Why does Copyfile not work in Matlab Deployed GUI?

I build a GUI which I deploy, using the Application compiler. I want to create a folder and copy the folder to a location. This is my code:

    try
        %MODEL FOLDER EXISTS --> COPY ELEMENTS
        if exist('C:\All_Fit\models','dir')==7
            [~,message]=copyfile('models/*','C:/All_Fit/models','f'); %SLASH INSTEAD OF BACKSLASH
            warndlg(message)
            model_folder='C:\All_Fit\models';
        %MODEL DOES NOT EXIST --> CREATE FOLDER THEN COPY ELEMENTS
        elseif  exist('C:\All_Fit\models','dir')==0
            mkdir('C:\All_Fit','models')
            [~,message]=copyfile('models/*','C:/All_Fit/models','f'); %SLASH INSTEAD OF BACKSLASH
            warndlg(message)
            model_folder='C:\All_Fit\models';
        %MODEL FOLDER FROM INTERNAL FOLDER     
        else
            warndlg(sprintf('No model molder could be found or created. The internally definded models are used.'))
            model_folder='models';     
        end
    catch
    warndlg(sprintf('No Model Folder could be found or created. The internally definded models are used.'))
    model_folder='models';
    end

I have tried different syntax for copyfile and all of the succeded under pure Matlab. For instance:

   copyfile('models','C:\All_Fit\models','f');

The message I get from the warndlg is 'No matching files were found'. Yet the catch gets the folder and uses them.

Why is that not working in the exe. since it works like a charm if not deployed? Thanks a lot. Ravi

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

You are copying from a relative path, not from an absolute path. That can only succeed if you are cd'd to the correct location. You would be safer copying an absolute path.

[Ravi Goyal]

How do I know my absolute path in a deployed version? So far everything works path wise, since I believe the deployed version uses all paths as if started in Matlab itself with the Main file being the directory.

[Walter Roberson]

http://www.mathworks.com/help/compiler/ctfroot.html

... and why isn't your code checking that the source directory exists?

[Ravi Goyal]

Dear Walter, thanks a lot. Due to your hint and some more searching I could solve the problem. I did not know that the relative path is based basically from within the ctfroot structure. Thanks! For everybody else changed the copyfile line to

 copyfile(fullfile(ctfroot, 'models'),'C:/All_Fit/models','f');

More Information can be found here (if you know what to look for ;)

http://blogs.mathworks.com/loren/2008/08/11/path-management-in-deployed-applications/

Thanks Ravi