Run Matlab MCR without setting path environment variable, without admin rights, and for users with little computer experience

Hi,

I am distributing a compiled matlab executable inside my organization. My users have MCR in their laptops but the path variable has not been defined since a) they do no have admin rights and b) they don't know how to set environment variables in windows.

I am thinking of writing a batch script to launch the executable. I am having trouble setting user environment variables (setx is missing) so I would like to try it without defining a path variable.

The mcr path variable will need to point to something liek mydir/mcr/runtime/win64. In this folder you have mwregsvr.exe and some more DLLs. In the command prompt I have tried

mwregsvr.exe < app.exe

where app.exe is the executable I am trying to run. This did not work.

So, is there a way to make this work?

Deploying matlab apps to non matlab users with little computer skills and tight IT security is challenging!

Thanks! José

[Walter Roberson]

It is not clear to me that it is appropriate for users to be able to execute any program not installed by administrators in these circumstances.

[OCDER]

Read this to see if users can at least add environment variable to their own local profile. Will the IT be okay with this? How much security is needed? The balance between IT security and computer usability is always a tough one to determine.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-powershell-1.0/ff730964(v=technet.10)

[Walter Roberson]

Perhaps set can be used https://ss64.com/nt/set.html

[Jose Blasques]

Dear Walter and OCDER,

Yeah, this is a strange question. IT takes more than 3 months to update the software catalogue so that's the time it will take for them to add MCR installer to the list. Also this is an excel based organization, and I feel there is a great potential in switching some of the calculations to Matlab.

I have tried to write a batch file using SET but you need SETX to set variables at a user level and that is not part of the office suite we have (?!).

I prepared a manual to teach people to add env. vars. to their user profile and it's working. But when convincing people to change their habits (excel to matlab) I was hoping to make it as smooth as possible so they just have to click twice on the executable.

Thanks, José

[Walter Roberson]

set affects the current cmd so you should be able to create a .bat that does the set and then invokes the executable.

Answer 1

[Steven Lord]

From your description, I wonder if something like MATLAB Production Server might be a better fit to provide your users access to your application. Since you mentioned your organization is Excel based, this user story sounds like something in which you might be interested. A quote from the story:

"Hundreds of external customers and dozens of internal analysts are currently using the production core library in the background via various front-end applications. The library is accessed directly by individual analysts via a Microsoft® Excel® add-in and via the company’s investment management software."