Installing Matlab on a Self-managed machine

These instructions allow you to use your own mac to access the Informatics Matlab service, using our media and licence server. You will need to be connected to the Informatics network via cable or Informatics VPN in order to use Matlab, though installation can be performed offline.

Before you begin: you will need two pieces of information.

• The installation key. Support can give this to you.

• The license file path. This is in the form port@license-server and is the same as is used on your DICE machine. You may already know it; if not, support can provide this.

Performing the installation

Pop in the DVD; load InstallForMacOSX.dmg from the disc.

Choose "Install manually without using the Internet" from the installer setup prompt.

Read very carefully to make sure that you understand and agree with each clause of the licence agreement. Check with an independent legal advisor if required.

Click 'continue' to confirm installation onto your main hard disk.

Enter your file installation key, as provided by support.

You may choose to install MATLAB along with any toolboxes you require; make sure to specifically deselect "Licence manager" as it is of no use.

Enter your license file path as provided by support (not that it really helps at this stage) and press continue. Installation will now proceed automatically and provide MATLAB in your Applications folder.

Do not launch Matlab yet -- it won't work. You will need to set an environment variable to point it at our licence server. You can do this in any of the normal ways.

The Mac (per-user) way of doing this is to append the variable to your environment using the single Terminal command:

 $ defaults write ~/.MacOSX/environment MLM_LICENSE_FILE -string *<licence file path>* 

you can check that the operation has succeeded by typing

 $ open ~/.MacOSX/environment.plist 

and checking that the entered variable appears under Root.

Log out and back in, and you should find that MATLAB launches without activation prompt.

-- GrahamDutton - 12 Aug 2009