User Inputs String variable that is name of vector. want script to calculate on values of that vector

Hello,

I know this is VERY BASIC, but I cannot find an answer in the books, Matlab Guide, or Matlab Central.

Need help with a script:

workspace has a lot of named variables

Request user input:

filename = input ('select a variable', 's');

now filename is a string

the name (string) in filename is associated with a vector of some 50K numbers

I want to analyze the vector whose name is in the string filename

How can I tell Matlab to calculate on the vector?

[Walter Roberson]

What file format is the file in? Or what command would you use to load one of the files by name?

[Don]

The original file was imported as an EDF file. BUT I read it very well, so the variable that is the subject of this question is a vector already in the workspace.

The problem: I read and open a file (the EDF file) and a whole set vectors exist in the workspace. I ask the user (essentially) "which vector do you want to analyze?"

The user might enter FileX (which is the name of a workspace vector) I want to use the string "FileX" to label the output, AND want to analyze the vector that is associated in the workspace with the name FileX.

Once the user types FileX in response to the INPUT statement, the name is either (1) a numerical array or (2) a string. I wanbt to use it both ways -- as a string to label plots and as a numeric array to analyze.

is this clearer?

please help if you can

thank you

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

Try this:

[baseFileName, folder] = uigetfile('*.*', 'Select a variable');
fullFileName = fullfile(folder, baseFileName)

Then use some code to read in "the vector" from your file. You can use a function such as csvread(), dlmread(), textscan(), fgetl(), or whatever works.

[Don]

Thank you. please see my response the answer provided above. Surely this problem is not beyond Matlab's capability.

But it is beyond my understanding.

Many thanks

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

http://matlab.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#How_can_I_create_variables_A1.2C_A2.2C....2CA10_in_a_loop.3F