To resolve the libmex.dylib missing error when running MATLAB GRETNA on MacBook Pro M1

Hello everyone,

I use MacBook Pro M1 with macOS 14.2.1.

When I run GRETNA in MATLAB_R2021b, the following error message appears:

Referenced from: <91A4AFCA-5C23-6A30-FB8C-A4C2CD09609E> /Users/mymatalbtoolbox/GRETNA-2.0.0_release/matlab_bgl/private/components_mex.mexmaci64
  Reason: tried: '/Users/mymatalbtoolbox/GRETNA-2.0.0_release/matlab_bgl/private/libmex.dylib' (no such file), '/usr/local/lib/libmex.dylib' (no such file), '/usr/lib/libmex.dylib' (no such file, not in dyld cache)

Is there any solution to fix this error?

Answer 1

[Rishi]

Hi yang,

I understand from your query that you are unable to run ‘GRETNA’ in MATLAB r2021b on a Mac with M1 chip.

This is because the MEX functions are not compatible with MATLAB for Apple Silicon. MATLAB runs on Apple Silicon Macs natively since the r2023b release. More information regarding this can found here:

https://www.mathworks.com/support/requirements/matlab-mac.html#:~:text=As%20of%20R2023b%2C%20MATLAB%20runs%20natively%20on%20Apple%20silicon%20Macs.

However, you can use the following workaround to use ‘GRETNA’ on your machine in r2021b:

• Install Rosetta2, which allows applications compiled for Intel-based Macs to run on Apple Silicon-based Macs.
• Install ‘GRETNA’.
• Use this on MATLAB for Intel-based Macs.

You can refer to the below documentation to learn more:

https://www.mathworks.com/content/dam/mathworks/mathworks-dot-com/support/sysreq/files/system-requirements-release-2021b-macintosh.pdf

Hope this helps!