Create Standalone Application (MATLAB Runtime)

Trying to make sure I understand the involvement of Matlab Runtime when creating a standalone application in Windows. The following page shows four options for creating a standalone app:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/compiler/create-and-install-a-standalone-application-from-matlab-code.html

My understanding is that two of these options (Application Compiler and compiler.package.installer) install the Matlab Runtime on the user's PC. Am I correct to assume that, if the end user does not have Matlab installed, I will have to produce an installer using one of these two options? I wish the documentation would come right out and say this.

Thanks

Answer 1

[Kojiro Saito]

If end users have already installed the same version of MATLAB Runtime as your standalone application, just giving a standalone app to them will work. But if not, you need to create an installer for installing your standalone application and MATLAB Runtime. The easiest option is to use Application Compiler app and give the installer exe file (for example, MyAppInstaller_web.exe under for_redistribution folder) to them.

Here is additional explanation of 4 options.

• Application Compiler: This is an App for creating standalone application with GUI interface. By clicking "Pakacge", you can find a standalone application in for_redistribution_files_only folder and an installer in for_redistribution folder. You can select whether MATLAB Runtime to be included in an installer or not (in this, users will be prompted to install MATLAB Runtime from Web during installation process).
• compiler.build.standaloneApplication: This is a command line interface. This will create only a standalone app. An installer will not be included.
• compiler.package.installer: This is a command line interface. This will creat only an installer. You need to create a standalone app before using this command.
• mcc: This is a command line interface. This is a basic command for packaging MATLAB scripts/apps to standalone and libraries for other langulages etc. This will create only a standalone app. From R2020a, compiler.build.standaloneApplication is easier options for creating a standalone app than mcc.

Answer 2

[daffodil software]

Your understanding is generally correct. When you use MATLAB to create a standalone application, the application will often need the MATLAB Runtime to run on a target machine (the user's PC) that does not have MATLAB installed. The MATLAB Runtime is a set of shared libraries that enables the execution of compiled MATLAB applications or components.

The Application Compiler and the `compiler.package.installer` function are indeed two of the tools provided by MATLAB for creating standalone applications and their installers, which can include the MATLAB Runtime. Here's a brief explanation of each:

1. Application Compiler: This is a tool in MATLAB that allows you to package your MATLAB application as a standalone executable. When you compile your application using the Application Compiler, you can choose to include the MATLAB Runtime installer with your application. The installer ensures that the MATLAB Runtime is set up on the user's machine.

2. compiler.package.installer: This is a command that you can run in MATLAB to create an installer for your application. This installer can include the MATLAB Runtime, and it's designed to help you distribute your application to users who do not have MATLAB.

When distributing your compiled application to users who do not have MATLAB, you must ensure that the MATLAB Runtime is properly installed on their system. This can be done either by providing an installer that includes the MATLAB Runtime or by instructing them to download the MATLAB Runtime separately. You can checkout these two page for more details data enrichment services and software development services they serve great value to these problems.

The documentation may not always state things in an explicit manner that we wish it would, but it typically provides the necessary information for understanding the process. It's always a good idea to review the documentation provided by MathWorks, as it contains detailed instructions and explanations about compiling and distributing standalone applications. If you're ever in doubt, MathWorks support and community forums can be a good resource for clarification.