Parallel toolbox "Couldn't find process 570"

I'm setting up Matlab on a new linux laptop. When I try to use the parallel toolbox via

>> matlabpool 4

I get the following error:

Error using matlabpool (line 134)
The following error occurred while retrieving the name of process 570:
Matlab/toolbox/distcomp/bin/util/psname.sh: line 12: /bin/ps: No such file
or directory
Couldn't find process 570

What could be causing this? I've used this setup on several other computers without this problem.

[Walter Roberson]

Please check to see if your linux has /bin/ps and if it does not, then at the linux prompt please check what

which ps

indicates.

[Tyler]

ps works fine.

[~]$ which ps
/usr/bin/ps

I assume Matlab is using ps to get the process id of something, but that something isn't showing up in the ps output. At least, not in the expected format.

[Walter Roberson]

Notice your ps is /usr/bin/ps but psname.sh is looking for /bin/ps

Is there a /bin/ps on your system? If not, then try linking /usr/bin/ps to /bin/ps

[Tyler]

/bin/ps is already linked to /usr/bin/ps.

[~]$ ls -al /bin
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 7 Jun   1 03:40 /bin -> usr/bin

Just typing "/bin/ps" at the prompt gives the normal ps output.

[Walter Roberson]

I do not have that toolbox so I cannot examine the code. I would have a look at Matlab/toolbox/distcomp/bin/util/psname.sh and in particular I would check what is going on on line 12 in that file.