MATLAB can't find my file

I'm trying to read in an excel spreadsheet and I can't get it to do it.

I put the spreadsheet in the MATLAB home directory, then I put this: -

 M = xlsread('Psych_anon_mine.xlsx');

And I get the error message: -

??? Error using ==> xlsread at 214 XLSREAD unable to open file Psych_anon_mine.xlsx. File /Users/Tom**********/Documents/MATLAB/Psych_anon_mine.xlsx not found.

(The stars are just my last name)

Error in ==> Ass_2_data_A at 3 M = xlsread('Psych_anon_mine.xlsx');

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

(Looks like you are using OS-X)

At the MATLAB command prompt, try

!ls ~/Documents/MATLAB/Psych_anon*

and see if it finds the file. Perhaps there is a hidden extension.

[Tom]

Yes thanks that worked. I just copied and pasted the address from that and it's working now. Many thanks.

[Walter Roberson]

Was there a hidden extension? Or was there a typo in the file name?

[Alireza Kharazmi]

Hi, I am also using OS and I have similar problem with Matlab. I have tried it but it gives me this error "No such file or directory". I would be grateful if you could help me.

[Walter Roberson]

Which directory is your spreadsheet in? What is your current directory at the time you give the xlsread() command? Please show the commands that you use to construct the file name, and your xlsread command.

[Alireza Kharazmi]

I am using importdata command for a txt file. In fact, when I use uigetfile it does not import the data but if I use importdata('filename') it works.

[Stephen23]

@Alireza Kharazmi: uigetfile does not import data, it returns the selected file name. This is clearly explained in the documentation.

[Alireza Kharazmi]

Sorry, I am not sure if I answered your question properly. I am confused now. I am using three open file with three different push buttons. I am starting from the same directory where .m file is placed. The first push button is uigetfile and then cd command to get into the directory of interest and then importdata some data. Second push buttons is another uigetfile and then importdata some other files. These two steps are okay. The third push button is a uigetfile but the file of interest is inside another folder in the current directory. At this point I get this error "Unable to open file.".

[Walter Roberson]

Instead of cd'ing around, you should use fullfile() to construct complete file names.

[Alireza Kharazmi]

My apologies for late response, thank you very much for your help Walter. My problem is fixed now.

[Armando Torres]

Hi Walter,

I am having a similar problem with mzxmlread. I am using OS-X and the 2022 version of Matlab. I am following the same syntax as online and I tried using your command code and it still told me that it couldn't find the file. I don't know what to do. Will you please help me out?

Best,

Armando

[Walter Roberson]

@Armando Torres

With the information you have given us, we cannot be sure that the file is intended to be in the current directory, or if it is intended to be in a different folder. If it is possibly in another folder you need to specify the path to the file, possibly using fullfile() to construct the path that is to be passed in.

[filename, filepath] = uigetfile('*.mzXML');
if isnumeric(filename); return; end   %user cancel
fullname = fullfile(filepath, filename);
out = mzxmlred(fullname);

If the file intended to be in your current directory then you should verify that the file exists with that exact name, such as using

ls trial*

[Image Analyst]

@Armando Torres try it this way

fullFileName = fullfile(pwd, 'trial1.mzxml');
if ~isfile(fullFileName)
    warningMessage = sprintf('Error:\n"%s"\nwas not found.  Please locate it.', fullFileName)
    uiwait(warndlg(warningMessage));
    % Have user browse for a file, from a specified "starting folder."
    % For convenience in browsing, set a starting folder from which to browse.
    startingFolder = pwd;  % or 'C:\wherever';
    if ~isfolder(startingFolder)
    	% If that folder doesn't exist, just start in the current folder.
    	startingFolder = pwd;
    end
    % Get the name of the file that the user wants to use.
    defaultFileName = fullfile(startingFolder, '*.mz*');
    [baseFileName, folder] = uigetfile(defaultFileName, 'Select a file');
    if baseFileName == 0
    	% User clicked the Cancel button.
    	return;
    end
    fullFileName = fullfile(folder, baseFileName)
end
out = mzxlmread(fullFileName)

[Armando Torres]

I’ll give it a try later on tonight! Thank you both so much. I will update you with what happens

[Armando Torres]

It worked! Thank you both