OSError: MATLAB Engine for Python 3.8 on MacBook Pro with M1 chip

After running the setup.py file I am trying to import the MATLAB engine from python and i get an OSError:

Please reinstall MATLAB Engine for Python or contact MathWorks Technical Support for assistance: dlopen(/Applications/MATLAB_R2020b.app/extern/engines/python/dist/matlab/engine/maci64/matlabengineforpython3_8.so, 2): no suitable image found.  Did find:
	/Applications/MATLAB_R2020b.app/extern/engines/python/dist/matlab/engine/maci64/matlabengineforpython3_8.so: mach-o, but wrong architecture
	/Applications/MATLAB_R2020b.app/extern/engines/python/dist/matlab/engine/maci64/matlabengineforpython3_8.so: mach-o, but wrong architecture

I have run the usual command:

    import matlab.engine

I have MATLAB 2020b latest version running smoothly via rosetta on the said machine. Aren't the MATLAB python engine libraries updated to handle the same.

Kindly help me circumvent this problem.

[Peter Somhorst]

Hi Mehul,

How did you install Python? I found it doesn't work if you install it through pyenv. What worked for me (installing it, haven't tested anything yet):

• install python 3.8 through homebrew (`arch -x86_64 /usr/local/bin/brew install python@3.8`)
• install the matlab engine in this version of python (`/usr/local/opt/python@3.8/bin/python3.8 setup.py install`)

NB: Matlab 2021B supports Python 3.9 as well.

Hope this helps!

[xenon zhang]

hello, you can use

arch -x86_64 python3

instand of

python3

in terminal to run python as a x86 program (without install another version), then matlab engine can working well

Answer 1

[alaa Ahmed]

If you are running matlab in Macbook pro with MATLAB 2020b .. Please run this command on matlab command window so that you set the python evironment directory

pyversion /usr/local/bin/python3

Then type pyenv, you will be able to find all PythonEnvironment feilds are filled :D

pyenv

ans = 

PythonEnvironment with properties:

Version: "3.8"
Executable: "/usr/local/bin/python3"
Library: "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.8/lib/libpython3.8.dylib"
Home: "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.8"
Status: NotLoaded
ExecutionMode: OutOfProcess

Answer 2

[Rashed Mohammed]

Hi Mehul,

Since you are trying to load matlab engine (which is x86_64) from python3, It is necessary to run python3 also under rosetta2. I was able to reproduce your issue and running python3 under rosetta2 fixed the issue.

Hope this helps!

[Hyung-Chun Lee]

I have tried it many times but I could not succeed.

[xenon zhang]

@Hyung-Chun Lee you can try

arch -x86_64 python3

to run your script, for example

arch -x86_64 python3 test.py

instand of

python3 test.py

it work for me