MATLAB: Is it possible for MATLAB Compiler for generate applications that use P-code

codecompilecompilererrorm-fileMATLAB Compilerpp-codepcode

I would like to compile a P-file or a MATLAB file that calls a P-function.

Best Answer

This enhancement has been incorporated in Release 2009a (R2009a). For previous product releases, read below for any possible workarounds:

The ability to deploy P-code is available as of MATLAB Compiler 4.0 (R14). However, a P-code function cannot be compiled directly but must be wrapped by a MATLAB file. For example, if you create a function:

function ptest
disp('Hello from P-code');

and then use PCODE to generate ptest.p, you will not be able to successfully compile PTEST. However, you can compile code that calls this P-code, as in:

function pwrap
ptest

Note that compiling P-code will not enable the source code to be revealed since MATLAB Compiler 4.0 does not generate a C translation of the code.

If you are using a previous version of MATLAB Compiler, read the following:

The MATLAB Compiler can translate MATLAB code into C, C++, or P-code. The MATLAB Compiler does not compile P-code or MATLAB code that calls P-code functions.

There are no workarounds for compiling P-code. P-code can be used to hide algorithms and translating it is therefore not an option. For more detail on the differences between MATLAB code and P-code, see the Related Solution listed below.

Related Solutions

MATLAB: How to disable the compilation of a P-code file using the MATLAB Compiler 4.0 (R14)

In order to prevent P-code from running in stand-alone mode, you can implement one IF statement in the MATLAB code which is used to generate P-code. This method uses a call to the ISDEPLOYED function in order to determine if the code is running in a stand-alone application or within MATLAB.

Note that unlike prior versions of the MATLAB Compiler, C code is not generated, and proprietary information you wish to keep in the p-code file is maintained as proprietary. The prevention of compilation of P-code in the Compiler 4.0 does not apply as significantly as it did in prior versions of the Compiler. In prior versions, the main reason to prevent compilation of these files was to preserve intellectual property, but this is no longer necessary as it is still be encrypted as P-code format in a standalone application. The external pragma ("%#external") can be used to prevent a P-code file from being compiled:

function myPCodeFunction
%#external
desiredCode      % Run the main portion of code
end

Again, although technically the P-code can be compiled to a standalone application, in this case it is kept both proprietary and disabled for deployment. It works because the external pramga tells the MCC compiler to use an external implementation of any MATLAB or P-file it appears in. When someone tries to build an application with the file, they will receive an error when the program tries to link the files together.

MATLAB: Can an application built with MATLAB Compiler 4.1.1 (R14SP1+) be run with the MATLAB Compiler 4.1 (R14SP1) runtime libraries

This bug has been fixed in Release 14 Service Pack 2 (R14SP2). For previous releases, please read below for any possible workarounds:

This error is caused by an incompatibility between the compiled application version and the version of the runtime libraries. To work around this, you must always use the same version of the MATLAB Component Runtime (MCR) as the version of the MATLAB Compiler used to generate the stand-alone application.

For example, if you compile with MATLAB Compiler 4.1.1 (R14SP1+), you must install the same version of the MATLAB Component Runtime on the target machine in order to run the application.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

MATLAB: How to disable the compilation of a P-code file using the MATLAB Compiler 4.0 (R14)

MATLAB: Can an application built with MATLAB Compiler 4.1.1 (R14SP1+) be run with the MATLAB Compiler 4.1 (R14SP1) runtime libraries

Related Question