Install Matlab on Linpus Aspire One

Installing Matlab on a linux Aspire One isn't straightforward, I spent a couple of hours before succeeding and I decided to write this guide in case some of you may need it.

The following instructions work with Matlab R2007a (7.4). I did not try with other versions.

First, you need to update libxcb since the Aspire One ships with a buggy version of it. To do this simply download and install this RPM: libxcb-1.1-1.1.fc8.src.rpm
You can find it here http://rpmfind.net//linux/RPM/fedora/up ... .i386.html

Install the missing library libXp.so.6: sudo yum install libXp.so.6

Make an image of the Matlab DVD and copy the ISO to a USB drive.

Mount the ISO as follows:

Code:

sudo mkdir /mnt/matlabiso  
sudo mount -t iso9660 -o loop nameoftheiso.iso /mnt/matlabiso

Create the directory for the matlab installation:

Code:

cd /usr/local
sudo mkdir matlab7
cd matlab7

Create the directory /usr/local/matlab7/etc and copy there a valid license file (license.dat).

Change the permissions for the matlab directory

Code:

sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/matlab7

Launch the installation as root in /mnt/matlabiso directory: ./install

Complete the installation (be careful which toolboxes you choose to install, a full Matlab installation requires up to 3 Gigs) .

Now you can launch matlab by typing /usr/local/matlab7/bin/matlab .

There's an issue with fonts when trying to plot a figure (the Helvetica font is not installed in Linpus). I solved it by creating an M-file named startup.m in the Matlab startup directory which is loaded every time matlab is launched. The M-file should contain:

Code:

clear all; clc
set(0,'DefaultTextFontname', 'Liberation Serif');
set(0,'DefaultAxesFontname', 'Liberation Serif');

You can choose any font that is installed in the Aspire One.

I didn't test it thouroughly, but everything seems to work.

I hope you find this useful, it would have saved me an afternoon (I'm a linux newbie)