For-loop, inserting loopcount into string output

Hello,

I've been tasked with a project which partly consists of having to load data from a file and displaying it in a (X,3) matrix. The challenging part is that there are requirements for the values for every coloumn of the matrix, such as; the numbers in coloumn 1 cannot be lower than 20, nor higher than 60.

If a value of given coloumn does not meet the criteria, the respective set of data is to be eliminated and removed from the end result matrix. I've managed to do just that without any major problems, although I am not stating that my code is as simple as possible. Here is the problem, however; for every time that a given value does not meet the respective requirement, the code is supposed to provide a string output describing exactly which value it is. Since I've tested my code where multiple values in different coloumns should display the error message, I simply do not know how to make the code display the exact position of the specific value.

In the end it simply displays the three error strings, one after the other. I was thinking that i could add the value "i" in the strings of my if-statements in my for-loop, causing the string to display which position the value has in the matrix, for example:

disp('Error; explanation, [value (i)]'), or something alike. I just dont know the syntax.

I'd love to get some help! Thank you in advance.

if true
  % code
end

function data = dataLoad(filename)
Q = readtable(filename);

A1 = zeros(length(Q),1); A2 = zeros(length(Q),1); A3 = zeros(length(Q),1);
Temperature = Q(:,1);
GrowthRate = Q(:,2);
Bacteria = Q(:,3);
i = 1;
for i = 1 : length(Q)
   if (Temperature(i)>=20) && (Temperature(i)<=60)
       A1(i) = A1(i) + Temperature(i);
   end

     if  (GrowthRate(i)>=0)
         A2(i) = A2(i) + GrowthRate(i);
     end

     if  (Bacteria(i)>=1) && (Bacteria(i)<=4)
         A3(i) = A3(i) + Bacteria(i);
     end

     if (Temperature(i)<20)
         A1(i) = 0; A2(i) = 0; A3(i) = 0;
         disp('Error; explanation');
     elseif (Temperature(i)>60)
         A1(i) = 0; A2(i) = 0; A3(i) = 0;
         disp('Error; explanation');
     end

     if (GrowthRate(i)<0)
         A1(i) = 0; A2(i) = 0; A3(i) = 0;
         disp('Error; explanation');
     end

     if (Bacteria(i)<1)
         A1(i) = 0; A2(i) = 0; A3(i) = 0;
         disp('Error; explanation');
     elseif (Bacteria(i)>4)
         A1(i) = 0; A2(i) = 0; A3(i) = 0;
         disp('Error; explanation');
     end

     i = i + 1;
  end

A1 = A1(A1~=0); A2 = A2(A2~=0); A3 = A3(A3~=0);
data = [A1, A2, A3];

[Dennis]

You can use strcat to put several strings together and num2str to convert i or A(i) to a string.

errorstring=strcat('Error;',{' '},num2str(A(i)),' <20!');
disp(errorstring)

Answer 1

[Sandro Lecci]

Dear Emil,

I haven't check whether my proposition works, I let you try it.

function data = dataLoad(filename)
Q = readtable(filename);

A1 = zeros(length(Q),1); A2 = zeros(length(Q),1); A3 = zeros(length(Q),1);

Temperature = Q(:,1);
GrowthRate = Q(:,2);
Bacteria = Q(:,3);

for i = 1 : length(Q)

     %check Temperature
     if (Temperature(i)>=20) && (Temperature(i)<=60)
         A1(i) = Temperature(i);
     elseif Temperature(i)< 20
         fprintf('ERROR on line %d : Temperature < 20\n', i)
     elseif Temperature(i)> 60
         fprintf('ERROR on line %d : Temperature > 60\n', i)
     end

     %check Growthrate
     if  (GrowthRate(i)>=0)
         A2(i) = GrowthRate(i);
     else
         fprintf('ERROR on line %d : GrowthRate < 0\n', i)
     end

     %check Bacteria
     if  (Bacteria(i)>=1) && (Bacteria(i)<=4)
         A3(i) = A3(i) + Bacteria(i);
     elseif Bacteria(i)<1
         fprintf('ERROR on line %d : Bacteria < 1\n', i)
     elseif Bacteria(i)>4
         fprintf('ERROR on line %d : Bacteria > 4\n', i)
     end

end
A1 = A1(A1~=0); A2 = A2(A2~=0); A3 = A3(A3~=0);
data = [A1, A2, A3];
end

I just want you to pay attention to the last commands. You can concatenate them into the data matrix only if they have the same dimensions ( vector length). This assumes that you remove the same amount of data in each vector A (possibly the same lines..). If this is not the case you will encounter an error. Would you like to exclude the same line in every A vector, e.g. if any of the condition "Temperature - GrowthRate or Bacteria" is wrong for a given i ?

