compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication

Create a standalone application for deployment outside MATLAB that does not launch a Windows command shell

Since R2020b

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Syntax

compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(AppFile)
compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(AppFile,Name,Value)
compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(opts)
results = compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(___)

Description

Caution

This function is only supported on Windows® operating systems.

compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(AppFile) creates a standalone Windows only application using a MATLAB® function, class, or app specified using AppFile. The application does not open a Windows command shell on execution, and as a result, no console output is displayed. The generated executable has a .exe file extension and does not include MATLAB Runtime or an installer.

example

compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(AppFile,Name,Value) creates a standalone Windows application with additional options specified using one or more name-value arguments. Options include the executable name, version number, and icon and splash images.

example

compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(opts) creates a standalone Windows application with additional options specified using a compiler.build.StandaloneApplicationOptions object opts. You cannot specify any other options using name-value arguments.

example

results = compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(___) returns build information as a compiler.build.Results object using any of the argument combinations in previous syntaxes. The build information consists of the build type, paths to the compiled files, and build options.

example

Examples

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Create a graphical standalone application on a Windows system that displays a plot.

Write a MATLAB function that plots the values 1 to 10. Save the function in a file named myPlot.m.

function myPlot()
plot(1:10)

Build a standalone Windows application using the compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication command.

compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication('myPlot.m');

This syntax generates the following files within a folder named myPlotstandaloneApplication in your current working directory:

  • includedSupportPackages.txt — Text file that lists all support files included in the application.

  • myPlot.exe — Executable file.

  • mccExcludedFiles.log — Log file that contains a list of any toolbox functions that were not included in the application. For more information on non-supported functions, see MATLAB Compiler Limitations.

  • readme.txt — Readme file that contains information on deployment prerequisites and the list of files to package for deployment.

  • requiredMCRProducts.txt — Text file that contains product IDs of products required by MATLAB Runtime to run the application.

  • splash.png — File that contains the splash image that displays when the application starts.

  • unresolvedSymbols.txt — Text file that contains any unresolved symbols.

To run myPlot.exe, navigate to the myPlotstandaloneApplication folder and double-click myPlot.exe from the file browser, execute !myPlot in the MATLAB command window, or execute myPlot.exe in the Windows command shell.

The application displays a splash image followed by a MATLAB figure of a line plot.

Figure 1 (myPlot.exe)

Figure 1

Create a graphical standalone application on a Windows system and customize it using name-value arguments.

Create xVal as a vector of linearly spaced values between 0 and 2π. Use an increment of π/40 between the values. Create yVal as sine values of x. Save both variables in a MAT-file named myVars.mat.

xVal = 0:pi/40:2*pi;
yVal = sin(xVal);
save('myVars.mat','xVal','yVal');

Create a function file named myPlot.m to create a line plot of the xVal and yVal variables.

function myPlot()
load('myVars.mat');
plot(xVal,yVal)

Build the standalone application using the compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication function. Use name-value arguments to specify the executable name and version number.

compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication('myPlot.m', ...
'ExecutableName','SineWaveApp',...
'ExecutableVersion','2.0')

This syntax generates the following files within a folder named SineWaveAppstandaloneApplication in your current working directory:

  • includedSupportPackages.txt

  • mccExcludedFiles.log

  • readme.txt

  • requiredMCRProducts.txt

  • SineWaveApp.exe

  • splash.png

  • unresolvedSymbols.txt

To run SineWaveApp.exe, navigate to the myPlotstandaloneApplication folder and double-click SineWaveApp.exe from the file browser, execute !SineWaveApp.exe in the MATLAB command window, or execute SineWaveApp.exe at the Windows command prompt.

The application displays a splash image followed by a MATLAB figure of a sine wave.

Figure 1 (SineWaveApp.exe)

Figure 1

Create multiple graphical standalone applications on a Windows system using a compiler.build.StandaloneApplicationOptions object.

Write a MATLAB function that plots the values 1 to 10. Save the function in a file named myPlot.m.

function myPlot()
plot(1:10)

Create a StandaloneApplicationOptions object using myPlot.m. Use name-value arguments to specify a common output directory and display progress information during the build process.

opts = compiler.build.StandaloneApplicationOptions('myPlot.m', ...
'OutputDir','D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\WindowsApps', ...
'Verbose','On')
opts = 

  StandaloneApplicationOptions with properties:

        CustomHelpTextFile: ''
              EmbedArchive: on
            ExecutableIcon: 'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2025a\toolbox\compiler\packagingResources\default_icon_48.png'
            ExecutableName: 'myPlot'
    ExecutableSplashScreen: 'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2025a\toolbox\compiler\packagingResources\default_splash.png'
         ExecutableVersion: '1.0.0.0'
                   AppFile: 'myPlot.m'
      TreatInputsAsNumeric: on
           AdditionalFiles: {}
       AutoDetectDataFiles: on
     ExternalEncryptionKey: [0×0 struct]
          ObfuscateArchive: off
           SecretsManifest: ''
           SupportPackages: {'autodetect'}
                   Verbose: on
                 OutputDir: 'D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\WindowsApps'

