MATLAB r2016b problem with cvsread

This makes no sense to me whatsoever. MATLAB will not read the requested data from the file even though it reads the same data from an almost identical file. MATLAB seems to be troubled by the column adjacent to the column from which I am requesting the data. WHY???

I did not ask MATLAB to read that column, as the image clearly shows.

I have included a screenshot of the error and both files. How can I get MATLAB to read these files?

[Von Duesenberg]

It looks like Matlab fails to read "null" as a numeric value.

[David Winthrop]

Exactly. But notice, I did not even ask it to read that column (as I stated above). See the problem?

[Von Duesenberg]

Yes. I tend to use readtable because it does a good job at detecting the input format. Anyway, I'm afraid I can't help you out.

[David Winthrop]

I will have to look into that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Answer 1

[Jan]

The documentation of csvread explains clearly:

 The file can only contain numeric values.

'null' is not a numeric value. Even if you are not interested in this column, it must be read and parsed to proceed to the next value. But it cannot be parsed as a number, such that csvread is not the appropriate tool for this file.

[David Winthrop]

That is a serious design flaw.

[Walter Roberson]

Since roughly 2015b-ish, csvread() can handle text in leading lines that you are skipping with the R argument, and it can handle text in leading columns that you are skipping with the C argument, but every row and column after that must be pure text.

The work-around is to use xlsread(), readtable(), or textscan()