How to host a MATLAB instance in WPF Host

Hello,

I want to integrate MATLAB into a C# WPF application. I've searched Google as much as I can and discovered, it's one thing if we've got some calculations, it might be doable.

However, we've got a case where our R&D team has a strong investment of time and effort maintaining not only calculations, but also an extensive user interface.

We want to integrate that piece through WPF with other non-MATLAB features, coordinated through a WPF hosting interface of sorts.

I know WPF can host 32-bit WinForms and such for things like painting, intercept and/or relay mouse and keyboard events and such. Is something like this doable integrating a MATLAB UI in a WPF host?

At first blush it seems the MATLAB environment wants to be in the driver's seat, not unlike T&M environments such as LabView. I could be wrong about that, but I'm a .NET guy, not a MATLAB guy.

Would someone advise?

Thank ye...

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

You can use MATLAB in "automation mode", and you can invoke the MATLAB Engine via .NET interfaces.

[Michael]

This is likely at least part of the answer, or at least worth a look. I'm not sure it's the answer, as we're exploring and navigating our options.

Answer 2

[Michael]

The MATLAB COM Automation Server

Yep. I know COM, COM Interop integration with a .NET application.

Are there any samples, per se, a "Hello World" (?), demonstrating mouse and keyboard event interception, how to handle screen refresh issues, etc? We could spike one of our own I suppose as a proof of concept.

Assumption: we would be taking a MATLAB licensing hit when we deploy the WPF application to client machines?

Answer 3

[Michael]

Another question there: if the MATLAB folks provide a .NET assembly, via the MATLAB Builder NE, this could expose the UI into our larger WPF app? TBD how to interact with it, cause it to receive keyboard and mouse events, refresh screen, etc.