load txt files with columns of numbers and text

Hello, I would like to load files in Matlab with data that contain columns with letters too as shown in the attached file. I use the code below but it cannot load the file because of the text in the 7th column. Could you please tell me which code to use? It is a sequence of txt files that I want to load (WN1,WN2 etc up to WN6).

for n=1:6;
  filename = ['WN', int2str(n), '.txt'];
  WINDATA=load(filename);
  save LACW.txt WINDATA -ascii -append;
end

thanks, K

Answer 1

[Geoff Hayes]

Katerina - what are you trying to do with the contents of each file? From your above code, it appears that you read each file and then append its contents to another file. If you wish to just concatenate the contents of all files together then perhaps consider using cat or copy depending upon your operating system. For example, you could do something like

 for n=1:6;
    filename = ['WN', int2str(n), '.txt'];
    system(['cat ' filename ' >> LACW.txt']);
 end

If you still would like to load the data into MATLAB, try using importdata or readtable.

[Katerina F]

Hi Geoff, Thanks. This is what I am trying to do, but when I apply the code that you are suggesting (I have to use the copy) I am getting a file LANC with content: The file cannot be copied onto itself. Zero files copied. Did I apply it in a wrong way? thanks, K

[Geoff Hayes]

Katerina - how are you creating the command with copy?

[Geoff Hayes]

Try using the type command as

 for n=1:6;
    filename = ['WN', int2str(n), '.txt'];
    system(['type ' filename ' >> LACW.txt']);
 end

[Katerina F]

Thank you Geoff, This works fine. K.

Answer 2

[TastyPastry]

Try:

fid = fopen('myFile.txt');
data = textscan(fid,'%s%s%d%d%d%d%s%d%d%d%d%d%d%d');
fclose(fid);

This will read your data in as a cell array of varying data types, strings for the dates, times and alphanumeric columns, int32s in the numeric columns.

[Katerina F]

Thanks, but where/how do I fit this into the code that I have shown you? I have many files and I want to make them one and save it. I tried as shown below but does not work. Could you please explain?

for n=1:6;
  filename = ['WN', int2str(n), '.txt'];
  fid = fopen('filename.txt');
data = textscan(fid,'%s%s%d%d%d%d%s%d%d%d%d%d%d%d');
fclose(fid);
  save LACW.txt data -ascii -append;
end

Answer 3

[Peter Perkins]

The first hit for a google search for "matlab load text file" leads to, as Stephen says, readtable and importtool. This is what it might look like with readtable:

>> t = readtable('WN20113.txt','delimiter','tab','ReadVariableNames',false)
t = 
        Var1         Var2      Var3    Var4    Var5    Var6    Var7     Var8    Var9    Var10     Var11    Var12    Var13    Var14
    ____________    _______    ____    ____    ____    ____    _____    ____    ____    ______    _____    _____    _____    _____
    '01/03/2011'    '00:00'    1.1     1.1       1     1.7     'ENE'    2.6      0.6    1026.5    0        8.8       9       10   
    '01/03/2011'    '00:10'      1     1.1     0.9     0.9     'ENE'    1.7        1    1026.6    0        8.7      10       10   
    '01/03/2011'    '00:20'    0.7     0.9     0.4     0.9     'ENE'    3.5      0.7    1026.7    0        8.6       9       10   
    '01/03/2011'    '00:30'    0.4     0.5     0.3     1.7     'ENE'    4.3     -0.2    1026.7    0        8.5       9       10   
    '01/03/2011'    '00:40'    0.4     0.6     0.3     3.5     'ENE'    4.3     -1.7    1026.7    0        8.4      10       10   
[snip]

>> t.Var7 = categorical(t.Var7);
>> t.Var7 = removecats(t.Var7,'---');
>> t.Var1 = datetime(strcat(t.Var1,{' '},t.Var2),'InputFormat','dd/MM/yyyy HH:mm');
>> t.Var2 = []
t = 
            Var1            Var3    Var4    Var5    Var6    Var7    Var8    Var9    Var10     Var11    Var12    Var13    Var14
    ____________________    ____    ____    ____    ____    ____    ____    ____    ______    _____    _____    _____    _____
    01-Mar-2011 00:00:00    1.1     1.1       1     1.7     ENE     2.6      0.6    1026.5    0        8.8       9       10   
    01-Mar-2011 00:10:00      1     1.1     0.9     0.9     ENE     1.7        1    1026.6    0        8.7      10       10   
    01-Mar-2011 00:20:00    0.7     0.9     0.4     0.9     ENE     3.5      0.7    1026.7    0        8.6       9       10   
    01-Mar-2011 00:30:00    0.4     0.5     0.3     1.7     ENE     4.3     -0.2    1026.7    0        8.5       9       10   
    01-Mar-2011 00:40:00    0.4     0.6     0.3     3.5     ENE     4.3     -1.7    1026.7    0        8.4      10       10   
[snip]

If you have multiple files, concatenate them together after reading them all. Probably it would also be convenient if the files had column headers, so you don't end up with variables in the table with generic names like Var1, etc.