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How to select non-string variables convertvars( ) argument?

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I want to convert non-string variables to string using convertvars. I can do convertvars(T, @isnumeric, 'string') and convertvars(T, @iscell, 'string'). When I want to convert all variables to string, that approach would be cumbersome. I have tried ~@isstring. That is of course a rediculous and wrong idea. Is there a way to select non-string variables from a table?
c = {1,2,3;'a','b','c'; "d", "e", "f"}'
c = 3×3 cell array
{[1]} {'a'} {["d"]} {[2]} {'b'} {["e"]} {[3]} {'c'} {["f"]}
t = cell2table(c)
t = 3×3 table
c1 c2 c3 __ _____ ___ 1 {'a'} "d" 2 {'b'} "e" 3 {'c'} "f"
convertvars(t, @isnumeric, 'string') % convert one column at a time
ans = 3×3 table
c1 c2 c3 ___ _____ ___ "1" {'a'} "d" "2" {'b'} "e" "3" {'c'} "f"
convertvars(t, 1:width(t), 'string') % works but I like to see a better solution
ans = 3×3 table
c1 c2 c3 ___ ___ ___ "1" "a" "d" "2" "b" "e" "3" "c" "f"
  2 Comments
Mathieu NOE
Mathieu NOE on 31 Jan 2024
why is
convertvars(t, 1:width(t), 'string') % works but I like to see a better solution
not a good solution in your eyes ?
Simon
Simon on 4 Feb 2024
load patients.mat
t=table(Age, Location, LastName, Gender, Height);
This solution is slower because it converts string to string reduntly.
tic
convertvars(t, 1:width(t), 'string');
toc
Elapsed time is 0.016945 seconds.
Much faster solution
tic
convertvars(t, @(x)~isstring(x), 'string');
toc
Elapsed time is 0.004329 seconds.

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Accepted Answer

Voss
Voss on 31 Jan 2024
c = {1,2,3;'a','b','c'; "d", "e", "f"}'
c = 3×3 cell array
{[1]} {'a'} {["d"]} {[2]} {'b'} {["e"]} {[3]} {'c'} {["f"]}
t = cell2table(c)
t = 3×3 table
c1 c2 c3 __ _____ ___ 1 {'a'} "d" 2 {'b'} "e" 3 {'c'} "f"
convertvars(t, @(x)~isstring(x), 'string')
ans = 3×3 table
c1 c2 c3 ___ ___ ___ "1" "a" "d" "2" "b" "e" "3" "c" "f"

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