How to execute an application file by MATLAB command?

Dear User I have a application file(.exe extention) which for converting .pl4 extention to .mat extention that downloaded from: http://www.dsea.unipi.it/Members/ceraolow/Software... That file written in borland C++.

I need to execute it by MATLAB command, I know I should use "system('command')" function, but I do not know what command is needed. please help me. Regards

Answer 1

[Jason Ross]

The link you included is invalid, but to run an executable with the system command, you do the following:

[status,result] = system('myexecutable.exe -option1 -option2')

where

• myexecutable.exe is the name of the executable. You might need to include the full path to the executable if it's not on your path by default.
• -option1 and -option2 are the parameters you pass into the executable. These could also be filenames.
• status is the exit status of the executable (did it exit normally or not)
• result has any output

Answer 2

[Mohsen]

First of all Thank You, this application file has a pushbutton and need to determine input and output extention and I do not know how to detemine. here there is valid link for getting the file : https://hotfile.com/dl/199239588/f5947d2/Converter.exe.html

Please guide me for determining "command" term.

Thank you again.

[Jason Ross]

The system() command will not interact with push buttons. If the executable requires this type of input you could probably use

system('Converter.exe')

which will then start the program, you can pick the files and then when it ends you will have control in MATLAB again.

Answer 3

[Mohsen]

Dear friend, Because of very iterations, I would like all steps be performed by MATLAB then How do I pick the files in command line? Thank you all!

[Image Analyst]

Jason told you twice now. Not sure what you're looking for, if that's not it. By the way, your Answer should really be a Comment since you're not answering your original question but commenting on Jason's answer. Please explain why Jason's answers do not meet your needs.

[Jason Ross]

Mohsen -- the system() command can be thought of as opening a command prompt. So if the program you are running can accept command line options, then you can pass those into your system prompt as I've already indicated. If the program can't take command line options, then the system command really won't help you -- but not because of any limitation of the system command, because the program doesn't support command line switches.

In other words, if you can't open a command shell and type something like this (and I'm completely making up these options)

converter.exe -convertfrom pl4 -convertto mat -infile myfile.pl4 -outfile myfile.mat

You won't be able to do this in automation.

If you have access to the source code, it's possible that you could add in the code to parse command line options, recompile it, then it would do what you would like.

Also, thanks, Image Analyst!

[Mohsen]

By system('Converter.exe') you only can open the file, but selecting and converting pl4 file to mat file may be performed manually. I would like all steps be performed by MATLAB commands. In other words please guide me for converting .pl4 extention to .mat extention by command line. Jason mentioned: " you can pick the files" that is performed manually.

[Jason Ross]

If you want it to be done automatically using command line options, the conversion program itself must provide an interface MATLAB can use. MATLAB can access programs via a variety of interfaces, the command line is only one. You can also use COM, .NET or you can compile a .mex file.

The bottom line is that the conversion program needs to be modified to use an interface that allows automation. If the writer of the conversion program doesn't provide that interface, there is really nothing that MATLAB can do about it.