Extract Numbers from a String

I have the following string from an excel file.

f 27//1 29//2 5//3 2//4

I want to extract the first number before each // sign. So for example, in this case, I need to extract the numbers 27 29 5 2

I am looking up how to do but but cannot seem to find a straightforward way, would anyone be able to clear things up for me? Thanks!

Answer 1

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

a='f 27//1  29//2 5//3 2//4'
b=str2double(regexp(a,'\S+(?=//)','match'))

[Matthew Brandsema]

Thanks a lot! This is exactly what I need!

[Matthew Brandsema]

Okay I realized upon importing the xls file, I actually get the form

'27//1'

for the cells in question. I am messing around with regexp but I simply do not have enough experience with it to know what I am doing. How would I extract the first number in cells that look like that? I tried using the same type of thing but it isn't working.

The furthest I got was get '27' But the ' symbols are messing up the str2num function.

Answer 2

[the cyclist]

You want the regexp command. For example,

s = 'f 27//1 29//2 5//3 2//4'
regexp(s,'//')

ans =

     5    11    16    21

finds the positions of the //.

You could similarly find the positions of the spaces, and the numbers you want are between them.

You may then need to use str2num (or similar command) to convert the strings to numeric variables.