Using regexp to capture parts of a filename

I have a filename that is something like

Exp000_DD2CM000_PN000_block1_predecision

I need to extract different parts of this filename and use them to determine which path for a looping if statement to take.

For example:

I need it to load the file determine that file = Exp000_DD2CM000_PN000_block1_predecision experimentName = DD2CM000 participantName = PN000 block= 1 type = pre or post

if type = pre

...

elseif type = post

... code

end

right now I'm using

>> experimentName =regexp(str,'DD2CM(/d*)','match')

without any luck.

any ideas?

- ML

Answer 1

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

x='Exp000_DD2CM000_PN000_block1_predecision'
a=regexp(x,'_','split')
experimentName = a{2}
participantName = a{3}
block=regexp(a{4},'\d*')
type = a{5}

[Mary]

this works wonderfully - Thanks!

Answer 2

[Jonathan Sullivan]

Your slash is the wrong way. Try:

experimentName =regexp(str,'DD2CM(\d*)','match')

[Mary]

my bad - I made this error while retyping. Thank you for the reply!

Answer 3

[Daniel Shub]

Depending on how structured your file names are, it might be easier to skip the regexp part.

file = 'Exp000_DD2CM000_PN000_block1_predecision';
x = strfind(file, '_');
f = @(n,m,x)x((m(n)+1):(m(n+1)-1));

experimentName = f(2, [0, x, length(file)], file);
participantName = f(3, [0, x, length(file)], file);
block = f(4, [0, x, length(file)], file);
type = f(5, [0, x, length(file)], file);

Then you just want to throw out parts of each variable

experimentName(6:end)
participantName(3:end)
block(6:end)
type(1:3)

The structure of your data might more naturally fit

experimentName(end-2:end)
participantName(end-2:end)
block(end)
type(1:3)

[Mary]

I'll give this a try! - Thank you :)