cannot use syms command

Hello,

I was running a command

syms x y

And Matlab returns an error: Undefined function 'sym' for input arguments of type 'char'

It didn't happen before. And I'm using a student version. Any suggestion? Thanks alot.

Answer 1

[Star Strider]

‘It didn’t happen before’ on the same computer or a different computer?

To see what Toolboxes you have installed, in the Command Window, type:

ver

If you have the Symbolic Math Toolbox installed, it should be listed.

If it is, and you’re still getting the error, type these commands in the Command Window:

restoredefaultpath
rehash toolboxcache

If that doesn’t work, contact MathWorks Technical Support.

[Star Strider]

Mi’s ‘Answer’ is cloned here:

Thanks. I am not able to check it now. You are right that I am using a different computer. If I don't have the toolbox how do I install one?

[Star Strider]

I am not certain how university licenses work, so contact the person who administers your university MATLAB license to see if you can download it or access it through your university license.

Otherwise, you have to buy it from MathWorks, then download and install it to add it to your current MATLAB installation.

[milad hasani]

Thanks. it's worked.

[Star Strider]

My pleasure.

Thank you for voting for it!

[Mohammed Sobhy]

Thank you, this solved the same problem that I countered.

[Star Strider]

Mohammed Sobhy —

My pleasure!

Thank you for voting for it!

[Brian White]

Thanks! This fixed it.

[Star Strider]

@Brian White — My pleasure!

[Sakshi]

Hey I observed that I can't run this commands in online matlab, is there any other way?

I kinda have to use online matlab rn for my hackathon.

[Star Strider]

@Sakshi — You shouldn’t need to run these:

restoredefaultpath

rehash toolboxcache

in MATLAB Online. If you’re having problems with MATLAB Online, Contact Support and tell them you’re having a problem with it.

You should have access to the Symbolic Math Toolbox in MATLAB Online if you have it licensed and installed on your personal computer. (I don’t know how this works with university licenses, if that’s what you have. You’ll have to ask your administrator about that.)

Answer 2

[Mi]

Thanks. I am not able to check it now. You are right that I am using a different computer. If I don't have the toolbox how do I install one?

[John D'Errico]

Please don't add answers when you have a followup question. CLICK ON THE COMMENT BUTTON.

[Mi]

Thanks.

Answer 3

[Hamza saeed khan]

what if sysm word not working in matlab what to do?

[Steven Lord]

That suggests that you don't have Symbolic Math Toolbox installed, you don't have it in your license, or all the licenses for it are currently checked out. To check the first look at the output of ver. To check the latter two you may need to contact your license administrator.

If you don't have it installed but you have a license for it, use Add-On Explorer to install it.

If you don't have it in your license, buy it.

If you have it installed and licensed but it's still not working, please show the full and exact text of any error and/or warning message you receive (all the text displayed in red or orange in the Command Window) when you try to use it.

[Walter Roberson]

From time to time it means that you have a corrupted Symbolic Toolbox and need to reinstall.

Also if some symbolic functions work but not others then sometimes the problem has to do with having the Maplesoft "MATLAB Connector" installed to communicate with the Maple software package.

Answer 4

[Giovanny Steven Sandoval Montoya]

I have problems with "syms".

Error in Validacion (line 24)

syms T1

If I don't have the toolbox how do I install one?

[Star Strider]

Contact Sales

Answer 5

[Walter Roberson]

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/101885-how-do-i-install-additional-toolboxes-into-an-existing-installation-of-matlab#answer_361463

Answer 6

[Khalil]

Undefined function 'Matlab' for input arguments of type 'char'.

[Walter Roberson]

you would get that error if you had a line of code that looked like

Matlab is secretly many fast hamsters.

That is, the first word of the expression is Matlab and you had some text following. Such as if you forgot to put in a % comment symbol