Matlab Product Installer R2020a not accepting keyboard or mouse clicks on linux

Hello,

We are running Scientific Linux 7, a Redhat Enterprise clone.

I know I had this problem earlier when I initially installed R2020a but I don't recall how I solved it.

We purchased a new toolbox which I want to add. I have mounted the ISO image on a server and run the installer.

It immediately asks for my email address. We have a file installation key. I try to select it but it just does not repsond.

I also try to enter in my email address, nothing is typed in the text area. By some trial and error I manage to get the license

agreement form, says yes, get a window for the file installation key, paste it in but then the Next key never activates and I am stuck.

What is frustrating is that I know I got around this before.

Stan Swiercz

I

Answer 1

[Peter]

I observed this annoying behaviour when trying to install R2020b on Ubuntu Linux 20.04 and 16.04 and I recognized that starting from R2020a they changed the installer. Thy guy from matlab support did not know this problem, neither a solution for it.

My workaround to get around this finally was to patch the install script, replacing the line

targetAppName="install_unix"

to

targetAppName="install_unix_legacy"

however, I assume it is a nasty bug in the new installer, I suspect, it could even be connected with keyboard handling in the new matlab in general ...

have fun!

Andreas

[Anirudh Kochhar]

that was a weird fix, but it works now. thanks! idk why more people did not notice this

[Chris Piker]

Thanks for the hint. Any idea if this is fixed in 2021a?

[Peter Benie]

R2021a update 2 has the bug, but it doesn't have the old installer, which is a bit awkward if you are trying to install the product.

The unattended install does work, however, so you can run as: ./install -inputFile installer_input.txt

On mine, I set destinationFolder, fileInstallationKey, agreeToLicense and licensePath, and it installs without interacting at all, sidestepping the problem.

[Mark vanRossum]

This is obviously a bug that Mathworks should fix!

Answer 2

[Mark vanRossum]

Called support and they told me to either

1. Use xfce
2. Change the window focus mode to "click" instead of "mouse" in the settings. You use this with "tweak tools" in the Windows tab.

I had success with using xfwm4 --replace to use xfce's WM from within Mate.