Calling MATLAB Functions from C++ Application Built with CMake in Visual Studio

I am trying to follow the example from: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/calling-matlab-engine-from-cpp-programs.html to call MATLAB code from a C++ application I have built in Visual Studio.

I've made some modifications to the example. I am using an h and cpp file as well as using cmake for the build.

I have testFeval.h

#include "MatlabEngine.hpp"
#include "MatlabDataArray.hpp"
#include <iostream>
void callSQRT();

testFeval.cpp

#include "testFeval.h"

void callSQRT() {

	using namespace matlab::engine;

	// Start MATLAB engine synchronously
	std::unique_ptr<MATLABEngine> matlabPtr = startMATLAB();

	//Create MATLAB data array factory
	matlab::data::ArrayFactory factory;

	// Define a four-element typed array
	matlab::data::TypedArray<double> const argArray =
		factory.createArray({ 1,4 }, { -2.0, 2.0, 6.0, 8.0 });

	// Call MATLAB sqrt function on the data array
	matlab::data::Array const results = matlabPtr->feval(u"sqrt", argArray);

	// Display results
	for (int i = 0; i < results.getNumberOfElements(); i++) {
		double a = argArray[i];
		std::complex<double> v = results[i];
		double realPart = v.real();
		double imgPart = v.imag();
		std::cout << "Square root of " << a << " is " <<
			realPart << " + " << imgPart << "i" << std::endl;
	}
}

I am using CMake to try and run the MATLAB engine from Visual Studio.

My top level CMake file is:

# CMakeList.txt : Top-level CMake project file, do global configuration
# and include sub-projects here.
#
cmake_minimum_required (VERSION 3.8)

project ("CMakeProject1" C CXX)

# Find Matlab
FIND_PACKAGE(Matlab REQUIRED)

# Include sub-projects.
INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES("${Matlab_ROOT_DIR}/extern/include")
add_subdirectory ("src")  #Main Project

The project CMake is:

cmake_minimum_required (VERSION 3.8)

# Add source to this project's executable.

set(HDR
  MATLABExampleCall/testFeval.h 
  CMakeProject1.h
)  #List all header files.  This way project is rebuilt if a header file is modified.

set(SRC
  MATLABExampleCall/testFeval.cpp 
  CMakeProject1.cpp
)  #List all source files

add_executable (CMakeProject1 ${SRC} ${HDR}) #Executable uses all source and header files

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong with my structure/usage of the MATLAB Engine? I am able to include hpp files, yet I'm getting Linker errors when I try to build. Is there something I'm missing? Ideally when this is working I want to use the same engine to instantiate MATLAB objects and call their methods.

Answer 1

[Kyle R]

So I ended up getting the CMakeLists.txt to work correctly with MATLAB C++ API, Visual Studio, & Linux. Posting the solution to my issue for anyone else.

My CMakeList.txt in the project directory looks like this now:

add_executable(${PROJECT_NAME} ${SRC} ${HDR})

# Link C++ API
if(WIN32)
    message(STATUS "Linking WINDOWS C++")
    target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} ${Matlab_ROOT_DIR}/extern/lib/win64/microsoft/libMatlabEngine.lib)
    target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} ${Matlab_ROOT_DIR}/extern/lib/win64/microsoft/libMatlabDataArray.lib)
endif(WIN32)
if(UNIX)
    message(STATUS "Linking UNIX C++")
    target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} ${Matlab_ROOT_DIR}/extern/bin/glnxa64/libMatlabEngine.so)
    target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} ${Matlab_ROOT_DIR}/extern/bin/glnxa64/libMatlabDataArray.so)
    find_package(Threads)
    target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
endif(UNIX)

This fixes all the issues with the lines:

#include "MatlabEngine.hpp"
#include "MatlabDataArray.hpp"

And I'm able to start up a session of MATLAB & work with the engine now.

[Ramzi Sabra]

Thank you!

[成睿 石]

This also works on my machine, too. Thank you!