MATLAB Runtime Server

Overview of MATLAB Runtime Applications

It is easy to adapt an application based on MATLAB so that it will run with the Runtime Server. The instructions in this Application Developer's Guide assume that you already have a working application that uses MATLAB and that you want the Runtime Server to execute. If you are still planning and building your MATLAB based application, then the instructions in this guide will still be useful because they can help shape your design process.

The MATLAB Runtime Server can perform two categories of tasks:

• Run an entire application by executing MEX-files and runtime P-files. This type of runtime application is called a MATLAB runtime GUI application. Its front end is usually a MATLAB GUI. For information about developing GUI-based applications in MATLAB, see the MATLAB documentation set.
• Act as the computational engine for an application that is dependent on MATLAB and that is partially written in another language. In this case, the application's front end is developed in a language such as Visual Basic, and MATLAB is incorporated as part of the application's back end. After its adaptation for use with the Runtime Server, this type of application is called a MATLAB runtime engine application. For information about using MATLAB as a computational engine, see the MATLAB documentation set.

These two types of MATLAB runtime applications share some common features, but also differ in several important ways. The next section explains how to use this book for the type of runtime application you want to develop.

Note    Because the MATLAB command window is inactive in the runtime variant, MATLAB runtime applications must provide their own user interfaces for the end users. For example, these front-end user interfaces might be GUIs created with MATLAB Handle Graphics® or with other visual development tools.

Note    The MATLAB Runtime Server supports the Engine Application Program Interface (API) Library, pipes on UNIX, and ActiveX on PC. It does not support dynamic data exchange (DDE), the MATLAB Notebook, or Simulink®.

Preface

Related Products