Build a graphical standalone application by passing the StandaloneApplicationOptions object as an input to the build function.

compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(opts);

To create a new application using the function file myPlot2.m with the same options, use dot notation to modify the AppFile of the existing StandaloneApplicationOptions object before running the build function again.

opts.AppFile = 'example2.m';
compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication(opts);

By modifying the AppFile argument and recompiling, you can compile multiple applications using the same options object.

Create a standalone Windows application on a Windows system and save information about the build type, generated files, included support packages, and build options to a compiler.build.Results object.

Compile using the file Mortgage.mlapp.

results = compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication('Mortgage.mlapp')
results = 

  Results with properties:

              BuildType: 'standaloneWindowsApplication'
                  Files: {3×1 cell}
IncludedSupportPackages: {}
                Options: [1×1 compiler.build.StandaloneApplicationOptions] 
    RuntimeDependencies: [1×1 compiler.runtime.Dependencies]

The Files property contains the paths to the following files:

  • Mortgage.exe

  • splash.png

  • readme.txt

Input Arguments

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Path to the main file used to build the application, specified as a row character vector or a string scalar. The file must be a MATLAB function, class, or app of one of the following types: .m, .p, .mlx, .mlapp, or a valid MEX file.

Example: 'mymagic.m'

Data Types: char | string

Standalone application build options, specified as a compiler.build.StandaloneApplicationOptions object.

Name-Value Arguments

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Specify optional pairs of arguments as Name1=Value1,...,NameN=ValueN, where Name is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. Name-value arguments must appear after other arguments, but the order of the pairs does not matter.

Before R2021a, use commas to separate each name and value, and enclose Name in quotes.

Example: OutputDir='D:\work\myproject'

Additional files and folders to include in the standalone application, specified as a character vector, a string scalar, a string array, or a cell array of character vectors. Paths can be relative to the current working directory or absolute.

Example: 'AdditionalFiles',["myvars.mat","myfunc.m"]

Data Types: char | string | cell

Flag to automatically include data files, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • If you set this property to 'on', then data files that you provide as inputs to certain functions (such as load and fopen) are automatically included in the standalone application. This is the default behavior.

  • If you set this property to 'off', then you must add data files to the application using the AdditionalFiles property.

Example: 'AutoDetectDataFiles','Off'

Data Types: logical

Path to a help file containing help text for the end user of the application, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. The path can be relative to the current working directory or absolute.

Example: 'CustomHelpTextFile','D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\help.txt'

Data Types: char | string

Flag to embed the deployable archive, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • If you set this property to 'on', then the function embeds the archive in the deployable executable.

  • If you set this property to 'off', then the function generates the deployable archive as a separate file.

Example: 'EmbedArchive','Off'

Data Types: logical

Path to the icon image, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. The image is used as the icon for the standalone executable. The path can be relative to the current working directory or absolute. Accepted image types are .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, and .gif.

The default path is:

'matlabroot\toolbox\compiler\packagingResources\default_icon_48.png'

Example: 'ExecutableIcon','D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\images\myIcon.png'

Data Types: char | string

Name of the generated application, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. The default value is the file name of AppFile. Target output names must begin with a letter or underscore character and contain only alpha-numeric characters or underscores.

Example: 'ExecutableName','MagicSquare'

Data Types: char | string

Path to the splash screen image, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. The path can be relative to the current working directory or absolute. Accepted image types are .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, and .gif. The image is resized to 400 pixels by 400 pixels.

The default path is:

'matlabroot\toolbox\compiler\packagingResources\default_splash.png'

Note

This is only used in Windows applications built using compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication.

Example: 'ExecutableSplashScreen','D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\images\mySplash.png'

Data Types: char | string

Executable version, specified as a character vector or a string scalar.

Note

This is only used on Windows operating systems.

Example: 'ExecutableVersion','4.0'

Data Types: char | string

Since R2024b

Paths to the external AES encryption key and MEX key loader files, specified as a scalar struct with exactly two row char vector or string scalar fields named EncryptionKeyFile and RuntimeKeyLoaderFile, respectively. Both struct fields are required. File paths can be relative to the current working directory or absolute.

