Equal elements between every two successive vectors equal elements between every two successive vectors in a cell array

Dear all How to find common or equal elements between every two successive vectors (not equal in length) in a cell array, e.g.

str =

Columns 1 through 5

    [1x5 double]    [1x37 double]    [1x63 double]    [1x39 double]    [1x75 double]

Column 6

    [1x75 double]

Answer 1

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

str={[1 2 3 4],[2 3 5 6],[5 10 20],[25 40]}
n=numel(str);
out=cell(n-1,1);
for k=1:n-1
 out{k}=intersect(str{k},str{k+1})
end

[Mohammed]

Hi Azzi

Thank you for your response, I ran the code you’ve made but I got this massage:

        str = 

              [1x4 double]    [1x4 double]    [1x3 double]    [1x2 double]

          n =

               4

          out = 

              []    []    []

      Attempt to execute SCRIPT intersect as a function:

      C:\Users\m\Documents\MATLAB\intersect.m

      Error in intersect (line 5)

       out{k}=intersect(str{k},str{k+1})

do you have any suggestions.

One more questions. What if the vectors in the cell array became cell arrays like shown below:

      vectors = 

          {1x5 cell}    {1x37 cell}    {1x63 cell}    {1x39 cell}

Each cell is a vector of two elements.

[Jonathan Sullivan]

Sounds like you have a script named intersect.m

You should rename your script. It's not a good idea to name custom functions and scripts the same as MATLAB's builtin functions and scripts, because name conflict issue will arise.

Another (less desirable) workaround is to use the function "builtin".

str={[1 2 3 4],[2 3 5 6],[5 10 20],[25 40]}
n=numel(str);
out=cell(n-1,1);
for k=1:n-1
 out{k}=builtin('intersect',str{k},str{k+1})
end

[Mohammed]

Thanx, I used the builtin function but I got this results

The code

vectors = 

      {1x5 cell}    {1x37 cell}    {1x63 cell}    {1x39 cell}

q = length(vectors)

for qq= 1:q-1

      terminals{qq} = builtin('intersect',vectors{qq}, vectors{qq+1})
end

The results

Error using builtin

Cannot find builtin function 'intersect'

Error in Area6 (line 67)

      terminals{qq} = builtin('intersect',vectors{qq}, vectors{qq+1})