matlab 2016b installer will not install on debian7

hi!

i am trying to install just the license server. i downloaded matlab 2016b (linux 64-bit), unzipped to a virgin directory, then tried to run the installer. when i run 'sh install' or './install', a matlab splash screen pops up, then the installer immediately goes away with no messages. this is the only output:

Preparing installation files ...
Installing ...
Finished

i am doing this on debian7 as root:

# uname -a
Linux avenger 3.2.0-6-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 3.2.101-1 x86_64 GNU/Linux

# cat /etc/issue
Debian GNU/Linux 7

is there a log somewhere that will tell me why the installer is not happy?

thanks in advance!

[N/A]

here are more details. this is the output for the install_unix command:

./bin/glnxa64/install_unix -v
Preparing installation files ...
->  DVD                 = /home/build/matlab-R2016b
->  ARCH                = glnxa64
->  DISPLAY             = localhost:10.0
->  TESTONLY            = 0
->  JRE_LOC             = /tmp/mathworks_19216/sys/java/jre/glnxa64/jre
->  LD_LIBRARY_PATH     = /tmp/mathworks_19216/bin/glnxa64

Command to run:
"/tmp/mathworks_19216/sys/java/jre/glnxa64/jre/bin/java" -Xmx512m   -splash:"/home/build/matlab-R2016b/java/splash.png" -cp /tmp/mathworks_19216/java/config/professionalinstaller/pathlist.jar com/mathworks/professionalinstaller/Launcher -root "/home/build/matlab-R2016b" -libdir "/tmp/mathworks_19216" 

Installing ...
Finished

and here is the log:

cat /tmp/mathworks_root.log 
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) ##################################################################
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) #
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) # Today's Date: 
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Fri May 25 08:08:50 EDT 2018
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) 
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) System Info
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) OS: Linux 3.2.0-6-amd64
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Arch: amd64
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Data Model: 64
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Language: en
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Java Vendor: Oracle Corporation
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Java Home: /tmp/mathworks_19216/sys/java/jre/glnxa64/jre
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Java Version: 1.7.0_60
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Java VM Name: Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Java Class Path: /tmp/mathworks_19216/java/config/professionalinstaller/pathlist.jar
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) User Name: root
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Current Directory: /tmp/mathworks_19216
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) Input arguments: 
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) root /home/build/matlab-R2016b
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) libdir /tmp/mathworks_19216
(May 25, 2018 08:08:50) standalone true

where else should i be looking for failures?

[N/A]

another followup to my own question. it looks like one must install a jre/jdk before running the matlab installer.

apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk

then the installer ran as it should.

why does the installer come with a jre if it won't use it?

why not at least note in the system requirements the fact that the installer needs a jvm? and which version?

why burden us with a gui installer and the massive overhead of java when all we need is a (headless) license server?

sigh.

Answer 1

[Steven Lord]

I usually perform my installations interactively, but did you try using the silent installer to install just the license manager? The instructions are in the installer properties file template that the documentation page to which I linked indicates is located in the top level of the folder where you downloaded the software.

[N/A]

thanks for that! i created this installer_options file:

destinationFolder=/opt/matlab-2018a
# fileInstallationKey=
agreeToLicense=yes
# outputFile=
mode=silent
licensePath=/tmp/license.dat
lmgrFiles=true

and invoked it like this:

./install -inputFile /tmp/installer_input_mw.txt -mode silent
Preparing installation files ...
Installing ...
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) ##################################################################
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) #
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) # Today's Date: 
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Fri May 25 10:06:14 EDT 2018
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) 
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) System Info
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) OS: Linux 3.2.0-6-amd64
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Arch: amd64
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Data Model: 64
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Language: en
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Java Vendor: Oracle Corporation
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Java Home: /tmp/mathworks_30239/sys/java/jre/glnxa64/jre
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Java Version: 1.7.0_60
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Java VM Name: Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Java Class Path: /tmp/mathworks_30239/java/config/professionalinstaller/pathlist.jar
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) User Name: root
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Current Directory: /tmp/mathworks_30239
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Input arguments: 
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) root /home/build/matlab-R2016b
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) libdir /tmp/mathworks_30239
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) inputFile /tmp/installer_input_mw.txt
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) mode silent
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) standalone true
(May 25, 2018 10:06:14) Input file:
destinationFolder=/opt/matlab-2016a
# fileInstallationKey=
agreeToLicense=yes
# outputFile=
mode=silent
licensePath=/tmp/license.dat
lmgrFiles=true

