assign input to variable name

Question

Trader 2012-4-19

I'm putting together a script that builds a .mat file and I was wondering, how can I create an array based off the name of a string? Example:

file = 'data_abc';
full_path =['folder/',file,'.csv'];
import = importdata(full_path)
data_abc = import.data;

How do you take the string and convert it to a variable name?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Matt Tearle 2012-4-19

Generally this isn't a great idea, but if you want to, you can use eval. First make a string of the command you want to issue:

str = [file,' = import.data;'];

Then evaluate it as a command:

eval(str)

(Obviously you can combine these lines into one command, but I'm showing the steps for clarity.)

An alternative approach is to use a structure variable, using the filename as the fieldname:

x.(file) = import.data; % equivalent to x.data_abc = ...

Daniel Shub 2012-4-19

"it isn't a great idea" can be interpeted as "IT IS A REALLY BAD IDEA"

Walter Roberson 2012-4-19

Structure field and use save() with the -struct flag.