Create and store a matlab variable within the python matlab engine

I understand the MATLAB Engine API for Python does not support sparse matrices. I would like to create a MATLAB sparse matrix and store it in only MATLAB from within the Python MATLAB engine. This code doesn't work as it passes through Python first and gives an error:

import matlab.engine
eng = matlab.engine.start_matlab()
eng.workspace['A'] = eng.sprand(7000.,7000.,.001)

If I try this code:

eng.eval("A = sprand(7000,7000,.001);")

I get the following error:

Error: The expression to the left of the equals sign is not a valid target for an assignment.

If I open matlab, create the sparse matrix A, and then join the session, I can use A as expected.

eng = matlab.engine.connect_matlab()
eng.workspace['x'] = eng.rand(7000,1);
y = eng.eval("A*x;")

However, I am planning to call a script many times on multiple different machines so this workaround wouldn't work for me. Any ideas of how to do this?

Answer 1

[Jeff]

Found the answer here: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_external/troubleshoot-matlab-errors-in-python.html

I simply need to include the argument "nargout=0" like this:

eng.eval("A = sprand(7000,7000,.001);", nargout=0)