convert a variable string to data

it's needed to convert a variable string to data. for example NAME is string and in a loop could be i=1>>NAME='abd', i=2>>>NAME='fdr',.... now how to convert this string to data. its needed this variable string being matrix.

for example:

q=[];
for i:5
q=[q;i+1];
NAME=q; % i know this is wrong because NAME is string but here i need converting string to data
end

[Fangjun Jiang]

What do you mean "string to data"? If NAME='abd', what should the data be?

[mohammad]

I mean a thing like matrix, like d=[1 3 4 5], I need NAME=d but i know this is wrong but I need this. there is a command with name of eval but in this way i must first convert d to string like eval(sprntf('%s=d',NAME). is there another way?

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

Please do not do that. Please read this FAQ instead.

[mohammad]

thanks, but i must do, i don't want make names of a matrix or other thing, numbering. NAME varies with varying of 'i' in loop but the name of that not depends on 'i'.for example NAME is string and in a loop could be i=1>>NAME='abd'(NOT NAME1), i=2>>>NAME='fdr'(NOT NAME2),...

because its the name of a .xls file that in each loop another .xls file be read.

[mohammad]

Walter, is there other way except eval(sprintf('%s=MATRIX',NAME))

MATRIX is a defined matrix

Answer 2

[Fangjun Jiang]

If you really need to do this, eval(),evalin() or assignin() is the function to use. This is the same question as your previous one. There is no other way. But I highly recommend you read the link I provided. You could use structure which is very close to what you want.

Name={'abd','fdr'};
data=struct;
for k=1:length(Name)
  data=setfield(data,Name{k},rand);
end

data = 

      abd: 0.65375734866856
      fdr: 0.49417393663927

[mohammad]

thanks, sprintf:Format data into string. and i want opposite of sprint. maybe a command like dprintf :)

but there is not this command in matlab!

[Fangjun Jiang]

Well, for numeric data/digits, there is.

a=num2str(3.14159)

b=str2num(a)