for loop to step through strings?

I have a file containing 16 different variables. Each variable contains a vector of values. These variables all have different character names with varying lengths. Fortunately they are organized alphabetically. ex:

Filename ----->      bed
                     cdd
                     cgf
                     gerds
                     etc...

Is there a way to use a loop to step through each of these variables?

I tried converting the variable names to ascii then comparing number values (using a shift right logical to keep only the first value) but this did not work because they are all of different lengths. Also - the srl would not work because some of the variable names have the same first (sometimes second) letter, so I have to compare those as well.

I could write out the same code 16 times using each variable name instead, but I was hoping for something quicker.

[Salaheddin Hosseinzadeh]

Hi,

I don't quite understand the problem and your approach!

Why do you compare the first letters? Or converting them ascii or ...?! Cant you use strcmpi() to simply compare the variables with one another one by one?!

[Heidi]

I have a 'big' file that contains 16 'small' files lets say. I need to apply an algorithm to each of the small files, but they all have different names. These names are similar to my example, bed, cdd, cgf, gerds.... is there a way to use a for loop to run through each small file? Like a for loop that compares strings?

[dpb]

I can't follow the structure entirely...how about a small sample file that shows the content and what you want done, specifically?