MATLAB/Octave - API Bindings – Tinkerforge

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# MATLAB/Octave - API Bindings

The MATLAB/Octave bindings allow you to control Bricks and Bricklets from your MATLAB/Octave programs. The ZIP file for the bindings contains:

- `matlab/Tinkerforge.jar`, a precompiled Java library for MATLAB
- in `matlab/source/` the source code of `Tinkerforge.jar` for MATLAB
- in `matlab/examples/` the MATLAB examples for every Brick and Bricklet
- `octave/Tinkerforge.jar`, a precompiled Java library for Octave
- in `octave/source/` the source code of `Tinkerforge.jar` for Octave
- in `octave/examples/` the Octave examples for every Brick and Bricklet

The MATLAB/Octave bindings are based on the Java bindings.

## Requirements

- MATLAB or Octave 3.6 with Java support

## Installation

Before you and use the bindings with MATLAB or Octave you have to install them.

### MATLAB

The Java support in MATLAB is typically enabled by default. You can test this with the following command in MATLAB:

    version -java

To install the bindings copy the `Tinkerforge.jar` file from the `matlab/` folder to the MATLAB program folder. On Windows this folder is typically located here for MATLAB R2014a:

    C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2014a

On Linux it is here:

    /usr/local/matlab/r2014a

On Mac OS X it is here:

    /Applications/MATLAB_R2014a.app

Then the new Java library has to be added to MATLAB's class path. Edit the following file:

    <MATLAB program folder>/toolbox/local/classpath.txt

and append the following line to it:

    $matlabroot/Tinkerforge.jar

After restarting MATLAB the bindings are ready to use.

### Octave

If Java support is available in Octave depends on the Octave version. Until version 3.6 (inclusive) Java support was in a separate module. Since version 3.8 it is available by default.

But in Octave 3.8 callbacks don't work, see the known problems section. We recommend Octave 3.6 for now.

On Linux you have to install an extra package for the Java support in Octave 3.6:

    sudo apt-get install octave octave-java

For Windows we recommend the MinGW build of Octave, because it comes with Java support by default. The Octave Wiki has a guide about how to set up Octave for Windows.

You can test if Java support is available with the following command in Octave:

    octave_config_info("features").JAVA

To make the bindings available in Octave the `Tinkerforge.jar` from the `octave/` folder has to be added to Octave's class path. This can be done with the following Octave command on Windows:

    javaaddpath("C:\\Absolute\\path\\to\\Octave\\Tinkerforge.jar");

Or by this Octave command on Linux:

    javaaddpath("/Absolute/path/to/Octave/Tinkerforge.jar");

To make this change persistent you can add the command to the following file on Linux:

    ~/.octaverc

If this file didn't exist yet you can just create it. Octave has to be restarted after changing this file.

## Testing an Example

To test a MATLAB/Octave example Brick Daemon and Brick Viewer have to be installed first. Brick Daemon acts as a proxy between the USB interface of the Bricks and the API bindings. Brick Viewer connects to Brick Daemon and helps to figure out basic information about the connected Bricks and Bricklets.

### MATLAB

As an example we will run the Stepper Brick configuration example. To do this open the `matlab_example_configuration.m` file from the `matlab/examples/brick/stepper/` folder in MATLAB.

In the example `HOST` and `PORT` specify at which network address the Stepper Brick can be found. If it is connected locally to USB then `localhost` and 4223 is correct. The `UID` value has to be changed to the UID of the connected Stepper Brick, which you can figure out using Brick Viewer:

    HOST = 'localhost';
    PORT = 4223;
    UID = 'XYZ'; % Change to your UID

Now you're ready to test the examples.

### Octave

As an example we will run the Stepper Brick configuration example. To do this open the `octave_example_configuration.m` file from the `octave/examples/brick/stepper/` folder in Octave.

In the example `HOST` and `PORT` specify at which network address the Stepper Brick can be found. If it is connected locally to USB then `localhost` and 4223 is correct. The `UID` value has to be changed to the UID of the connected Stepper Brick, which you can figure out using Brick Viewer:

    HOST = "localhost";
    PORT = 4223;
    UID = "XYZ"; % Change to your UID

Now you're ready to test the examples.

## Known Problems

In Octave 3.8 the Invoke function throws an `java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError` exception. The Invoke function is allows to call Octave functions from Java. The bindings use this for callbacks. This means that you cannot use callbacks in Octave 3.8. A discussion on the Octave mailing list didn't come to a conclusion of fix for this yet. Because of this we recommend Octave 3.6 for now. This version is not affected by this problem and the bindings works without any problems.

## API Reference and Examples

Links to the API reference for the IP Connection, Bricks and Bricklets as well as the examples from the ZIP file of the bindings are listed in the following table. Further project descriptions can be found in the Starter Kits section.

| API | Examples
--- | --- | ---
IP Connection | API | Examples
Bricks |  |
DC | API | Examples
IMU | API | Examples
Master | API | Examples
RED | API | Examples
Servo | API | Examples
Stepper | API | Examples
Bricklets |  |
Ambient Light | API | Examples
Analog In | API | Examples
Analog Out | API | Examples
Barometer | API | Examples
Color | API | Examples
Current12 | API | Examples
Current25 | API | Examples
Distance IR | API | Examples
Distance US | API | Examples
Dual Button | API | Examples
Dual Relay | API | Examples
GPS | API | Examples
Hall Effect | API | Examples
Humidity | API | Examples
Industrial Digital In 4 | API | Examples
Industrial Digital Out 4 | API | Examples
Industrial Dual 0-20mA | API | Examples
Industrial Quad Relay | API | Examples
IO-16 | API | Examples
IO-4 | API | Examples
Joystick | API | Examples
LCD 16x2 | API | Examples
LCD 20x4 | API | Examples
LED Strip | API | Examples
Line | API | Examples
Linear Poti | API | Examples
Moisture | API | Examples
Motion Detector | API | Examples
Multi Touch | API | Examples
NFC/RFID | API | Examples
Piezo Buzzer | API | Examples
Piezo Speaker | API | Examples
PTC | API | Examples
Remote Switch | API | Examples
Rotary Encoder | API | Examples
Rotary Poti | API | Examples
Segment Display 4x7 | API | Examples
Solid State Relay | API | Examples
Sound Intensity | API | Examples
Temperature | API | Examples
Temperature IR | API | Examples
Tilt | API | Examples
Voltage | API | Examples
Voltage/Current | API | Examples

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