Mex on macosx without xcode

I want to compile mex files without installing xcode, using only Command Line Tools (from apple developer center).

Apple Command Line Tools install the compiler and adds standard libraries and headers to the system in a package much smaller than xcode (which is several GBs).

Running mex on linux is possible - I see no reason why matlab mex should require the huge SDKs for macos. A long evening of trial and error and hacking configuration files hasn't helped. Does anyone have a minimal working example of how to compile a mex file outside matlab, or a simple way to use mex without having xcode installed?

Best Regards, Magnus

[Martin Andersen]

I figured out a way around it. Open a terminal window and run the following command:

/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c 'Add :IDEXcodeVersionForAgreedToGMLicense string 10.0' ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dt.Xcode.plist

This creates a property file with an Xcode version number (the value of which probably doesn't matter). You should now be able to use Command Line Tools without installing Xcode.

[Alek Pikl]

This fixed it for me.

My problem was running mex on a macbook without having to install the full Xcode.

Running

mex -setup

returned an error somewhat in the lines of xcode licence not accepted .

I installed CL Tools but couldn't accept the licence by using

sudo xcodebuild -license

due to some error that CL Tools are not Xcode...

Answer 1

[Magnus]

I found the solution, see: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/40052388/matlab-mex-without-xcode-but-with-standalone-command-line-tools/40083012#40083012

[Pierre]

The solution above by Martin Andersen is the fastest and more elegant. I confirm it works perfectly.

[Art]

I also had success using the plist trick.

[Roy Goodman]

@Magnus can you share the XML file that you created in Option 2 of your stackexchange answer? I tried to modify it myself, but didn't know what I was doing and got an error when I tried to run mex.

Answer 2

[Ian]

There is another solution that works with 2021b: https://stackoverflow.com/a/41538477/415013 — I do not have enough space to install XCode and command-line tools can compile mex files so this solution works well! Mathworks should make it easier to use the command-line tools rather than require the massive XCode install...