Install MATLAB-Engine for Python on Apple Silicon M-series chip

The method was only tested with MATLAB R2022b and Python 3.10.9. If you installed other versions, you should check system compatibility from official doc.

Issues with MATLAB Engine on Apple Silicon

Since I switched to appli silicon and installed MATLAB R2022a and R2022b, MATLAB Engine for Python is invalid.

To solve the issue, we need to install Python via arch-x86_64. Before that, I assume you have already installed native homebrew and set up well.

Install Homebrew via x86_64 platform

The solution can be found from stackoverflow discuss.

1. Install homebrew via arch-x86_64 platform

   arch --x86_64 /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2. Add arch-x86_64 to PATH in ~/.zshrc. by open ~/.zshrc and add the following line to the end of the file.

   alias brow='arch --x86_64 /usr/local/Homebrew/bin/brew'
   alias ib='PATH=/usr/local/bin'

   The brow is the alias for brew and ib is the alias for arch-x86_64.

3. Add an alias to switch between arch-x86_64 and arch-arm64 platform

   alias a86='env arch -x86_64 zsh'
   alias a64='env arch -arm64 zsh'

   # Install Python via x86_64 platform

4. Install python via arch-x86_64 platform homebrew.

   brow install python@3.9

   Wait for the installation.

The output should be like this:

➜  ~ brow install python@3.9
==> Fetching python@3.9
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/python/3.9/manifests/3.9.16
Already downloaded: /Users/pengjiaxin/Library/Caches/Homebrew/downloads/da58f97cab1915ee891396e084a1bc3c9e553303207cab4d67fefbe4553ac08a--python@3.9-3.9.16.bottle_manifest.json
==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/python/3.9/blobs/sha256:06e4206
==> Downloading from https://pkg-containers.githubusercontent.com/ghcr1/blobs/sh
######################################################################## 100.0%
==> Pouring python@3.9--3.9.16.ventura.bottle.tar.gz
==> /usr/local/Cellar/python@3.9/3.9.16/bin/python3.9 -m ensurepip
==> /usr/local/Cellar/python@3.9/3.9.16/bin/python3.9 -m pip install -v --no-dep
==> Caveats
Python has been installed as
  /usr/local/bin/python3.9

Unversioned and major-versioned symlinks `python`, `python3`, `python-config`, `python3-config`, `pip`, `pip3`, etc. pointing to
`python3.9`, `python3.9-config`, `pip3.9` etc., respectively, have been installed into
  /usr/local/opt/python@3.9/libexec/bin

You can install Python packages with
  pip3.9 install <package>
They will install into the site-package directory
  /usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages

tkinter is no longer included with this formula, but it is available separately:
  brew install python-tk@3.9

If you do not need a specific version of Python, and always want Homebrew's `python3` in your PATH:
  brew install python3

See: https://docs.brew.sh/Homebrew-and-Python
==> Summary
🍺  /usr/local/Cellar/python@3.9/3.9.16: 3,066 files, 55.4MB
==> Running `brew cleanup python@3.9`...
Disable this behaviour by setting HOMEBREW_NO_INSTALL_CLEANUP.
Hide these hints with HOMEBREW_NO_ENV_HINTS (see `man brew`).

Install MATLAB Engine for Python

5. Install MATLAB Engine for Python. Start from R2022b, you can install matlab engine via pip.

   ib python3 -m pip install matlab.engine

6. Test the installation.

   ib python3

   import matlab.engine
   eng = matlab.engine.start_matlab()

   Wait for the starting of the MATLAB engine.

Warning: In this step, you may have an error return:

Click to expand

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/matlab/engine/__init__.py", line 130, in start_matlab
    eng = future.result()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/matlab/engine/futureresult.py", line 67, in result
    return self.__future.result(timeout)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/matlab/engine/matlabfuture.py", line 87, in result
    handle = pythonengine.getMATLAB(self._future)
matlab.engine.EngineError: Connection to process with Exchange: " " was lost.

Until now, I did not find any solution to solve this issue if running all code in Terminal.

Run MATLAB Engine for Python in Pycharm

However, I find that I can use MATLAB Engine in Pycharm by virtual environment.

First, you need to create a virtual environment in Pycharm with x86_64 platform Python3.

Then, update all packages including pip in the virtual environment. You should have matlabengine installed in the virtual environment since you did it in the previous step.

Finally, you can import matlab.engine and test it in Pycharm with Python Console.

import matlab.engine
eng = matlab.engine.start_matlab()
eng.plus(2,3)

The output should return 5.