Importing and Editing a text file using strrep and user inputs

I have a text file called EXP1_SQ1_Template.txt, that has 8 lines. it looks like this:

LOAD BOX  1 SUBJ M1_299633_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat1 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi (x)
LOAD BOX  2 SUBJ M2_297928_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat2 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi (x)
LOAD BOX  3 SUBJ M3_299632_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat3 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii (x)
LOAD BOX  4 SUBJ M4_297929_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat4 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii (x)
LOAD BOX  5 SUBJ F5_299621_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat5 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi (x)
LOAD BOX  6 SUBJ F6_297923_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat6 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi (x)
LOAD BOX  7 SUBJ F7_299626_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat7 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii (x)
LOAD BOX  8 SUBJ F8_297924_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat8 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii (x)

note the variables in (). I want a user to edit those, with user input. to that end, I wrote a code that is supposed to import this file, and then replace the strings.

here is the code:

Mac_Templ = importdata('EXP1_SQ1_Template.txt')
user_input_stage = input('Enter correct Stage: ');
Stage_Correction = strrep(Mac_Data, '(m)', user_input_stage);
user_input_session = input('Enter correct Session: ');
Session_Correction = strrep(Mac_Templ, '(n)', user_input_session);
user_input_list = input('Enter correct List: ');
List_Correction = strrep(Mac_Data, '(x)', user_input_list);

nothing is working as the Mac_Templ variable is saving the string "Exp1_SQ1_Template.txt". I am not sure what I am doing wrong. using

Exist('EXP1_SQ1_Template.txt')

returns a 2. thanks for the help

Answer 1

[avram alter]

I found the answer, here is the corrected code:

clear
Mac_Templ = importdata('EXP1_SQ1_Template.txt');
user_input_stage = input('Enter correct Stage: ','s');
todaysMac = Mac_Templ;
todaysMac = strrep(todaysMac, '(m)', user_input_stage);
user_input_session = input('Enter correct Session: ','s');
todaysMac = strrep(todaysMac, '(n)', user_input_session);
user_input_list = input('Enter correct List: ','s');
todaysMac = strrep(todaysMac, '(x)', user_input_list);

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

Stage_Correction = strrep(Mac_Data, '(m)', user_input_stage);

Mac_Data does not exist in your code at that point.

Your replacements are either working with the undefined Mac_Data or with the original Mac_Templ rather than you modifying the string produced by the previous replacement.

user_input_stage = input('Enter correct Stage: ');

The user would have to know to enter quote marks around the text they input. I would suggest that using the 's' option to input() would make sense. Or using inputdlg() to ask all three questions at once.

Have you considered using regexprep() ?

regexprep(Mac_Templ, {'\(m\)', '\(n\)', '\(x\)'}, {user_input_stage, user_input_session, user_input_list})

Note that the ( and ) have to be escaped in this context, as () around a pattern means "grouping" in regexprep.

[avram alter]

using 's' is exactly what fixed it, as well as properly importing it using importdata. I've never seen regexprep before, thats why I haven't used it.