compiler.build.comComponent

Create COM component for deployment outside MATLAB

Since R2021a

Syntax

compiler.build.comComponent(Files)

compiler.build.comComponent(Files,Name,Value)

compiler.build.comComponent(ClassMap)

compiler.build.comComponent(ClassMap,Name,Value)

compiler.build.comComponent(opts)

results = compiler.build.comComponent(___)

Description

Caution

This function is only supported on Windows^® operating systems.

compiler.build.comComponent(Files) creates a COM component using the MATLAB^® functions specified by Files.

compiler.build.comComponent(Files,Name,Value) creates a COM component with additional options specified using one or more name-value arguments. Options include the class name, output directory, and additional files to include.

compiler.build.comComponent(ClassMap) creates a COM component with a class mapping specified using a container.Map object ClassMap.

compiler.build.comComponent(ClassMap,Name,Value) creates a COM component using ClassMap and additional options specified using one or more name-value arguments. Options include the component name, output directory, and additional files to include.

compiler.build.comComponent(opts) creates a COM component with options specified using a compiler.build.COMComponentOptions object opts. You cannot specify any other options using name-value arguments.

results = compiler.build.comComponent(___) 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.

Examples

Create COM Component Using File

Create a COM component on a Windows system using a function file that generates a magic square.

Ensure that you have the following installed:

• The Windows 10 SDK kit. For details, see Windows 10 SDK.

• MinGW-w64. To install it from the MathWorks File Exchange, see MATLAB Support for MinGW-w64 C/C++ Compiler.

  Use mbuild -setup -client mbuild_com to ensure that MATLAB is able to create COM components.

In MATLAB, locate the MATLAB function that you want to deploy as a COM component. For this example, use the file magicsquare.m located in matlabroot\extern\examples\compiler.

appFile = fullfile(matlabroot,'extern','examples','compiler','magicsquare.m');

Build a COM component using the compiler.build.comComponent command.

compiler.build.comComponent(appFile);

The build function creates the following files within a folder named magicsquarecomComponent in your current working directory:

• dlldata.c — C source code file that contains entry points and data structures required by the class factory for the DLL.

• GettingStarted.html — HTML file that contains steps on installing COM components.

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

• magicsquare.def — Module definition file that defines which functions to include in the DLL export table.

• magicsquare.rc — Resource script file that describes the resources used by the component.

• magicsquare_1_0.dll — Dynamic-link library file.

• magicsquare_dll.cpp — C++ source code file that contains helper functions.

• magicsquare_idl.h — C++ header file.

• magicsquare_idl.idl — Interface definition language file.

• magicsquare_idl.tlb — Type library file that contains information about the COM object properties and methods.

• magicsquare_idl_i.c — C source code file that contains the IIDs and CLSIDs for the IDL interface.

• magicsquare_idl_p.c — C source code file that contains the proxy stub code for the IDL interface.

• magicsquareClass_com.cpp — C++ source code file that defines the class.

• magicsquareClass_com.hpp — C++ header file that defines the class.

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

• mwcomtypes.h — C++ header file that contains the definitions for the interfaces.

• mwcomtypes_i.c — C source code file that contains the IIDs and CLSIDs.

• mwcomtypes_p.c — C source code file that contains the proxy stub code.

• readme.txt — Text file that contains deployment information.

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

• unresolvedSymbols.txt — Text file that contains information on unresolved symbols.

For an example showing how to integrate this component into a standalone Microsoft^® Visual Basic^® application, see Integrate Magic Square into a COM Application.

For more information about IDL and C++ coding rules for building COM objects and mappings to other languages, see the Microsoft Documentation.

Customize COM Component

Create a COM component on a Windows system and customize it using name-value arguments.

For this example, use the files flames.m and flames.mat located in matlabroot\extern\examples\compiler.

appFile = fullfile(matlabroot,'extern','examples','compiler','flames.m');
MATFile = fullfile(matlabroot,'extern','examples','compiler','flames.mat');

Build a COM component using the compiler.build.comComponent command. Use name-value arguments to specify the component name and version, add a MAT-file, and enable verbose output.

compiler.build.comComponent(appFile,'ComponentName','MyFlames',...
    'ComponentVersion','2.0',...
    'AdditionalFiles',MATFile,...
    'Verbose','on');

For an example showing how to integrate this component into a standalone Microsoft Visual Basic application, see Integrate Magic Square into a COM Application.

Create COM Component Using Class Map

Create a COM component on a Windows system using a class map and multiple function files.

Create a containers.Map object whose keys are class names and whose values are the locations of function files.

cmap = containers.Map;
cmap('Class1') = {'exampleFcn1.m'};
cmap('Class2') = {'exampleFcn2.m','exampleFcn3.m'};

Build a COM component using the compiler.build.comComponent command. Use name-value arguments to specify the component name and version.

compiler.build.comComponent(cmap,...
    'ComponentName','MyComponent',...
    'ComponentVersion','2.0');

For an example showing how to integrate this component into a standalone Microsoft Visual Basic application, see Integrate Magic Square into a COM Application.

Create Multiple Components Using Options Object

Create multiple COM components on a Windows system using a compiler.build.COMComponentOptions object.

