How to set timezone in matlab runtime docker container?

I have used these steps to compile my image: https://www.mathworks.com/help/compiler/package-matlab-standalone-applications-into-docker-images.html

I'm having some trouble setting the timezone in a compiled Docker image.

How to reproduce the problem:

1. run the matlab runtime image: docker run --rm -it -e TZ=Asia/Singapore --name mlrt --entrypoint bash matlabruntime/r2024b/release/update0/f00040001040000002
2. within the container, running date +'%:z %Z' returns +00:00 Asia when I'm expecting +08:00

What I've tried

Since the base image claims to be based on Ubuntu: https://www.mathworks.com/help/compiler/get-matlab-runtime-container.html

I have tried but failed:

1. Setting the TZ environment variable; this usually works for other Ubuntu-based containers.
2. timedatectl doesn't work. Source: https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/en/man1/timedatectl.1.html

Does anyone know how to set it to the correct timezone or could point me to the documentation?

Thanks.

Answer 1

[Calvin Lian]

Here's the response from my local MATLAB distributor that solved the issue for me:

The base Ubuntu image provided does not include the tzdata package. This is needed for correct identification of timezones. There are 2 ways to solve this: it can be installed after the image is built, or during the the build process.

• For the former, execute this in the container:

apt-get update && apt-get install tzdata -y

• For the latter, add tzdata as an AdditionalPackages optional name-value argument in compiler.package.DockerOptions. Documentation to this specfic argument can be found here: https://www.mathworks.com/help/compiler/compiler.package.dockeroptions.html#mw_50ae782f-97aa-4d00-bed2-38629d8db2a5_sep_mw_c6b401a2-86f5-40aa-b637-de03d6b2ce50