dlmread

I've created, by concatenating inputs from the user, a path to files on my computer that contain data I want to read into matlab. Example:

pt = input('Enter number:','s')
run = input('Enter run number','s');
task = input('What task?','s');
run_task = strcat(run,'_',task)
pt_plus_run = strcat(pt,'_',run)
main_path='C:\XXXXX\XXXX_ XXXX\XXX_ files',
path_to_data=strcat(main_path,'\',pt,'\',pt_plus_run,'\',pt_run_task)
data=dlmread(path_to_data,',', [1 2 -1 7])

It is at the dlmread statement that the code chhkes. Can I use a concatentated string variable in dlmread?

Thanks for your help!

[Fangjun Jiang]

Use {}Code format next time.

Answer 1

[Fangjun Jiang]

Check the help of dlmread(). I believe the range [R1, C1, R2, C2] won't allow negative number.

use fullfile() instead of strcat() to combine path and file name.

[Frank]

Would you elaborate on the {} code you recommended?

Also, the following chokes at the dlmread: Any suggestions?

pt = input('Enter pt number:','s')

run = input('Enter run number:','s');

task = input('What task?','s');

pt_plus_run = strcat(pt,'_',run)

pt_run_task = strcat(pt,'_',run, '_',task,'.csv')

fullfile_name=fullfile('x:','xxxxx','xxxxxxxx','xxxxxxx',pt,pt_plus_run,pt_run_task)

data=dlmread(fullfile_name,[1 2 -1 7])

[Fangjun Jiang]

The {}Code is a button above your question box for you to apply formatting.

What do you mean by [1 2 -1 7] in the call of dlmread()?

[Frank]

I still don't understand what you mean by {}Code

Regarding [1 2 -1 7] I'm referring to the third ( zeroth being the first) through eigth column from the second row to the bottom of the column

[Fangjun Jiang]

I don't see anywhere that the range can be a negative number.

[Frank]

Try it. It works for me to read to the bottom of the columns.

[Fangjun Jiang]

Okay, thank you! I learned a trick today!

What is the error or problem you are having then? Did you check fullfile_name is correct?

[Fangjun Jiang]

You forgot to specify the delimiter in the code in your comment.

[Frank]

It chokes at the dlmread comment:

Here is the error message:

??? Error using ==> dlmread at 62

The file 'E:\xxxx\xxxx\xxxx\_\__.csv' could not be

opened because: No such file or directory

Error in ==> Concatenate at 15

data=dlmread(fullfile_name)

[Fangjun Jiang]

All right, then check the full path and name of the file. exist(fullfile_name,'file')

[Frank]

OK, I'm working through it.

[Frank]

Thank you for your direction.

[Frank]

OK, so the path doesn't exist what do I do? What is wrong with this script?

pt = input('Enter pt number (001 to 010):','s')

run = input('Enter the run number (R0 to R3):','s');

task = input('What task? ','s');

pt_plus_run = strcat(pt,'_',run)

pt_run_task = strcat(pt,'_',run, '_',task,'.csv')

%main_path='E:\BK\acd_ Study\cd_Study_ CSV_ files'

%path_to_data=strcat(main_path,'\',pt,'\',pt_plus_run,'\',pt_run_task)

fullfile_name=fullfile('E:','BK','acd_Study','cd_Study_CSV_files',pt,pt_plus_run,pt_run_task)

exist('fullfile_name','file')

[Fangjun Jiang]

I don't know. Just run your code line by line to see where is the problem. You know your file name convention. You know your folder structure. Just try to match the string with the actual file. I usually use fullfile this way, for example

PathStr='c:\mydocument\mydata';

FileName='mydata.txt';

fullfile(PathStr,FileName);

But nothing is wrong using it like you did.

[Frank]

The code "works" until the last time, when exist gives me a zero!

I'll tinker some more. If tomorrow is a holiday for you, enjoy it!

[Frank]

Progress has been slooooooooow: Here is what I've got and the resultant errors:

pt = input('Enter pt number (001 to 010):','s');

run = input('Enter the run number (R0 to R3):','s');

task = input('What task? Choose from ar, ae, hb, ct, dr, ds, or am):','s');

upper_or_lower= input ('Upper (enter BD_UE) or lower (enter BE_LE)?','s');

pt_plus_run = strcat(pt,'_',run);

pt_run_task = strcat(pt,'_', task, '_', run, '_', upper_or_lower, '.csv');

whole_sensor_data_file_path= strcat('E:\Bck\aCl_Study\Cl_CSV_files','\', pt,'\', pt_plus_run,'\', pt_run_task)

exist('whole_sensor_data_file_path','file')

PathStr=whole_sensor_data_file_path

FileName=pt_run_task

f= fullfile(PathStr,FileName)

dlmread('f', [1 2 -1 7])

OUTPUT and ERRORS:

ans =

0

PathStr =

E:\Bck\aCl_Study\Cl_CSV_files\001\001_R0\001_ar_R0_BD_UE.csv

FileName =

001_ar_R0_BD_UE.csv

f =

E:\Bck\aCl_Study\Cl_CSV_files\001\001_R0\001_ar_R0_BD_UE.csv\001_ar_R0_BD_UE.csv

??? Error using ==> sprintf

Invalid format.

Error in ==> dlmread at 72

delimiter = sprintf(delimiter); % Interpret \t (if necessary)

Error in ==> test_pad at 15

dlmread('f', [1 2 -1 7])

Any help and/or ideas are appreciated!!!

[Fangjun Jiang]

No. f is already a string. use dlmread(f, [1 2 -1 7])

[Frank]

??? Error using ==> sprintf

These are the errors I get using dlmread(f, [1 2 -1 7])

Invalid format.

Error in ==> dlmread at 72

delimiter = sprintf(delimiter); % Interpret \t (if necessary)

Error in ==> Concatenate at 18

dlmread(f, [1 2 -1 7])

[Frank]

Does anybody have any idea what the heck is wrong with my dlmread--that is where it chokes!!!!!

[Walter Roberson]

exist('whole_sensor_data_file_path','file')

should be

exist(whole_sensor_data_file_path,'file')

The whole_sensor_data_file_path you construct includes pt_run_task so it includes .csv at the end. But then you assign whole_sensor_data_file_path to PathStr and you assign pt_run_task to FileName and then you fullfile() together the combination of the two. That is going to add the file name string complete with .csv on to the end of a string that already includes all of that. The name that gets constructed will not be something you can open .