For this example, use the file magicsquare.m located in matlabroot\extern\examples\compiler.

appFile = fullfile(matlabroot,'extern','examples','compiler','magicsquare.m');

Create a COMComponentOptions object using appFile. Use name-value arguments to specify a common output directory, generate the assembly archives separately, and enable verbose output.

opts = compiler.build.COMComponentOptions(appFile,...
    'OutputDir','D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\COMComponentBatch',...
    'EmbedArchive','off',...
    'Verbose','on')

opts =

  COMComponentOptions with properties:

            ClassMap: [1×1 containers.Map]
          ComponentName: 'magicsquare'
       ComponentVersion: '1.0.0.0'
           EmbedArchive: off
        AdditionalFiles: {}s+ AutoDetectDataFiles: ons+ ObfuscateArchive: offs+ SupportPackages: {'autodetect'}
                Verbose: on
              OutputDir: 'D:\Documents\MATLAB\work\COMComponentBatch'

   Class Map Information
       magicsquareClass: {'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2023b\extern\examples\compiler\magicsquare.m'}

Build the COM component using the COMComponentOptions object.

compiler.build.comComponent(opts);

To compile using the function file myMagic2.m with the same options, use dot notation to modify the ClassMap of the existing COMComponentOptions object before running the build function again.

remove(opts.ClassMap, keys(opts.ClassMap));
opts.ClassMap('myMagic2Class') = 'myMagic2.m';
compiler.build.comComponent(opts);

By modifying the ClassMap argument and recompiling, you can create multiple components using the same options object.

Get Build Information from COM Component

Create a COM component 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 magicsquare.m.

results = compiler.build.comComponent('magicsquare.m')

results = 

  Results with properties:

              BuildType: 'comComponent'
                  Files: {2×1 cell}
IncludedSupportPackages: {}
                Options: [1×1 compiler.build.COMComponentOptions]

The Files property contains the paths to the following compiled files:

• magicsquare_1_0.dll

• GettingStarted.html

Input Arguments

Files — Files implementing MATLAB functions

character vector | string scalar | cell array of character vectors | string array

Files implementing MATLAB functions, specified as a character vector, a string scalar, a string array, or a cell array of character vectors. File paths can be relative to the current working directory or absolute. Files must have a .m extension.

Example: ["myfunc1.m","myfunc2.m"]

Data Types: char | string | cell

ClassMap — Class map

containers.Map object

Class map, specified as a containers.Map object. Map keys are class names and each value is the set of files mapped to the corresponding class. Files must have a .m extension.

Example: cmap

opts — COM component build options

compiler.build.COMComponentOptions object

COM component build options, specified as a compiler.build.COMComponentOptions object.

Name-Value Arguments

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: 'EmbedArchive','on'

AdditionalFiles — Additional files

character vector | string scalar | cell array of character vectors | string array

Additional files and folders to include in the COM component, 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","data.txt"]

Data Types: char | string | cell

AutoDetectDataFiles — Flag to automatically include data files

'on' (default) | on/off logical value

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 COM component.

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

Example: 'AutoDetectDataFiles','off'

Data Types: logical

ClassName — Name of COM class

character vector | string scalar

Name of the COM class, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. You cannot specify this option if you use a ClassMap input. Class names must match the COM class name requirements.

The default value is the name of the first file listed in the Files argument appended with Class.

Example: 'ClassName','magicsquareClass'

Data Types: char | string

ComponentName — Name of COM component

character vector | string scalar

Name of the COM component, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. The value acts as the program ID that is entered into the Windows Registry. The default name of the generated component is the first entry of the Files argument. The name must begin with a letter and contain only alphabetic characters and periods.

Example: 'ComponentName','mycomponent'

Data Types: char | string

ComponentVersion — Component version

'1.0.0.0' (default) | character vector | string scalar

Component version, specified as a character vector or a string scalar. For information on versioning using MATLAB Compiler SDK™, see Versioning.

Example: 'ComponentVersion','4.0'

Data Types: char | string

EmbedArchive — Flag to embed deployable archive

'on' (default) | on/off logical value

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 deployable archive in the COM component.

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

Example: 'EmbedArchive','off'

Data Types: logical

ObfuscateArchive — Flag to obfuscate deployable archive

'off' (default) | on/off logical value

Flag to obfuscate 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 folder structures and file names in the deployable archive are obfuscated from the end user, and user code and data contained in MATLAB files are placed into a user package within the archive. Additionally, all .m files are converted to P-files before packaging. 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

OutputDir — Path to output directory

character vector | string scalar

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 component name appended with comComponent.

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

Data Types: char | string

SupportPackages — Support packages

'autodetect' (default) | 'none' | string scalar | cell array of character vectors | string array

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

Verbose — Flag to control build verbosity

'off' (default) | on/off logical value

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.

Example: 'Verbose','on'

Data Types: logical

Output Arguments

results — Build results

compiler.build.Results object

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

• The build type, which is 'comComponent'

• Paths to the following files:

  • ComponentName_ComponentVersion.dll

  • GettingStarted.html

• Included support packages

• Build options, specified as a COMComponentOptions object

Limitations

• This function is only supported on Windows operating systems.

Version History

Introduced in R2021a