From b2406b83c8dc144fa84f324ca8de6a2068213022 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Stephen Nneji <steve.nneji@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2025 15:34:05 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 1/3] Adds feature to use shared matlab for MatlabWrapper

---
 ratapi/inputs.py   |  1 -
 ratapi/wrappers.py | 36 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----
 2 files changed, 31 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/ratapi/inputs.py b/ratapi/inputs.py
index d9b0b729..5e5341d0 100644
--- a/ratapi/inputs.py
+++ b/ratapi/inputs.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import numpy as np
 
 import ratapi
-import ratapi.controls
 import ratapi.wrappers
 from ratapi.rat_core import Checks, Control, NameStore, ProblemDefinition
 from ratapi.utils.enums import Calculations, Languages, LayerModels, TypeOptions
diff --git a/ratapi/wrappers.py b/ratapi/wrappers.py
index 6c3d55db..62321c69 100644
--- a/ratapi/wrappers.py
+++ b/ratapi/wrappers.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Wrappers for the interface between ratapi and MATLAB custom files."""
 
+import os
 import pathlib
 from contextlib import suppress
 from typing import Callable
@@ -20,10 +21,10 @@ def start_matlab():
 
     """
     future = None
-    with suppress(ImportError):
-        import matlab.engine
-
-        future = matlab.engine.start_matlab(background=True)
+    if os.environ.get("DELAY_MATLAB_START", '0') == '0':
+        with suppress(ImportError):
+            import matlab.engine
+            future = matlab.engine.start_matlab(background=True)
 
     return future
 
@@ -39,10 +40,11 @@ class MatlabWrapper:
     """
 
     loader = start_matlab()
+    loader_error_message = "matlabengine is required to use MatlabWrapper"
 
     def __init__(self, filename: str) -> None:
         if self.loader is None:
-            raise ImportError("matlabengine is required to use MatlabWrapper") from None
+            raise ImportError(self.loader_error_message) from None
 
         self.engine = self.loader.result()
         path = pathlib.Path(filename)
@@ -86,6 +88,30 @@ def handle(*args):
         return handle
 
 
+def use_shared_matlab(name, custom_error_message):
+    """Connect asynchronously to shared MATLAB engine instance with the given name.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    name : str
+        The name of shared MATLAB engine instance
+    custom_error_message : str
+        The custom error message in case of failed connection
+    
+    Returns
+    -------
+    future : matlab.engine.futureresult.FutureResult
+        A future used to get the actual matlab engine.
+
+    """
+    with suppress(ImportError):
+        import matlab.engine
+
+        MatlabWrapper.loader = matlab.engine.connect_matlab(name, background=True)
+        MatlabWrapper.loader_error_message = custom_error_message
+        return MatlabWrapper.loader
+
+
 class DylibWrapper:
     """Creates a python callback for a function in dynamic library.
 

From 63aada7fb5dfb16f08a8ae190dbb2d199dac9a2c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Stephen Nneji <steve.nneji@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2025 15:43:18 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 2/3] removes matlab.txt

---
 ratapi/matlab.txt  | 1 -
 ratapi/wrappers.py | 5 +++--
 2 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
 delete mode 100644 ratapi/matlab.txt

diff --git a/ratapi/matlab.txt b/ratapi/matlab.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 710371e7..00000000
--- a/ratapi/matlab.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2024b\bin\matlab.EXE
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ratapi/wrappers.py b/ratapi/wrappers.py
index 62321c69..39021e29 100644
--- a/ratapi/wrappers.py
+++ b/ratapi/wrappers.py
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ def start_matlab():
 
     """
     future = None
-    if os.environ.get("DELAY_MATLAB_START", '0') == '0':
+    if os.environ.get("DELAY_MATLAB_START", "0") == "0":
         with suppress(ImportError):
             import matlab.engine
+
             future = matlab.engine.start_matlab(background=True)
 
     return future
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ def use_shared_matlab(name, custom_error_message):
         The name of shared MATLAB engine instance
     custom_error_message : str
         The custom error message in case of failed connection
-    
+
     Returns
     -------
     future : matlab.engine.futureresult.FutureResult

From df985a06306880ae3bcbb79fc4d7d87e8938fa5a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Stephen Nneji <steve.nneji@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2025 16:36:56 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 3/3] fixup

---
 ratapi/utils/plotting.py | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/ratapi/utils/plotting.py b/ratapi/utils/plotting.py
index fd4480cd..38d3d777 100644
--- a/ratapi/utils/plotting.py
+++ b/ratapi/utils/plotting.py
@@ -1058,7 +1058,7 @@ def validate_dens_type(dens_type: Union[str, None], param: str):
             i,
             smooth=smooth,
             sigma=sigma,
-            estimated_density=estimated_density.get(i, None),
+            estimated_density=estimated_density.get(i),
             axes=ax,
             **hist_settings,
         ),