Best,

Sandro

P.S. There is no need in separating Q into A1-3, you can access the column of interest in Q directly

[Emil Krogager]

Thank you for your response, it is very alike what i expected as a solution! To your question, yes, the purpose of the last half of my code is to exclude the respective data set if ANY of the values result in an error. e.g. if you have a given dataset consisting of [19, 0.9, 3], it would register that the first value, which represents the temperature, is below 20, so the entire row is irrelevant to the solution.

Edit: this fprintf-command is perfect. Thank you so much. It works.

[Sandro Lecci]

You're welcome!

So I would adapt the code as following:

function data = dataLoad(filename)
Q = readtable(filename);

A1 = zeros(length(Q),1); A2 = zeros(length(Q),1); A3 = zeros(length(Q),1);

Temperature = Q(:,1);
GrowthRate = Q(:,2);
Bacteria = Q(:,3);

linesToKeep = zeros(length(Q),1); %identifies index of lines to keep

for i = 1 : length(Q)

       %check Temperature
       if (Temperature(i)>=20) && (Temperature(i)<=60)
           A1(i) = Temperature(i);
           linesToKeep(i) = 1;
       elseif Temperature(i)< 20
           fprintf('ERROR on line %d : Temperature < 20\n', i); continue
       elseif Temperature(i)> 60
           fprintf('ERROR on line %d : Temperature > 60\n', i); continue
       end

       %check Growthrate
       if  (GrowthRate(i)>=0)
           A2(i) = GrowthRate(i);
           linesToKeep(i) = 1;
       else
           linesToKeep(i) = 0;
           fprintf('ERROR on line %d : GrowthRate < 0\n', i); continue
       end

       %check Bacteria
       if  (Bacteria(i)>=1) && (Bacteria(i)<=4)
           A3(i) = A3(i) + Bacteria(i);
           linesToKeep(i) = 1;
       elseif Bacteria(i)<1
           linesToKeep(i) = 0;
           fprintf('ERROR on line %d : Bacteria < 1\n', i); continue
       elseif Bacteria(i)>4
           linesToKeep(i) = 0;
           fprintf('ERROR on line %d : Bacteria > 4\n', i); continue
       end
  end

data = [A1, A2, A3];
data = data(logical(linesToKeep),:);

end

As taken from the matlab documentation: "continue passes control to the next iteration of a for or while loop. It skips any remaining statements in the body of the loop for the current iteration. The program continues execution from the next iteration."

There is no need to execute the rest of the iteration if any of your condition is not what you expect, right?

best.

EDIT: I forgot some lines of code, sorry!

[Emil Krogager]

Yup, this code does the same as my version, but i feel like yours is shorter and more transparent.

Regarding your question, I believe that the iteration is required to continue for as long as length(Q), and our if-statements cover every possible outcome, as long as the loaded file contains only numbers and not strings. Does that answer your question?

[Sandro Lecci]

Absolutely,

the "continue" command just jumps to the next iteration (i+1) and does not break the loop.

Imagine the condition where at i = 3 (and length(Q) = 10) Temperature(i) < 20. The if statement will leave Temperature(i) = 0 and linesToKeep(i) will also remain 0.

At this point you have the minimal requirement fulfilled to discard that line, independently of the outcome of Bacteria(i) and GrowthRate(i).

Without the "continue" statement, you will evaluate GrowthRate(i) (which we suppose now to be >0). Do you want to keep this number, knowing that Temperature(i) is < 20?

I hope this clarifies my code!

Best,

Answer 2

[ES]

disp(['Error in row ', num2str(i)]);