For example, specify the encryption key as encrypt.key and loader file as loader.mexw64 using struct keyValueStruct.

keyValueStruct.EncryptionKeyFile='encrypt.key'; keyValueStruct.RuntimeKeyLoaderFile='loader.mexw64'

The encryption key file must be in one of the following supported formats:

  • Binary 256-bit AES key, with a 32 byte file size

  • Hex encoded AES key, with a 64 byte file size

The MEX file loader retrieves the decryption key at runtime and must be an interface with the following arguments:

  • prhs[0] — Input, char array specified as the static value 'get'

  • prhs[1] — Input, char array specified as the CTF component UUID

  • plhs[0] — Output, 32 byte UINT8 numeric array or 64 byte hex encoded char array, depending on the key format

Avoid sharing the same key across multiple CTFs.

Example: 'ExternalEncryptionKey',keyValueStruct

Data Types: struct

Flag to obfuscate the deployable archive, specified as 'on'/1/true or 'off'/0/false. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.onoffSwitchState.

If you set this property to 'on', then folder structures and file names in the deployable archive are obfuscated from the end user, and user code and data contained in .m, .mlapp, .p, .mat, MLX, SFX, and MEX files are placed into a user package within the archive. Additionally, all .m files are converted to P-files before packaging.

During runtime, MATLAB code and data is decrypted and loaded directly from the user package rather than extracted to the file system. MEX files are temporarily extracted from the user package before being loaded.

To manually include additional file types in the user package, add each file type in a separate extension tag to the file matlabroot/toolbox/compiler/advanced_package_supported_files.xml.

The following are not supported:

  • ver function

  • Calling external libraries such as DLLs

  • Out-of-process MATLAB Runtime (C++ shared library for MATLAB Data Array)

  • Out-of-process MEX file execution (mexhost, feval, matlab.mex.MexHost)

  • Before R2023b: .mat files other than v7.3

Enabling this option is equivalent to using mcc with -j and -s specified.

If you set this property to 'off', then the deployable archive is not obfuscated. This is the default behavior.

Example: 'ObfuscateArchive','on'

Data Types: logical

Path to the output directory where the build files are saved, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. The path can be relative to the current working directory or absolute.

The default name of the build folder is the executable name appended with standaloneApplication.

Example: 'OutputDir','D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\MagicSquarestandaloneApplication'

Data Types: char | string

Since R2024b

Path to a secret manifest JSON file that specifies the secret keys to be embedded in the deployable archive, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. The path can be relative to the current working directory or absolute.

If your MATLAB code calls the getSecret, getSecretMetadata, or isSecret function, you must specify the secret keys to embed in the deployable archive in a JSON secret manifest file. If your code calls getSecret and you do not specify the SecretsManifest option, MATLAB Compiler™ issues a warning and generates a template JSON file in the output folder named <component_name>_secrets_manifest.json. Modify this file by specifying the secret key names in the Embedded field.

The setSecret function is not deployable. To embed secret keys in a deployable archive, you must call setSecret in MATLAB before you build the archive.

For more information on deployment using secrets, see Handle Sensitive Information in Deployed Applications.

Example: 'SecretsManifest','D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\mycomponent\mycomponent_secrets_manifest.json'

Data Types: char | string

Support packages to include, specified as one of the following options:

  • 'autodetect' (default) — The dependency analysis process detects and includes the required support packages automatically.

  • 'none' — No support packages are included. Using this option can cause runtime errors.

  • A string scalar, character vector, or cell array of character vectors — Only the specified support packages are included. To list installed support packages or those used by a specific file, see compiler.codetools.deployableSupportPackages.

Example: 'SupportPackages',{'Deep Learning Toolbox Converter for TensorFlow Models','Deep Learning Toolbox Model for Places365-GoogLeNet Network'}

Data Types: char | string | cell

Flag to interpret command line inputs as numeric values, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • If you set this property to 'on', then command line inputs are treated as numeric MATLAB doubles.

  • If you set this property to 'off', then command line inputs are treated as MATLAB character vectors. This is the default behavior.

Example: 'TreatInputsAsNumeric','on'

Data Types: logical

Flag to control build verbosity, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • If you set this property to 'on', then the MATLAB command window displays progress information indicating compiler output during the build process.

  • If you set this property to 'off', then the command window does not display progress information. This is the default behavior.

Example: 'Verbose','on'

Data Types: logical

Output Arguments

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Build results, returned as a compiler.build.Results object. The Results object contains:

  • The build type, which is 'standaloneApplication'

  • Paths to the following files:

    • ExecutableName.exe

    • splash.png

    • readme.txt

  • A list of included support packages

  • Build options, specified as a StandaloneApplicationOptions object

Limitations

  • This function is only supported on Windows operating systems.

  • The application does not open a Windows command shell on execution, and as a result, no console output is displayed.

Tips

  • To create a Windows standalone application from the system command prompt using this function, use the matlab function with the -batch option. For example:

    matlab -batch compiler.build.standaloneWindowsApplication('myapp.mlapp')

Version History

Introduced in R2020b

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See Also

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