Intalling MatCont

In this page instructions to install MatCont on your computer are given. The following steps should be followed in the given order.

Install the compilers on your computer

MatCont has a compiled part in order to speed-up some processes. Is so important that on your computer is installed the needed compilers.

Windows. If you have installed Matlab R2017b or a more recent Matlab version, search for the MinGW addon using the Add-Ons button in the top menu.
Otherwise, you have to install the Microsoft Software Developer Kit (SDK). First of all, uninstall all installed compilers (Control Panel > Add or Remove programs. Remove all compilers, i.e. all programs named VisualStudio, Visual Basic, C, C++, Fortran,...) and install the SDK according to your OS:
- Windows XP
- Windows 7 and 8 (notice that the Windows 8 SDK does not contain Command Line compilers)
- Windows 10 (if, at the beginning of the SDK installation, .NET Framework 4 cannot be found, after the installation use the following patch)
The SDK contains the basic Microsoft compilers. Optionally the uninstalled compilers can be re-installed.
MacOS. Install the package XCode from the AppStore (see https://itunes.apple.com/in/app/xcode/id497799835?mt=12).
Once installed, open Xcode, visit Xcode menu > Preferences > Downloads, choose "Command line tools" and click the "Install" button.
Unix. Compilers are already correctly set up. Skip this step.

Install Matlab on your computer

MatCont is a Matlab application and therefore requires Matlab (including the symbolic toolbox). It is possible to download and install Matlab on your personal laptop using the Politecnico di Milano campus licence, downloading the software from the PoliMi software service. If you already have it on your computer, skip this step.

Configure the mex compiler in Matlab

Windows/Unix.
Open Matlab and type 'mex -setup' in the command line.
If the compilers are correctly installed, Matlab should propose a list of them. Choose one of them.
MacOS
Open Matlab and type 'mex -setup' in the command line.
If the compilers are correctly linked, Matlab should propose a list of them. Choose one of them.
If they are not correctly linked, locate the file 'mexopts.sh' on your pc (usually it is in the folder '/Applications/Matlab/R****/bin'), accordingly change the current directory, and open it. Modify along the file (using a substitute all command) to set the correct version of your OS. Run the script you have just modified typing '! ./mexopts.sh' and then type 'mex -setup'.
Now the compilers should be correctly linked, and Matlab should propose a list of them. Choose one of them.

Download and install Matcont

Download Matcont from this link and unzip it.
In Matlab, select the MatCont folder as your current folder (using the folder bar in top of the Command Window or the 'cd' command) and type 'matcont' in the command line.
If MatCont starts, from the MatCont menu select "Compute", and then "Forward". If no error is displayed, the installation is correct and complete.

For further support contact fabio.dellarossa@polimi.it