How to package MATLAB Engine API for Python with PyInstaller?

I am using PyInstaller to package my Python application, which uses the MATLAB Engine API for Python. The executable file that is created does not bundle the "matlab" Python package. As a result, when the executable file is launched, I get the following error.

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'matlab' 

How can I package MATLAB Engine API for Python with PyInstaller?

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

Follow the steps below to include the MATLAB Engine API package in your app.

1.  Navigate to the directory containing the Python target file for PyInstaller, and create a directory named "hooks", if it does not already exist.

2.  Inside the "hooks" directory, create a Python script called "hook-matlab.py" with the following code for importing the "matlab" package:

from PyInstaller.utils.hooks import collect_all
datas, binaries, hiddenimports = collect_all('matlab')

3.  Package the Python application using PyInstaller with the "--additional-hooks-dir" option.

pyinstaller <Python target file> --additional-hooks-dir=hooks    

Additional Troubleshooting

Case 1:

 MATLAB Python engine not installed in a default location

You will need to add path information when running the pyinstaller command.

pyinstaller <Python target file> --additional-hooks-dir=hooks --paths <path to the "matlab" folder>

Case 2: MATLAB R2024a or later

If you receive the following error

ImportError: DLL load failed while importing matlabmultidimarrayforpython: The specified module could not be found.

the path to the "matlabmultidimarrayforpython" library needs to be included in the "paths". For example,

pyinstaller <Python target file> --additional-hooks-dir=hooks --paths "C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2024a\extern\bin\win64"

Case 3: Install Corrupted Error

If you receive the following error when running your executable,

the MATLAB Engine for Python install is corrupted

there is an issue with the "hooks" folder setup. For example, the hooks folder doesn't exist, the "--additional-hooks-dir=hooks" flag is not used or the "hook-matlab.py" file doesn't exist.