Convert a cell array into matrix, but with removing the words / commas

So I'm trying to sort through the two arrays below, and place them in a matrix. The code I'm trying to use is also below. However, the outputs aren't giving me the desired result. I'm trying to take out the (known, known and free, known) for issue 1 and (plane stress) for issue 2, leaving just the numbers in the matrix. Any help on how to correct this would be greatly appreciated.

(Issue 1)

NF_array =

4×1 cell array

{'1, known, known, 0.0, 0.0'}

{'8, known, known, 0.0, 0.0'}

{'4, free, known, 0.0, 0.0' }

{'5, free, known, 0.0, 0.0' }

NF_array = S(NF_2:NL_2);

optf = {'Delimiter',',', 'CollectOutput',true};

fmtf = ['%f%*s',repmat('%f',1,4)];

strf = sprintf('%s\n',NF_array{:});

outf = textscan(strf,fmtf,optf{:});

Nodal_Fixity = outf{1};

Nodal_Fixity = sortrows(Nodal_Fixity)

(Result from code) - Not Correct

Nodal_Fixity =

1 NaN NaN NaN NaN

(Need it to output this)

1 0 0

4 0 0

5 0 0

8 0 0

(Issue 2)

ED_array =

3×1 cell array

{'1, plane stress, 1, 2, 7, 8, 0.1, 29e6, 0.3, 7.3e-6'}

{'2, plane stress, 2, 3, 6, 7, 0.1, 29e6, 0.3, 7.3e-6'}

{'3, plane stress, 3, 4, 5, 6, 0.1, 29e6, 0.3, 7.3e-6'}

ED_array = [{'1, plane stress, 1, 2, 7, 8, 0.1, 29e6, 0.3, 7.3e-6'}, {'2, plane stress, 2, 3, 6, 7, 0.1, 29e6, 0.3, 7.3e-6'}, {'3, plane stress, 3, 4, 5, 6, 0.1, 29e6, 0.3, 7.3e-6'}];

ED_array = S(ED_2:EL_2);

opt = {'Delimiter',',', 'CollectOutput',true};

fmt = ['%f%*s',repmat('%f',1,8)];

str = sprintf('%s\n',ED_array{:});

out = textscan(str,fmt,opt{:});

Element_Data = out{1};

Element_Data = sortrows(Element_Data)

(Result from code)- Not Correct

Element_Data =

1.0e+07 *

0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 2.9000 0.0000 0.0000

0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 2.9000 0.0000 0.0000

0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 2.9000 0.0000 0.0000

(Need it to output this)

1 1 2 7 8 0.1 29e6 0.3 7.3e-6

2 2 3 6 7 0.1 29e6 0.3 7.3e-6

3 3 4 5 6 0.1 29e6 0.3 7.3e-6

[Ameer Hamza]

Please edit your question and add code which we can directly execute in MATLAB. For example, how are these cell array created, and what is the name of the variable?

{'1, known, known, 0.0, 0.0'}
{'8, known, known, 0.0, 0.0'}
{'4, free, known, 0.0, 0.0' }
{'5, free, known, 0.0, 0.0' }

[Damon Schmidt]

I just updated the question. So I have NF_array = 4x1 cell array and ED_array = 3×1 cell array. Hopefully this helps clear up what I have going on / trying to do.

[Ameer Hamza]

Yes, that makes it easy to understand the issue. But it better to format the code such that we can copy the code from here and paste it in MATLAB console. For example, a better way to put your code is

NF_array = [{'1, known, known, 0.0, 0.0'}, ...
    {'8, known, known, 0.0, 0.0'}, ...
    {'4, free, known, 0.0, 0.0' }, ...
    {'5, free, known, 0.0, 0.0' }];

Also i guess that the following line is not required

NF_array = S(NF_2:NL_2);

because NF_array is already defined.

Please also provide the output you want.

1   NaN   NaN   NaN   NaN

is wrong output, so what is the actual output you want.

[Damon Schmidt]

I just updated what my desired result is. The NF_array = S(NF_2:NL_2); and ED_array = S(ED_2:EL_2); are needed because I'm filtering the data from a larger array.

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

In both cases it looks like you are processing data imported from a file, in which case it would be much more efficient to fix the data importing rather than inefficiently import everything as character and then convert to numeric.

NF_array

Your textscan format string does not match the data itself. For some reason you defined the format string with 1 numeric field, 1 string field, and 4 numeric fields. The actual data has 1 numeric field, 2 string fields, and 2 numeric fields. When I wrote the format string to correctly match the data, it worked without error:

NF_array = {...
    '1, known, known, 0.0, 0.0';...
    '8, known, known, 0.0, 0.0';...
    '4, free, known, 0.0, 0.0';...
    '5, free, known, 0.0, 0.0'};
optf = {'Delimiter',',', 'CollectOutput',true};
fmtf = '%f%*s%*s%f%f';
strf = sprintf('%s\n',NF_array{:});
outf = textscan(strf,fmtf,optf{:});
Nodal_Fixity = outf{1}

Giving:

Nodal_Fixity =
   1   0   0
   8   0   0
   4   0   0
   5   0   0

ED_array

You write that the output is "Not Correct", but in fact it is perfectly correct, you are not taking into account the limited display precision of the default short display format and this multiplication factor:

Element_Data =
   1.0e+07 *      <- !!!!!!!!  DO NOT IGNORE THIS  !!!!!!!!
    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    2.9000    0.0000    0.0000
    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    2.9000    0.0000    0.0000
    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    2.9000    0.0000    0.0000

If you display the value 1 and the value 29e6 together in one matrix which displays five digits with fixed precision based on the magnitude of the largest value in the matrix, then you will see that table. It does NOT mean that MATLAB has eaten your values, just that you need to learn about different ways that numbers can be displayed (which does NOT change what numbers are stored in memory).

You can easily change the format to something like shortG and you will see each element displayed as you probably expect to see them.

>> format short
>> Element_Data
Element_Data =
   1.0e+07 *
    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    2.9000    0.0000    0.0000
    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    2.9000    0.0000    0.0000
    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    0.0000    2.9000    0.0000    0.0000
>> format shortG
>> Element_Data
Element_Data =
            1            1            2            7            8          0.1      2.9e+07          0.3      7.3e-06
            2            2            3            6            7          0.1      2.9e+07          0.3      7.3e-06
            3            3            4            5            6          0.1      2.9e+07          0.3      7.3e-06

[Damon Schmidt]

I honestly wish I had you as my Matlab teacher during my undergrad class. Thanks so much for the help. The goal is to one day be as proficient as you.