The hctsa package can be used completely within Matlab, allowing users to analyse time-series datasets quickly and easily. Here we will focus on this Matlab-based use of the software, but note that, for larger datasets requiring distributed computing set-ups, or datasets that may grow with time, hctsa can also be linked to a mySQL database, as described in a dedicated chapter.

Installing the hctsa package

The simplest way to get the hctsa package up and running is to run the install script, which adds the required paths to dependent time-series packages (toolboxes), and compiles mex binaries to work on your system architecture. Once this one-off installation step is complete, you're ready to go! (NB: to include additional functions from the TISEAN nonlinear time-series analysis package, you'll also need to compile TISEAN routines).

After installation, future use of the package can begin by opening Matlab, navigating to the hctsa package, and then loading the paths required by the hctsa package by running the startup script.