MATLAB: Am I unable to launch an older release of MATLAB on the Mac when Java SE 8 is installed

Question

I have successfully installed a release of MATLAB prior to R2013a on my Mac, but I am unable to launch the software. My Mac is running OS El Capitan or Yosemite and I have Java SE 8 (Java Development Kit) installed. 

Answer 1

In order to launch MATLAB R2013a or prior on your Mac, Java 6 will need to be installed on your computer and used by MATLAB. If Java SE 8 is also installed on the same computer, it can prohibit MATLAB from using Java 6 on startup. To change the Java MATLAB uses when launching, refer to the following article:

How do I change the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that MATLAB is using for Mac OS?