Error Installing MATLAB engine API for Python

I am trying to install the MATLAB engine for Python on my computer and when I write

python setup.py install

I get the following error:

error: could not create 'build': Access is denied

The same error also occurs when I try 'builddir'

I also have administrator access on my computer so I am confused as to why I am being denied.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Aatman Mantri]

The same thing happened to me. Solution: Right click on Command Prompt and Run as Administrator. Problem solved!

[wallflower]

Thank you Aatman !

Answer 1

[Bo Li]

On Windows, you may need to run the prompt as administrator in order to write to protected folders even if you have administrator access.

Try to search "cmd" on Start and right click on it, select "Run as administrator" to see how it works.

[raym]

Great! Solved my problems.

[TANUJA JOSHI]

what about Mac??

[Wenxiao Liu]

It worked. Thank you!

[Yopu]

It doesn't work for me on 2 different PCs, whatever I try. I run the cmd as administrator, i try to set the folder attributes manually (remove the -r attribute), i still always get:

error: could not create 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.8_3.8.2544.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\Lib\site-packages\matlab': Access is denied

any ideas?

[Reese Green]

I am having the same issue as Yopu if anyone has ideas that would be great, tried changing permissions from properties but still doesn't work

[Autodidact LLC]

I'm also having the same issue, Running as Administrator yet still getting Access Denied.

[Kourosh Zare]

Dear all,

If this problem is still exist.

Please, just dubble check that the full access is enbale for the following folders:

MATLAB:

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021b\extern\engines\python

PYTHON

C:\Program Files\Python39\Lib\site-packages\

Then, using this command to install the API engine for Python by windows shell (cmd).

python setup.py install

Hope it would be useful :)

BR

Kourosh

[James li]

Wow! it works

Answer 2

[Jed Frey]

A better solution, especially if you don't have Admin access to the machine, is to specify the build directory:

python setup.py build -b C:\Temp install

[Ajai Singh]

Hello Jed,

I am trying to run a matlab script from my jupyter notebook script on my schools server where i do not have admin rights. And i do get the same error when ever i try to run

python setup.py install

error: could not create 'build': Access is denied

Can you please list all the steps needed to solve this problem.

Thank you.

[Abdulaziz]

You can use the following:

Please change <<username>> to your username on the machine

python setup.py build --build-base="C:\Users\<<USERNAME>>\Documents\MATLAB\pythonengine-build" install

Answer 3

[Moe Lwin Nang Swe Zin]

I'm facing the same error when I tried to install in matlab command window. when installing in cmd run as administrator is fine. does anyone know how to fix that error?

cmd: Installed c:\users\appdata\local\programs\python\python37\lib\site-packages\matlabengineforpython-r2020a-py3.7.egg

Processing dependencies for matlabengineforpython===R2020a

Finished processing dependencies for matlabengineforpython===R2020a

in matlab: error: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'dist\\matlabengineforpython.egg-info'

if it's installed by cmd, why am I getting "ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'matlab'" in jupyter?