why save '.mat' as 'ascii' file appears as FILE instead of txt

Hi,

I am not sure if I saving correclty the variable coefficents_m as text file, since windows does not recognise the file as txt. It can still open with the notepad. The filepath is fine, as I also save the same variable as m.file

name_folder_new =char(app.Name_to_save_data.Value);
            
            mkdir(name_folder_new);
            
            filename1 = fullfile(name_folder_new,'coefficients_m');
            save(filename1,'coefficients_m')
            save(filename1,'coefficients_m','-ascii')

It is probably something too basic, but I am stuck.

Thanks

Answer 1

[Guillaume]

If you want the file to have a .txt extension, then simply tell matlab so:

 filename1 = fullfile(name_folder_new,'coefficients_m.txt');
 save(filename1,'coefficients_m','-ascii')

Note that a file extension is just a hint to the operating system (and the user) that the file stores a particular type of data. Windows uses the extension to determine which programs to use by default to open the file, but you can open files with any extension with any program as long as the content of the file is in the format expected by the program. Changing the extension of a file does not change what's stored in it.

You could use .ThisIsaTextFile as an extension and still open your text file in notepad (or a better text editor).

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

filename1 = fullfile(name_folder_new,'coefficients_m');

No file extension is put on by default when you do that, so MS Windows does not have the hint to know it is a text file. If you want .txt then specify that as part of the file name.

When you do not use -ascii then a .mat file extension is added by default.

Note: you should check to see whether you want to also use the -double option when you use -ascii

[ARP]

thanks

Answer 3

[JESUS DAVID ARIZA ROYETH]

because the computer has to be guided by the file extension to know what each thing is, all the .mat files are going to open with the default program that you set, therefore, if you set notepad this will appear as a file .mat but that opens with notepad

[ARP]

thanks