write a loop reading txt files to write a xlsx file with specific strings and numbers

Hello,

I have txt files called: Input_1.txt, Input_2.txt, and so on. In these files I have both numbers and strings.

For example, I have to create a loop in wich I have to select, for each txt file, the string at the position (3,1) (in the attached example the string "hello1" and "hello2"), and the number at the position (5,2)

Then, I want to obtain a xlsx files Output.xlsx in which I have the selected strings in the first column and the selected numbers in the second column.

See please the attached files.

Thank you

S = dir('Input_*.txt');
for k = 1:numel(S)
    S(k).name
end

Answer 1

[darova]

try this

S = dir('Input_*.txt');
str = {};
num = {};
for k = 1:numel(S)
    A = importdata(S(k).name);
    str{k} = A{3,1};
    num{k} = A{5,2}'
end
num = cell2mat(num);

[Micangi]

I have copied and pasted your code and I received the following errror code:

Cell contents reference from a non-cell array object.

Error in cc (line 6)

str{k} = A{3,1};

[darova]

Second attempt

S = dir('Input_*.txt');
str = {};
num = {};
for k = 1:numel(S)
    A = fileread(S(k).name);    % read the whole file as text
    s = strsplit(A);    % separate each word/string into cell
    str{k} = s{5};      % [3 1]
    num{k} = s{10};     % [5 2]
end
num = str2double(num);

[Micangi]

It works but I have a doubt about number 5 and 10 in the command str{k} = s{5} and num{k} = s{10}, respectivley.

Furthermore, How can I obtain a excel file with both strings and numbers (see request)?

[darova]

• It works but I have a doubt about number 5 and 10 in the command str{k} = s{5} and num{k} = s{10}, respectivley.

Can you explain more?

• Furthermore, How can I obtain a excel file with both strings and numbers (see request)?

Try this

xlswrite('data.xlsx',str,'A:A')
xlswrite('data.xlsx',num,'B:B')

Use writematrix if you have it instead of xlswrite

[Micangi]

• Can you explain more?

Sorry, I get it

• Try this

That code compiles a "endless" xls file in wich the first column is only compsed of the string of the first selected file ("hello1" of the Input_1.txt file); the second column is only compsed of the number of the first selected file ("9" of the Input_1.txt file).

In particluar I obtain:

hello1 9

hello1 9

hello1 9

hello1 9

...

In want to obtain:

hello1 9

hello2 99

[darova]

Another way

A = table(str(:),num(:));
writetable(A,'data.xlsx',...
    'sheet',1,...
    'range','A1',...
    'writeVariableNames',false)

[Micangi]

The file work well. However, differently from the sample input files, in same specific position of my real input file I have empty cells that are not considered in your code. In that case, I would like to assign an arbitrary value (e.g. 100).

when the Input_1.txt is composed of:

0 1

0 5

5

I would like to consider:

0 1

0 5

100 5

[darova]

Please attach sample files

[Micangi]

in (3,2) and (6,2) of inputEmpty.txt I have empty cells. For these cells I want to assume arbitray values equal to 100 (see outputEmpty.txt attached here)

[darova]

How to know if it's empty cell or not? Do you know where empty cells are?

[darova]

Another attempt

S = dir('input*.txt');
str = {};
num = {};
for k = 1:numel(S)
    A = readtable(S(k).name,'delimiter','\t','readVariableNames',false);
    str(k) = table2cell(A(3,2));
    num(k) = table2cell(A(6,2));
end
num = cell2mat(num);
num(isnan(num)) = 100;