(1) Can we use Matlab code in Spotfire?

(2) Is there a way to use a Matlab engine directly from Spotfire, without purchasing and installing TIBCO Spotfire Statistics Services (TSSS)?

(3) Can the TERR Service (TERRSRV) node in a Spotfire Server environment be configured to use Matlab instead of TERR (TIBCO Enterprise Runtime for R)?

(Q1) Can we use Matlab code in Spotfire?

(A1) Yes, if you have purchased and installed TIBCO Spotfire Statistics Services (TSSS).

Spotfire data functions can use a URL connection to send Matlab scripts to a TIBCO Spotfire Statistics Services (TSSS) instance that has been configured to use Matlab as its statistical engine. TSSS is a separate product, distinct from Spotfire itself. (It is not part of Spotfire Server.) You purchase, download, install and configure TSSS independent of any Spotfire purchases or installations you may already have.

Each TSSS instance runs exactly one type of statistical engine (such as TERR, open-source R, Matlab or SAS). You can install and run more than one standalone TSSS instance on the same server as long as each instance listens on its own pair of ports and uses its own path for writing temporary files. TSSS listens on two ports.

The Preferences page in Spotfire provides separate fields for specifying the necessary TSSS URLs: one for each supported engine type. Data transfer between Spotfire and Matlab via TSSS is known to be slower than data transfer between Spotfire and TIBCO Enterprise Runtime for R (TERR) via TSSS. This is mostly due to an extra data-format conversion step (in each direction) that is needed when Matlab is the statistical engine.

The TSSS installation and administration manual provides instructions for configuring a TSSS instance to use Matlab as its statistical engine. The Matlab engine must be installed on the same server as the TSSS instance is installed on. We do not provide Matlab engines; you must purchase Matlab from Mathworks (www.mathworks.com).

Note: MATLAB is available under separate software license terms and is not part of the TIBCO Spotfire product line. As such, MATLAB is not within the scope of your license for any TIBCO Spotfire product. MATLAB is not supported, maintained or warranted in any way by TIBCO Software Inc. Download and use of MATLAB is solely at your own discretion and subject to the license terms applicable to MATLAB.



(Q2) Is there a way to use a Matlab engine directly from Spotfire, without purchasing and installing TIBCO Spotfire Statistics Services (TSSS)?

(A2) The most common way to use a Matlab engine with Spotfire is a URL connection to a TSSS instance that has been configured to use Matlab as its statistical engine, but a Spotfire connection for MATLAB Production Server (MPS) could be used, if an MPS environment is available.




(Q3) Can the TERR Service (TERRSRV) node in a Spotfire Server environment be configured to use Matlab instead of TERR (TIBCO Enterprise Runtime for R)?

(A3) No.  By design, the TERR Service node (TERRSRV) always uses TIBCO Enterprise Runtime for R (TERR) as its statistical engine.  It cannot be configured to use any other statistical engine.



Note: As stated in https://docs.tibco.com/pub/sf_statsvcs/14.0.0/doc/html/Migration-Guide/topics/spotfire_statistics_services_discontinued.html, TIBCO Spotfire Statistics Services Server has been discontinued:
"There will be no further new versions of Spotfire® Statistics Services server and it will eventually be removed. The latest LTS version, version 12.0, continues to receive bug fixes or security patches until End of Support is announced (expected about 2 years after release, around September of 2024).


[...]

Note: If you are using data functions with MATLAB or SAS in the 12.0.x long-term support (LTS) version of Spotfire Statistics Services, then your license includes continued use of the Spotfire Statistics Services server, with either Spotfire 12 (LTS version) or Spotfire 14 (LTS version), as long as Spotfire Statistics Services server 12.0.x (LTS version) is in support. Support for Spotfire Statistics Services 12.0.x LTS version is expected to end about 2 years after release—around September of 2024—and after that time, no updates or security fixes will be provided. See Overview of Spotfire Releases - Innovation and LTS (Long-Term Support) - https://docs.tibco.com/pub/spotfire/general/LTS/spotfire_lts_releases.html. At this time, statistics services specifically designed for use with MATLAB or SAS are not available.

You can vote for statistics services for these two engines in the Ideas portal:
SAS: https://ideas.spotfire.com/ideas/TS-I-9284
MATLAB: https://ideas.spotfire.com/ideas/TS-I-9283"


Note: There also exist a Spotfire-MATLAB integration created by Mathwork. For more information, please refer to the article Scalable Analytics with TIBCO Spotfire and MATLAB Production Server (https://www.mathworks.com/products/reference-architectures/tibco-spotfire.html) on the MathWorks website.

• Configuring a MATLAB engine, TIBCO Spotfire Statistics Services Installation and Administration guide
  • https://docs.tibco.com/pub/sf_statsvcs/12.3.1/doc/html/TIB_sf_statsvcs_12.3.1_installation/installation/topics/configuring_a_matlab_engine.html
• TIBCO Spotfire Statistics Services Server Discontinued, TIBCO Spotfire Statistics Services Installation and Administration guide
  • https://docs.tibco.com/pub/sf_statsvcs/14.0.0/doc/html/Migration-Guide/topics/spotfire_statistics_services_discontinued.html
• Scalable Analytics with TIBCO Spotfire and MATLAB Production Server, Mathworks
  • https://www.mathworks.com/products/reference-architectures/tibco-spotfire.html