Simple:
data = cell(1,8)
data(1:8) = {NaN(3,5)}
How does this work? Compare to your numeric example:
test(1:8) = nan
Where
- We want to allocate the RHS (a scalar numeric) to multiple numeric elements on the LHS.
- MATLAB uses scalar expansion to put that scalar element (numeric) into all elements (numeric) of the LHS variable.
Exactly the same applies to a cell array:
- We want to allocate the RHS (a scalar cell array) to multiple cells on the LHS.
- MATLAB uses scalar expansion to put that scalar element (cell) into all elements (cell) of the LHS variable.
This scalar expansion does not apply to the contents of the cell array (like you were attempting with curly braces {}) but to the cell arrays themselves (which can be accessed using parentheses ()). See also:
Another option would be to use a comma-separated list and deal, but I would not recommend doing this because the first solution is much simpler:
[data{1:8}] = deal(NaN(3,5))
