how to call system WSL to run executable on ubuntu

Dear Community!

I am working with MATLAB R2023a on Windows 10.

Recently, I have been compiling and running an executable (hydrological model) within WSL on Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS (the executable cannot be compiled on Windows machines).

Now, I need to run the executable n times to carry out a sensitivity analysis. I have a script that runs in MATLAB.

I could install MATLAB also on Ubuntu and that is an easy solution for my task.

What I do not know how to do it, and for this I would really appreciate your help in the simplest words possible, is to call the executable that runs on WSL from the MATLAB Command Window.

I have looked for solutions in many forums but with no luck. As a trial, from this link "https://it.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/473127-how-to-pipe-redirect-output-of-a-command-in-windows-subsystem-for-linux-wsl-to-another-using-a-sys" I ran

system('wsl bash -c "ls /mnt/c/ | tail -n 1"')

and I got

W

ans =

-1

as well as

system('bash -c "ls /mnt/c/ | tail -n 1"')

and I got

Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions. Distributions can be installed by visiting the Microsoft Store: https://aka.ms/wslstore

ans =

1

So the first did not work, and the second asked to install a Linux distribution, although I have it.

Any experience to make it work?

[Shivang]

system('bash -c "ls /mnt/c/ | tail -n 1"') works fine for me. Can you try out the command

ls /mnt/c/ | tail -n 1

directly in a WSL terminal and see what you get?

[Daniele]

Hi Shivang, thank you for your feedback.

In WSL

ls /mnt/c/ | tail -n 1

correctly displays the name of the last file of the list.

While in Matlab

system('bash -c "ls /mnt/c/ | tail -n 1"')

still says: Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions.

[Shivang]

Hi Daniele,

Could you also try

bash -c "ls /mnt/c/ | tail -n 1"

but this time in Windows Command Prompt.

[Daniele]

Hi Shivang, thank you again.

The command

bash -c "ls /mnt/c/ | tail -n 1"

In the Windows Command Prompt works and finds the same file as for the previous attempts.

In Matlab, I replaced system with unix as

unix('bash -c "ls /mnt/c/ | tail -n 1"')

But still got: Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions.

[Shivang]

Hi Daniele,

As you were able to run commands directly in the Linux shell as well as the Windows Command shell, the problem might be related to your MATLAB setup.

I would suggest contacting MathWorks support and creating a Technical Support request for further assistance: https://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html

Best, Shivang

[Daniele]

Hi Shivang,

I will do that.

Thank you so much for your help.

Daniele