Installing Matlab

[Vijay Kaul]

On Fri, Mar 1, 2013 at 3:27 PM, Tijl Coosemans <tijl at coosemans.org> wrote:
> On 01-03-2013 21:07, Vijay Kaul wrote:
>> On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 11:40 AM, Tijl Coosemans <tijl at coosemans.org> wrote:
>>> On 15-02-2013 10:36, Tijl Coosemans wrote:
>>>> On 14-02-2013 22:42, Vijay Kaul wrote:
>>>>> I was wondering if anyone has had any recent (or not-so-recent)
>>>>> experience installing Matlab on FreeBSD/PC-BSD? (Yes, I know about
>>>>> octave.)
>>>>>
>>>>>  I'm not entirely new to *nix, but I'm novice enough that I can't seem
>>>>> to get this to work.
>>>>>
>>>>>  Perhaps the shortest and simplest solution would be if Mathworks own
>>>>> installer would function, but that runs as a Java Web Start
>>>>> application, and I can't seem to get that working in Opera, Firefox,
>>>>> or Konqueror.
>>>>>
>>>>>  The automatic rout having failed, I've downloaded the files manually,
>>>>> and I've tried to run the install script; however, it's failed as
>>>>> well. I found this site:
>>>>> <http://matrossi.blogspot.com/2011/08/installing-matlab-2011a-on-freebsd.html>,
>>>>> which claims installation instructions for PC-BSD8.2 boiling down to:
>>>>> open up the shell scripts and take /bin/sh --> /compat/linux/bin/sh.
>>>>> Well, that seems to help a bit, but it also fails because the install
>>>>> script determines my architecture to be x68, while the downloads are
>>>>> for (what they call) a64. (My system is indeed a 64-bit system.
>>>>> Perhaps the above instructions were for an x86 system.)
>>>>>
>>>>>  I feel like if I could modify the install script sufficiently, the
>>>>> install would work. My bash scripting is weak, though, and I worry
>>>>> about screwing up my system and/or the installation. There are only a
>>>>> few functions in there that are looking for architecture type, usually
>>>>> with the output from uname. I think fixing those would work...?
>>>>>
>>>>>  Could anyone help me get past this point?
>>>>>
>>>>>  Thanks in advance! And please, if there's any info I can provide that
>>>>> would be helpful, please just let me know.
>>>>>
>>>>>  Output of uname -a:
>>>>>  FreeBSD pcbsd-8517 9.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 9.1-RELEASE #2: Tue Nov 27
>>>>> 03:45:16 UTC 2012
>>>>> root at darkstar:/usr/obj/pcbsd-build90/fbsd-source/9.1/sys/GENERIC amd64
>>>>>
>>>>>  The install script in question: <http://pastebin.com/QkEH1vkF>
>>>>
>>>> Try creating this link:
>>>>
>>>> ln -s ../usr/bin/expr /compat/linux/bin/expr
>>>>
>>>> Without this link Linux scripts run the FreeBSD expr which isn't fully
>>>> compatible.
>>>
>>> And also, the Linux compatibility layer is 32bit so you need the x86
>>> version of Matlab.
>>>
>>
>> Oh, I didn't realize that Linux on FBSD was 32 bit. Thanks for
>> pointing that out. BTW, mathworks has stopped releasing new 32-bit
>> versions of matlab for linux, but you can still get R2012a for 32-bit
>> linux.
>>
>> Regarding the linking advice.... I have a /bin/expr and
>> /compat/linux/usr/bin/expr. My naivety is showing, but if I did
>>
>> ~> ln -s /usr/bin/expr /compat/linux/usr/bin/expr
>
> That's not the same command as above.

You're right. I didn't understand at first, but I think the command
you suggested assumed that the working directory was
/compat/linux/bin.

>
>> don't I also need to edit my path so that the script would find my
>> link before finding the built-in FBSD command? Currently, my path
>> begins: /sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:
>> .... So I think the script would still use '/bin/expr'.
>
> Under Linux compat the order becomes:
>
> 1: /compat/linux/sbin/expr
> 2: /sbin/expr
> 3: /compat/linux/bin/expr       <- You need to create this as a link to 7
> 4: /bin/expr                    <- FreeBSD expr
> 5: /compat/linux/usr/sbin/expr
> 6: /usr/sbin/expr
> 7: /compat/linux/usr/bin/expr   <- Linux expr
> 8: /usr/bin/expr
> ...

I don't have #s 1, 2, 5, 6, or 8. I have created 3 as a link to 7.
(And, of course, still have 4.)
This does, indeed, clear up any errors from expr! Thanks!!

<snip>

The next issue is the java errors given. A brief linux install guide I
was given instructed:

... (2) install Sun/Oracle java and plugin (32-bit) and you may
actually need to use one or two versions back from the current version
(depending on what's in the repositories anyway)

I have, currently, installed the "OpenJDK b27" PBI (recall I'm really
on PC-BSD).

Any tips or suggestions on where to find and how to install Oracle's
Java? Why might I need an older version of Java? (Maybe they mean
going back to JRE 6?) How would I know? (I ask about where to get
Java, since Oracle claims only to support "linux", and the handbook
doesn't seem to have a section on it. I'm wondering if there's a right
and wrong way to go here.)

The Java exceptions I see are at <http://pastebin.com/GJCnEXfR>.

If I can get all this done, and get matlab working, I'd love to
contribute the write-up to the Handbook. It's matlab installation
information is, um, dated, though I hope the post-install information
has remained accurate.