license error after updating Linux

Hi all,

I have been using Matlab R2016a under Linux using a concurrent license from my university. The system has been working very well until I have updated my operating system (I am now under Ubutnu 18.04). Now, when I try to run Matlab, I get the error:

License checkout failed.

License Manager Error -39

User/host not on INCLUDE list for MATLAB.

I know this has to do with the fact that the license server may not contain my username. However, this has always been working, hence my username must be in the list of allowed users. What I am gessing it's happening here is that after having updated the OS, Matlab is sending to the license server my OS user name (which obviously is not listed in the server, and should not be) instead of sending my Matlab username account (which is my university email address, and which therefore should be in the list of allowed users). How do I check this? Most importantly, how do I make sure that Matlab sens the correct username?

Thanks

[Walter Roberson]

(The official MATLAB description of error -39 was archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20161125120837/https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/98895-why-do-i-receive-license-manager-error-39 )

[Cristiano Alessandro]

I had read that. The problem is not what Error -39 is. In my case, the issue is not on the server side, but most probably on the client side, which is not sending the correct user to the license server. My question was:

What I am gessing it's happening here is that after having updated the OS, Matlab is sending to the license server my OS user name (which obviously is not listed in the server, and should not be) instead of sending my Matlab username account (which is my university email address, and which therefore should be in the list of allowed users). How do I check this? Most importantly, how do I make sure that Matlab sens the correct username?

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

flexlm has never checked usernames by relying on MATLAB username .

A license access is authenticated under standard remote authentication protocols between the client and the server. Your username for the purpose of flexlm will be whatever you would be known as if you were to rsh or similar to the server. You do not even need to have a Mathworks account for this purpose.

[Cristiano Alessandro]

Thanks a lot for the clarification. Can you suggest a way of testing what may be happening? Here is the chain of events:

1. I install Matlab R2016a on Ubuntu 16.04. I use a concurrent license. License server resides on a machine of the IT department of my university, which I have no access to. Matlab works smoothly.
2. I update to Ubuntu 18.04, keeping all the softwares (including Matlab) and configurations. I also keep the same OS username. Nothing has changed on the license server.
3. Matlab R2016a stops working throwing error -39.

It seems to me that something has changed clinet side (the username sent to the license server?), but I am not sure how to test and how to fix it. Any thoughts?

[Walter Roberson]

You kept the same user name, but did you keep the same UID ?

[Cristiano Alessandro]

Good point. I did not control for this unfortunately. My current UID is 1000, which is typically the first one assigned. I assumed that, before upgdraging the OS, the UID would be the same (there were exactly the same users). However, I do not know that for sure. Do you know of any way to track my previous UID? Is there any way to check what user/UID the license server is expexting, client side? Thanks

UPDATE: by looking at the previous files (backup), I have the very strong impressione that my UID and group UID did not change after upgrading to Ubuntu 18.04. Any thoughts?

[Walter Roberson]

I think at this point you would probably need to work with the IT department. They would be able to look in the logs to see what ID is being refused.