Install UQLab without write access to matlabroot

Hi

I’m trying to install UQLab on a HPC cluster. I do not have write access to the matlabroot folder.

I’ve copied the UQLab files with the license on my local machine in the directory uq_dir.

matlabroot = '/local/matlab/r2019a'
uq_dir = '/home/mkhan1/ij40/mkhan1/UQLabCore_Rel1.2.0/core'

I’m getting the following warning message:

Warning: the UQLab installer detected that the MATLAB path could not be saved.
Please make sure that the MATLAB startup folder is set to a writable location in the MATLAB preferences:
Preferences->General->Initial Working Folder

As I quit MATLAB and start it again, it forgets UQLab and I need to install it every time I start MATLAB.

I can’t get write access to matlabroot. Is there any workaround?

1 Like

Dear Shihab,
this is not a UQLab issue, it’s a common Matlab installation problem.

The solution is very simple: just put an empty “pathdef” file in the folder where you start Matlab from (e.g. ~Shihab/Matlab), and you will be able to save your path there.
Depending on the version of Matlab, there are different ways to specify its “startup folder”. Here’s an article on Mathworks: https://ch.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_env/matlab-startup-folder.html

I hope this helps,
with best regards
Stefano

3 Likes

Thanks a lot Dr Stefano. I was unaware of this. It works for me.