Recently, docker images have been available, and I could run dynare using Apptainer on an hpc with Cent OS. This is the first time I have used containers, so my solution might need improvements/corrections. But it seems to be working. Here is what I did:
1. mkdir dynare
2. cd dynare
3. mkdir examples
4. touch examples/example1.mod
5. module load Apptainer
6. apptainer build dynare.sif docker://dynare/dynare:latest
7. apptainer exec \
8. --env MLM_LICENSE_FILE=27000@matlab-campus.uni-tuebingen.de \
9. dynare.sif \
10. matlab -batch \
11. "addpath('/home/matlab/dynare/matlab'); cd examples; dynare example1"
12. module unload Apptainer
Explanation:
Line 1: Make a folder, named ‘dynare’
Line 2: Enter the folder
Line 3: Make a folder, named ‘examples’
Line 4: Make an empty model file inside the examples folder, names ‘example1.mod’
Line 5: Load the ‘Apptainer’ module
Line 6: Build .sif file pulling the docker images from docker hub
Line 7: exec subcommand lets us run a command within the container
Line 8: Pass your matlab license as an environmental variable with --env
Line 9: Give the container image to exec
Line 10: Matlab should run line 11
Line 11: Commands to be executed inside matlab
Line 12: Unload the Apptainer module
If dynare works, we should see some dynare errors printed out, as our example1.mod file is empty. We should also make sure to change 27000@matlab-campus.uni-tuebingen.de according to our own license.