How To change Diagonal Elements with a string in matrix using FOR loop or other preferred method?

the result is to have a square matrix with a string e.g. "A" as diagonal elements using FOR LOOP

example:

M =

A 0 0 0 0

0 A 0 0 0

0 0 A 0 0

0 0 0 A 0

0 0 0 0 A

or How can I Print my name like ALEX diagonally

example;

M =

A 0 0 0

0 L 0 0

0 0 E 0

0 0 0 X

Here is My code that gives a specific number I assigned to variable in loop; however when that number is replaced with string it results NAN value as Diagonal elements.

clc
clear
clear all
m=5;
n=5;
a=zeros(m,n);
for i=1:m
    for j=1:n
        if i==j
a(i,j)= 5 ;
        else
            a(i,j)=0;
            
        end
    end
end
disp(a)

     5     0     0     0     0
     0     5     0     0     0
     0     0     5     0     0
     0     0     0     5     0
     0     0     0     0     5

clc
clear
clear all
m=5;
n=5;
a=zeros(m,n);
for i=1:m
    for j=1:n
        if i==j
a(i,j)= "A" ;
        else
            a(i,j)=0;
            
        end
    end
end
disp(a)

   NaN     0     0     0     0
     0   NaN     0     0     0
     0     0   NaN     0     0
     0     0     0   NaN     0
     0     0     0     0   NaN

[Turlough Hughes]

You can't mix characters or string values into an array of type double like that. On the otherhand, you can atleast represent numbers in a string array. Seeing as this is an exercise, I'm just going to nudge you towards a solution. Try starting with the following:

a = string(zeros(5))

a = 5×5 string array
    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"
    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"
    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"
    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"
    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"    "0"

Answer 1

[David Hill]

a='ALEX';
b=diag(double(a));
b(b==0)=48;
string(char(b))

ans = 4×1 string array
    "A000"
    "0L00"
    "00E0"
    "000X"

char(b)

ans = 4×4 char array
    'A000'
    '0L00'
    '00E0'
    '000X'