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2.4: How to Access MatLab (Duke students)

  • Page ID
    425577
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    There are two options for accessing Matlab at Duke:

    1. You can access the Matlab program using a lab computer. However, Matlab is not installed on the lab computer hard drive. Rather, you can access the software that is installed on the chemistry department server (bohr) using an emulation software (FastX).
      • Alternatively, FastX is already installed on all laboratory computers in our P-Chem lab, and you are permitted to use those computers any time that the labs are open.
    2. You can download and install software onto your own computer to access Matlab.
      1. Install FastX onto your own computer to access the Matlab installed on the chemistry department server.
      2. Install Matlab on your own computer.

    The ability to access Matlab from your own computer will allow you to do your data analysis without having to come in to the lab computers. There are two ways that you might accomplish this. The first is to access the version of Matlab on the chemistry server, bohr, either by downloading and installing FastX (and the Duke VPN if you are off campus) onto your computer, or by using a browser-based version of FastX. The second is to download and install the actual Matlab program on your own computer. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. Both the FastX and, if needed, VPN software packages are small and do not take up a lot of space on your computer. Additionally running the server version of Matlab through bohr gives you instant access to our in-house scripts that are used throughout the advanced lab classes. However, running a remote connection from your computer to bohr can result in a slower response since the speed will be related to the speed of your network connection. Installing the Matlab program on your own computer will likely give you a faster response, but the Matlab software will take up as much as six gigabytes of space. Additionally, you will have to get copies of our in-house scripts and place them in the Matlab path so that they can be used when needed. Instructions for both options are given in sections 1.1.2 and 1.1.3 of this Chapter.


    This page titled 2.4: How to Access MatLab (Duke students) is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kathryn Haas.

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