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compiler.build.cSharedLibrary

Create C shared library

Since R2021a

Description

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compiler.build.cSharedLibrary(FunctionFiles) creates a C shared library using the MATLAB® files specified by FunctionFiles.

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compiler.build.cSharedLibrary(FunctionFiles,Name,Value) creates a C shared library with options specified using one or more name-value arguments. Options include the library name, output directory, and additional files to include.

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compiler.build.cSharedLibrary(opts) creates a C shared library with options specified using a compiler.build.CSharedLibraryOptions object opts. You cannot specify any other options using name-value arguments.

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results = compiler.build.cSharedLibrary(___) returns build information as a compiler.build.Results object using any of the input argument combinations in previous syntaxes. The build information consists of the build type, paths to the compiled files, and build options.

Examples

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Create a C shared library using a function file that generates a magic square.

In MATLAB, locate the MATLAB function that you want to deploy as a C shared library. For this example, use the file magicsquare.m located in matlabroot\extern\examples\compiler.

appFile = fullfile(matlabroot,'extern','examples','compiler','magicsquare.m');

Build a C library using the compiler.build.cSharedLibrary command.

compiler.build.cSharedLibrary(appFile);

The build function creates the following files within a folder named magicsquarecSharedLibrary in your current working directory:

  • GettingStarted.html — File that contains information on integrating your shared library.

  • includedSupportPackages.txt — Text file that lists all support files included in the library.

  • magicsquare.c — C source code file.

  • magicsquare.def — Module-definition file that provides the linker with module information.

  • magicsquare.dll — Dynamic-link library file.

  • magicsquare.exports — Exports file that contains all nonstatic function names.

  • magicsquare.h — C header file.

  • magicsquare.lib — Import library file.

  • mccExcludedFiles.log — Log file that contains a list of any toolbox functions that were not included in the application. For information on non-supported functions, see MATLAB Compiler Limitations.

  • readme.txt — Readme file that contains information on deployment prerequisites and the list of files to package for deployment.

  • requiredMCRProducts.txt — Text file that contains product IDs of products required by MATLAB Runtime to run the application.

  • unresolvedSymbols.txt — Text file that contains information on unresolved symbols.

Create a C library and customize it using name-value arguments.

For this example, use the files flames.m and flames.mat located in matlabroot\extern\examples\compiler.

appFile = fullfile(matlabroot,'extern','examples','compiler','flames.m');
MATFile = fullfile(matlabroot,'extern','examples','compiler','flames.mat');

Build a C library using the compiler.build.cSharedLibrary command. Use name-value arguments to specify the library name, add a MAT-file, and enable verbose output.

compiler.build.cSharedLibrary(appFile,'LibraryName','MyMagicSquare',...
    'AdditionalFiles',MATFile,...
    'Verbose','on');

Create multiple C libraries using a compiler.build.CSharedLibraryOptions object.

For this example, use the file magicsquare.m located in matlabroot\extern\examples\compiler.

appFile = fullfile(matlabroot,'extern','examples','compiler','magicsquare.m');

Create a CSharedLibraryOptions object using appFile. Use name-value arguments to specify a common output directory, disable automatic detection of data files, and enable verbose output.

opts = compiler.build.CSharedLibraryOptions(appFile,...
    'OutputDir','D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\CLibraryBatch',...
    'AutoDetectDataFiles','off',...
    'Verbose','on')
opts = 

  CSharedLibraryOptions with properties:

           EmbedArchive: on
          FunctionFiles: {'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2024a\extern\examples\compiler\magicsquare.m'}
             DebugBuild: off
            LibraryName: 'magicsquare'
         LibraryVersion: '1.0.0.0'
        AdditionalFiles: {}
    AutoDetectDataFiles: off
        SupportPackages: {'autodetect'}
                Verbose: on
              OutputDir: 'D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\CLibraryBatch'

Build the C shared library using the CSharedLibraryOptions object.

compiler.build.cSharedLibrary(opts);

To compile using the function file myMagic2.m with the same options, use dot notation to modify the FunctionFiles argument of the existing cSharedLibrary object before running the build function again.

opts.FunctionFiles = 'myMagic2.m';
compiler.build.cSharedLibrary(opts);

By modifying the FunctionFiles argument and recompiling, you can compile multiple libraries using the same options object.

