Download the latest version of the IRIS Toolbox for Matlab

Install IRIS

  • Step 1: Download the latest release or pre-release (available as zip or tar), and save it in a temporary location on your computer.
  • Step 2: If you are going to install IRIS in a folder where an older version already resides, wipe all of the old files out first.
  • Step 3: Unzip the archive file into a folder of your choice on your hard drive, such as C:\IRIS_Tbx or ~\IRIS_Tbx. This folder is called the IRIS root.
  • When installing a new version of IRIS, we recommend that you also remove all of your older versions from the Matlab search path, and preferably restart Matlab.

System Requirements and Optional Components

  • Matlab, R2016b or later is recommended.
  • (Optional) Optimization Toolbox, a commercial Matlab toolbox used as a default option in estimation.
  • (Optional) LaTeX, a free typesetting system used to produce PDF reports in IRIS; we recommend MiKTeX for Windows, Tex Live for Linux and MacTeX for macOS.

Get Started

Each time you want to start working with IRIS, run the following two lines in the command window

>> addpath C:\IRIS_Tbx
>> iris.startup

where C:\IRIS_Tbx needs to be, obviously, replaced with the proper IRIS root folder chosen in Step 3 above.

Alternatively, you can put the IRIS root folder permanently on the Matlab search path (using the menu File – Set Path), and run only the iris.startup command at the beginning of each IRIS session.

Syntax Highlighting

You can get the IRIS model files syntax-highlighted. Syntax highlighting improves enormously the readability of the files: it helps you navigate through the model, and discover typos and mistakes more quickly.

Add any number of extensions you want to use for model files (such as .model or .iris) to the Matlab editor. Open the menu Home – Preferences, unfold Editor/Debugger and choose Language. Make sure Matlab is selected at the top as the language. Use the Add button in the File extensions panel to associate any number of new extensions with the editor. Re-start the editor. The IRIS model files will be syntax highlighted from that moment on.

Third Party Components Redistributed with IRIS

  • X13-ARIMA-SEATS (formerly X12-ARIMA, X11-ARIMA). Courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, the program is now incorporated in, and distributed with IRIS. No setup is needed.