(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) Starting local product/component search in download directory
(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) Searching for archives...
(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) Reading /home/build/matlab-R2016b/archives
(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) 2 files found in /home/build/matlab-R2016b/archives
(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) Reading /home/build/matlab-R2016b
(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) When running the installer with an input file, you must provide a File Installation Key using the fileInstallationKey option.
(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) 15 files found in /home/build/matlab-R2016b
(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) /root/Downloads/MathWorks/R2016b/archives doesn't exist ... skipping.
(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) Archive search complete.  17 total files found.
(May 25, 2018 10:06:16) Exiting with status -2
(May 25, 2018 10:06:18) End - Unsuccessful.
Finished

apparently i now need to get a file installation key...

[N/A]

still no joy. i ran it with a valid file installation key, and it finished successfully:

(May 25, 2018 16:56:04) Starting local product/component search in download directory
(May 25, 2018 16:56:04) Searching for archives...
(May 25, 2018 16:56:04) Reading /home/build/matlab-R2016b/archives
(May 25, 2018 16:56:04) 2 files found in /home/build/matlab-R2016b/archives
(May 25, 2018 16:56:04) Reading /home/build/matlab-R2016b
(May 25, 2018 16:56:05) 15 files found in /home/build/matlab-R2016b
(May 25, 2018 16:56:05) /root/Downloads/MathWorks/R2016b/archives doesn't exist ... skipping.
(May 25, 2018 16:56:05) Archive search complete.  17 total files found.
(May 25, 2018 16:56:05) Assembling product list...
(May 25, 2018 16:56:05) Completed local product/component search
(May 25, 2018 16:56:06) Installing Product: License Manager 11.13.1.3
(May 25, 2018 16:56:08) Notes: 
Your installation may require additional configuration steps.

1. You have installed the license manager, but it has not been started.  Before you can run MATLAB, you will need to start the license manager.  To start the license manager manually, open a terminal window and run the following command /opt/matlab-2016a/etc/lmstart. To learn how to configure the license manager to start automatically at boot time, see the Installation Guide.
(May 25, 2018 16:56:08) Exiting with status 0
(May 25, 2018 16:56:08) End - Successful.
Finished

that resulted in a bunch of stuff in /opt/matlab-2016b as expected. but apparently all that stuff is junk:

/opt/matlab-2016a/etc/lmhostid 
/opt/matlab-2016a/etc/lmhostid: 332: /opt/matlab-2016a/etc/lmhostid: /opt/matlab-2016a/etc/glnxa64/lmhostid: not found

and this:

/opt/matlab-2016a/etc/glnxa64/lmhostid 
-bash: /opt/matlab-2016a/etc/glnxa64/lmhostid: No such file or directory

the license.lic file and file installation key appear to be correct. but the lm utilities are garbage - invoking any of them results in 'not found'

the lm utilities look a bit suspect:

ls -l /opt/matlab-2016a/etc/glnxa64/  
total 17672
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1689304 Jul 22  2016 MLM
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1209344 Jul 22  2016 keycheck
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmborrow
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmdiag
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmdown
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1551536 Jul 22  2016 lmgrd
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmhostid
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmremove
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmreread
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmstat
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmswitchr
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmutil
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 1362736 Jul 22  2016 lmver

[N/A]

heavy sigh.

apparently the lm utilities depend on lsb, and installing lsb pulls in a zillion more packages. so now i have cups and fonts and ghostscript and a ton of other useless crap on the system.

really?

[N/A]

and there are no sample rc scripts or systemd unit files for running the license server?

really?

[Steven Lord]

At this point I'm not sure I have the knowledge to help you determine why this isn't working. It has been quite a while since I've had to do much with the license manager.

I recommend you contact Technical Support using the Contact Us link in the upper-right corner of this page. In your Support message you can link to this Answers thread to provide the Support staff members with background about what you've already tried and your current status, and they should be able to help you get the license manager installed and running.

[N/A]

thank you for your help, steven. i'm just surprised that the installation process is still so cumbersome. the last time i installed matlab was in the early 1990s, and the layers of shell scripts and java and 'MATLAB Answers' have dumbed it down but have not made it any easier.