rename files using data in cell array

hi, I have a list of 135 .mat files with complete file path. I have to take subjectid from the file path ( for eg. /project/brain/12345/matrix_456.mat) I want to copy these files into a new folder and rename them with brain_id_filename. So for this case it will be brain_12345_matrix_456.mat. I was able to copy these files into a new folder using copyfile but i am unable to rename them. thanks in advance.

Answer 1

[Voss]

You can rename files using copyfile() or movefile().

In either case the destination argument would be the new name of the file (not a folder), and it's best to use full absolute paths, e.g.:

copyfile('/home/project/brain/12345/matrix_456.mat','/home/project/brain_12345_matrix_456.mat');

[pallavi sri]

Thanks but i have 135 . mat files, so i was running this in loop, with destination as the destination directory

[Voss]

If you want to rename the files, destination will have to be the new file name. It will be different each time through the loop.

You can set up a cell array containing the new file names, e.g.:

old_files = { ...
    '/project/brain/12345/matrix_456.mat'; ...
    '/project/brain/12345/matrix_789.mat'; ...
    '/project/brain/99999/matrix_000.mat'}; % you say you have this already

new_files = strrep(old_files,filesep(),'_') % something like this, maybe not exactly

new_files = 3×1 cell array
    {'_project_brain_12345_matrix_456.mat'}
    {'_project_brain_12345_matrix_789.mat'}
    {'_project_brain_99999_matrix_000.mat'}

for ii = 1:numel(new_files)
    copyfile(old_files{ii},new_files{ii});
end