sum of an array

How do I get the sum of an array which contains some NaN. I am getting some error like this:

sum(a,'omitNaN')
??? Error using ==> sum
Trailing string input must be 'double' or 'native'.

a = Columns 1 through 5

       NaN  664.7000  663.2000  662.2000       NaN

Columns 6 through 10

688.4000  688.4000       NaN       NaN       NaN

Columns 11 through 15

       NaN       NaN       NaN       NaN       NaN

Columns 16 through 20

       NaN       NaN  731.4000  723.0000  704.8000

Also, when I am calculating mean and standard deviation, do i have to include NaN or omit it?

Thank you,

Answer 1

[John D'Errico]

If you want to use options in tools that work under current releases, you need to use a current release of MATLAB. At least you need to use something sufficiently recent that sum will include that option. Since the above computation works fine for me using R2016a, you are using an older release.

You can always use nansum from the stats toolbox, if you have that toolbox.

As far as computing the mean or standard deviation, again, either get a current release of MATLAB, or get the stats TB.

[Bini Z]

Thank you John, you are correct. I was using 2009 release. nansum works perfect.

[Image Analyst]

I think John must have the Crystal Ball Toolbox.

[John D'Errico]

I'm usually not willing to use that toolbox, as it is only in beta release.

I've been thinking that a good change to answers might be to REQUIRE that you add your MATLAB release to a question when you submit that question. This would have immediately tipped us off to the problem. As it was, I decided to make an educated guess, and that was the only guess that made sense to me.