Create a C library and save information about the build type, compiled files, included support packages, and build options to a compiler.build.Results object.

Compile using the file magicsquare.m.

results = compiler.build.cSharedLibrary('magicsquare.m')
results = 

  Results with properties:

              BuildType: 'cSharedLibrary'
                  Files: {4×1 cell}
IncludedSupportPackages: {}
                Options: [1×1 compiler.build.CSharedLibraryOptions]

The Files property contains the paths to the following files:

  • magicsquare.dll

  • magicsquare.lib

  • magicsquare.h

  • GettingStarted.html

Input Arguments

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Files implementing MATLAB functions, specified as a character vector, a string scalar, a string array, or a cell array of character vectors. File paths can be relative to the current working directory or absolute. Files must have a .m extension.

Example: ["myfunc1.m","myfunc2.m"]

Data Types: char | string | cell

C library build options, specified as a compiler.build.CSharedLibraryOptions object.

Name-Value Arguments

Specify optional pairs of arguments as Name1=Value1,...,NameN=ValueN, where Name is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. Name-value arguments must appear after other arguments, but the order of the pairs does not matter.

Before R2021a, use commas to separate each name and value, and enclose Name in quotes.

Example: 'Verbose','on'

Additional files and folders to include in the C shared library, specified as a character vector, a string scalar, a string array, or a cell array of character vectors. Paths can be relative to the current working directory or absolute.

Example: 'AdditionalFiles',["myvars.mat","data.txt"]

Data Types: char | string | cell

Flag to automatically include data files, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • If you set this property to 'on', then data files that you provide as inputs to certain functions (such as load and fopen) are automatically included in the shared library.

  • If you set this property to 'off', then you must add data files to the shared library using the AdditionalFiles option.

Example: 'AutoDetectDataFiles','off'

Data Types: logical

Flag to enable debug symbols, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • If you set this property to 'on', then the compiled library contains debug symbols.

  • If you set this property to 'off', then the compiled library does not contain debug symbols.

Example: 'DebugBuild','on'

Data Types: logical

Flag to embed the deployable archive, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • If you set this property to 'on', then the function embeds the deployable archive in the shared library.

  • If you set this property to 'off', then the function generates the deployable archive as a separate file.

Example: 'EmbedArchive','off'

Data Types: logical

Name of the C shared library, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. The default name of the generated library is the first entry of the FunctionFiles argument.

Example: 'LibraryName','mymagic'

Data Types: char | string

Flag to obfuscate the deployable archive, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • If you set this property to 'on', then folder structures and file names in the deployable archive are obfuscated from the end user, and user code and data contained in MATLAB files are placed into a user package within the archive. Additionally, all .m files are converted to P-files before packaging. This option is equivalent to using mcc with -j and -s specified.

  • If you set this property to 'off', then the deployable archive is not obfuscated. This is the default behavior.

Example: 'ObfuscateArchive','on'

Data Types: logical

Path to the output directory where the build files are saved, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. The path can be relative to the current working directory or absolute.

The default name of the build folder is the library name appended with cSharedLibrary.

Example: 'OutputDir','D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\mymagiccSharedLibrary'

Data Types: char | string

Support packages to include, specified as one of the following options:

  • 'autodetect' (default) — The dependency analysis process detects and includes the required support packages automatically.

  • 'none' — No support packages are included. Using this option can cause runtime errors.

  • A string scalar, character vector, or cell array of character vectors — Only the specified support packages are included. To list installed support packages or those used by a specific file, see compiler.codetools.deployableSupportPackages.

Example: 'SupportPackages',{'Deep Learning Toolbox Converter for TensorFlow Models','Deep Learning Toolbox Model for Places365-GoogLeNet Network'}

Data Types: char | string | cell

Flag to control build verbosity, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • If you set this property to 'on', then the MATLAB command window displays progress information indicating compiler output during the build process.

  • If you set this property to 'off', then the command window does not display progress information.

Example: 'Verbose','on'

Data Types: logical

Output Arguments

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Build results, returned as a compiler.build.Results object. The Results object contains:

  • The build type, which is 'cSharedLibrary'

  • Paths to the following compiled files:

    • LibraryName.dll

    • LibraryName.lib

    • LibraryName.h

    • GettingStarted.html

  • A list of included support packages

  • Build options, specified as a CSharedLibraryOptions object

Version History

Introduced in R2021a