how do I let matlab use a specific python3 version?

I am running Ubuntu 18 and Matlab R2022b. My Ubuntu does not like to have a different default python3 than python3.6 (it then gives all kind of weird errors like not being able to start a terminal). Matlab R2022b does not support python3.6. I have python3.8 installed via deadsnakes/sudo apt-get install python3.8 and it works fine in the terminal (/usr/bin/python3.8). When I set this in Matlab via pyversion('/usr/bin/python3.8') it does not work. Any hints?

when I run pyversion I get:

pyversion

       version: '3.8'
    executable: '/usr/bin/python3.8'
       library: ''
          home: '/usr'
      isloaded: 0

so library remains empty.

then when I run:

py.list({'This','is a','list'})
Unable to resolve the name 'py.list'.

Running pyversion('/usr/bin/python3') obviously gives the error 'Python version 3.6 is not supported.'

Running pyversion('/usr/bin/python2.7') results in a working environment:

pyversion

       version: '2.7'
    executable: '/usr/bin/python2.7'
       library: 'libpython2.7.so.1.0'
          home: '/usr'
      isloaded: 0

but I need python3 instead! Any help?

Answer 1

[Sven]

I managed to solve it by installing the -dev version of python3.8:

sudo apt-get install python3.8-dev