loading multiple excel files in a loop

I have thousands of excel files that contain data in a 1440x~35 array. I only need a few columns in each file. The excel files are logically ordered with the pattern 1018ahua.xls, 1019ahua.xls, etc. I have tried loading columns in a loop using the xlsread command in a variety of ways and am always unable to do it. I use Matlab R2010b. Can anyone help me?

Answer 1

[Friedrich]

Hi,

first of all doing a xlsread in a loop is a bad idea since you always open and close the EXCEL COM Server. You have to do it manually in a better way, like:

%open Excel
ex = actxserver('excel.application');
for i=1:thousands_of_excel_files
 ex.Workbooks.Open('C:\absolut_path_to file\filename.xls')
 out = get(ex.Range('B3:D6'),'Value')
end
ex.Quit

So if its really ordered like 1018ahua.xls, 1019ahua.xls and so on you can do

%open Excel
ex = actxserver('excel.application');
for i=1018:thousands_of_excel_files
 ex.Workbooks.Open(['C:\absolut_path_to file\',num2str(i),'ahua.xls'])
 out = get(ex.Range('B3:D6'),'Value')
end
ex.Quit

[Brian]

Thank you, this was extremely helpful!

[Katerina F]

I tired it for Matlab R2012b and it does not work. Why? Also:what you do if you want all the columns? thanks, K

[Image Analyst]

Katerina, start your own thread and attach your code (m-file) and full description of what "does not work" means to you (screenshots, error messages, etc.)

[Himmat]

Hello Fredrich, I tried to use this code and facing a problem that output data is only from last excel sheet. I want to import column 1 and 3 from each excel file from a group of 10 and put it in one matrix. Can you suggest a way to do it. Thank you for your help.

Answer 2

[Sean de Wolski]

Have you read: FAQ4.12?