How do I save multiple .txt files from different folders to one new folder?

I have saved txt files to a directory, but this just gives me the names. I cannot then access the files in the directory and compile them in one place.

[Stephen23]

@Emily Frith: your question is confusing.

For example, the title is "How do I save multiple .txt files from different folders to one new folder?", but then you explained that "I have saved txt files to a directory...". So which of these is correct: are the files in multiple folders (like your title states) or in one folder (as per your explanation)?

"I have saved txt files to a directory, but this just gives me the names"

Saving data in a file does not "give" names. If you "got" the names, then this is due to some other action or process.

"I cannot then access the files in the directory..."

Why not? What have you tried so far?

[Rena Berman]

(Answers Dev) Restored edit

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

filenames = fullfile({fileList.folder}, {filelist.name});

copyfile(filenames, outputPath);

This assumes that the source files all have different base names (the part without the folder). If the names might be the same, then you need to decide what the output file names are to be in cases where there is a clash.

[Emily Frith]

I received an error using copyfile

Arguments must contain a character vector.

[Emily Frith]

my goal is to copy all the (differently named) .txt files to the outputPath folder

[Walter Roberson]

filenames = fullfile({fileList.folder}, {filelist.name});

cellfun(@(file) copyfile(file, outputPath), filenames);

[Emily Frith]

This is much closer! But it is just one giant textfile without the sames of the subjects separated out for some reason.

[Walter Roberson]

Is your outputPath the name of a file or of a folder ?

[Emily Frith]

it is a folder.

outputPath = fullfile(mainFolder, 'motion_covariates');

[Walter Roberson]

Did you check to see whether it exists already and mkdir it if not?

if ~isfolder(outputPath); mkdir(outputPath); end

for R2017a and earlier use isdir() instead of isfolder()