Matlab R2011b unable to compile C file in Ubuntu

I am running Matlab R2011b on a Ubuntu 12.04 machine. I installed gcc-4.4 version. I tried to compile a nplant.c file provided by my university. When I try to compile the file using mex I get the following error message.

Warning: You are using gcc version "4.4.6-13ubuntu1)".  The version
         currently supported with MEX is "4.3.4".
         For a list of currently supported compilers see: 
         http://www.mathworks.com/support/compilers/current_release/

      mex:  nplant.c  not a normal file or does not exist.

Error using mex (line 206)
Unable to complete successfully.

As I understand the gcc version being higher only provides a warning. However, the message saying error using mex and nplant.c not a normal file, I do not understand.

How do I solve this?

[Kaustubha Govind]

Are you running the command from a directory that contains the file nplant.c? If yes, try running the following commands from MATLAB and tell us what you see:

>> pwd

>> !pwd

Answer 1

[Ken Atwell]

I think the warning is a bit of distraction here. Even when using a version of gcc different than what MATLAB officially supports, you should be able to at least compile the file and give it a shot.

A Jan suggests, first make sure you're in the right directory. Does the following command display the contents of the C file:

!cat nplant.c

[Nekhelesh Ramananthan]

oh my god!!! You are absolutely right...I mistyped the file name. It was nlplant.c and not nplant.c

I spent like two days compiling gcc-4.3 and others to get this working..so stupid of me!

[Ken Atwell]

It happens to all of us. Just yesterday, I had mistyped "nominal" and spent the next 20 minutes believing that I had just discovered a catastrophic bug in Statistics Toolbox. MATLAB works much better when you spell things correctly. :)

Answer 2

[Jan]

The error message tells, that Matlab supports GCC 4.3.4. Therefore I suggest to install GCC 4.3.4 for the compilation of Mex files.

[Nekhelesh Ramananthan]

Unfortunately I am unable to install gcc 4.3.4 on Ubuntu 12.04. Are you sure the error is due to the gcc version alone?

[Jan]

No, I'm not sure. But using an unsupported compiler might have strange effects.

Does the file "nplant.c" exist in the current directory? If not, use either CD to adjust the current directory or insert the full path name of the C-file for calling MEX.