#else
		memcpy(mxGetPr(a), Areal, 6*sizeof(double));
	#endif
	engPutVariable(ep, "A", a);

	/*
	 * Calculate the eigen value
	 */
	engEvalString(ep, "d = eig(A*A')");

	/*
	 * Use engOutputBuffer to capture MATLAB output. Ensure first that
	 * the buffer is always NULL terminated.
	 */
	buffer[BUFSIZE] = '\0';
	engOutputBuffer(ep, buffer, BUFSIZE);

	/*
	 * the evaluate string returns the result into the
	 * output buffer.
	 */
	engEvalString(ep, "whos");
	MessageBox ((HWND)NULL, (LPSTR)buffer, (LPSTR) "MATLAB - whos", MB_OK);

	/*
	 * Get the eigen value mxArray
	 */
	d = engGetVariable(ep, "d");
	engClose(ep);

	if (d == NULL) {
		MessageBox ((HWND)NULL, (LPSTR)"Get Array Failed", (LPSTR)"Engwindemo.c", MB_OK);
	}
	else {
		/*
		 * Using interleaved complex representation we can access complex number
		 * with a single pointer instead of using two separate pointers.
		 */
		#if MX_HAS_INTERLEAVED_COMPLEX
			if (mxIsComplex(d)) {
				sprintf(buffer,"Eigenval 2: %g+%gi",mxGetComplexDoubles(d)[1].real,mxGetComplexDoubles(d)[1].imag);
			}
			else {
				sprintf(buffer,"Eigenval 2: %g",mxGetDoubles(d)[1]);
			}
		#else
			Dreal = mxGetPr(d);
			Dimag = mxGetPi(d);
			if (Dimag) {
				sprintf(buffer,"Eigenval 2: %g+%gi",Dreal[1],Dimag[1]);
			}
			else {
				sprintf(buffer,"Eigenval 2: %g",Dreal[1]);
			}
		#endif
		MessageBox ((HWND)NULL, (LPSTR)buffer, (LPSTR)"Engwindemo.c", MB_OK);
		mxDestroyArray(d);
	} 

	/*
	 * We're done! Free memory, close MATLAB engine and exit.
	 */
	mxDestroyArray(T);
	mxDestroyArray(a);

	return(0);
}

/* LocalWords:  eigen eng Eigenval gi
 */

Make note of the value of matlabroot (the folder where MATLAB is installed) .

Start MATLAB and register MATLAB as a COM server.

comserver("register")

For more information, see Register MATLAB as COM Server.

MATLAB displays a second, minimized command window. Close that window.

Verify your current folder is writable and copy the example.

copyfile(fullfile(matlabroot,"extern","examples","eng_mat","engwindemo.c"),".","f")

Choose a compiler, if necessary.

mex -setup -client engine C

Build the application.

mex -v -client engine engwindemo.c

Set the run-time library path by modifying the system PATH variable.

set PATH=matlabroot\bin\win64;%PATH%

Make sure that you include the ; path terminator character.

Run the example. The engwindemo application must be on your system path.

engwindemo

MATLAB starts and displays the results.

To close the application, click Ok in the MATLAB whos window.

See Also

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