Systems and Control Engineering


  OCTAVE (A Free MATLAB Clone)



A free MATLAB clone exists under the name OCTAVE

How to install OCTAVE for Windows and some info in the following:

There is now a free MATLAB clone with IDE for Windows, (i.e. with a Graphical User interface with Command Window, Editor, Workspace and Command History etc

as in the MATLAB GUI.)

If You want to try it out

check out:

 http://wiki.octave.org/Octave_for_Microsoft_Windows

NB:  Simply install one of the newest exe-versions.

 Se the following Windows  “print screan” picture file for illustrating the Octave IDE (or GUI)

In my opinion, the latest Octave Matlab clone is the simplest to use, alternative to Matlab (for the Matlab users) as well as new users.

The plotting facilities is in my opinion for the moment to poor in Octave, but the software is free. I have even tried out the D-SR Toolbox for MATLAB

under Octave, and it works (exept for a minor plotting bug). There are also Optimization functions for QP problems (the qp-m function) and Nonlinear Programming function. Se all packages under the Documentation toolbar (lower left button in the IDE (picture enclosed)). 

How to install the Control System Toolbox and other packages

In the OCTAVE command window go to the src-folder where You have installed OCTAVE.
As an example if You have installed on the C: drive. Type the following commands
after launching OCTAVE.

>> cd c:\octave\octave-3.8.2\src
>> pkg install -forge control

This will install the control toolbox from the net, because the -forge flag is used. Actually, all packages comes with the OCTAVE installation. Info about all packages, optim, image etc. is obtained from the help-menu + Octave Packages.. An alternative to the above is to first prepare all packages for installation and then instal the actual package.

From the src folder do the following:

>> cd c:\octave\octave-3.8.2\src
>> bulid-packages                         % Run the build-packages.m function to prepare...
>> pkg load control                        % or optim, image etc...

Teacher:  David Di Ruscio                            


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Email: david.di.ruscio@hit.no