readmatrix ignores the first line of the data file

I'm trying to read a text filw with over 226,600 rows with readmatrix (sample is over 5MB so I couldn't attach it here). The first line is numeric but readtable ignores the first line. Following is the line I'm using is follows, and I do require the structure (with NaN) that this provides.

data = readmatrix('sample.txt', 'Delimiter',' ','ConsecutiveDelimitersRule', 'join');

I found a similar thread where table2array was suggested, but I get the "Input argument must be a table." error. How can I rectify this?

** edit: A trimmed sample file is uploaded.

[Stephen23]

"How can I rectify this?"

Did you try specifying the first data line, or the number of header lines, or any other related options?

Please trim the file down a bit and upload it here.

[Jake]

Hi @Stephen23, I uploaded a trimmed data file.

The solution provided by @Sarvesh Kale seems to work for the time being, but I'd rather have a method where I don't have to add a line manually, since soon I will be dealing with multiple files similar to this.

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

You can specify the RANGE as the starting row:

M = readmatrix('sample.txt', 'ConsecutiveDelimitersRule','join', 'Range',1)

M = 11020×15

-1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 0.0303 0 -0.0446 0 0.1337 0 -0.0016 0 0.0647 0 0.0461 0 0.0027 0 0.0012 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0027 0 -0.0012 0 NaN NaN NaN -0.0054 0 -0.0025 0 -0.0082 0 -0.0037 0 -0.0109 0 -0.0049 0 NaN NaN NaN -0.0136 0 -0.0061 0 -0.0164 0 -0.0072 0 -0.0191 0 -0.0083 0 NaN NaN NaN -0.0219 0 -0.0094 0 -0.0246 0 -0.0104 0 -0.0274 0 -0.0114 0 NaN NaN NaN -1.0000 1.0000 2.0000 0.0318 0 -0.0505 0 0.1375 0 -0.0017 0 0.0679 0 0.0521 0 0.0030 0 0.0015 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0030 0 -0.0015 0 NaN NaN NaN -0.0061 0 -0.0030 0 -0.0092 0 -0.0045 0 -0.0122 0 -0.0060 0 NaN NaN NaN -0.0153 0 -0.0075 0 -0.0184 0 -0.0089 0 -0.0215 0 -0.0103 0 NaN NaN NaN -0.0246 0 -0.0116 0 -0.0277 0 -0.0129 0 -0.0308 0 -0.0141 0 NaN NaN NaN

I note that the data are arranged in blocks which span multiple lines. Note that if all files have a fixed, known format then you might consider using FSCANF to reads those blocks of data, giving one row per block, e.g.:

nmc = 15+12*4;
fmt = repmat('%f',1,nmc);
fid = fopen('sample.txt','rt');
mat = fscanf(fid,fmt,[nmc,Inf]).';
fclose(fid);
display(mat)

mat = 2204×63

-1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 0.0303 0 -0.0446 0 0.1337 0 -0.0016 0 0.0647 0 0.0461 0 0.0027 0 0.0012 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0027 0 -0.0012 0 -0.0054 0 -0.0025 -1.0000 1.0000 2.0000 0.0318 0 -0.0505 0 0.1375 0 -0.0017 0 0.0679 0 0.0521 0 0.0030 0 0.0015 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0030 0 -0.0015 0 -0.0061 0 -0.0030 -1.0000 1.0000 3.0000 0.0305 0 -0.0402 0 0.1327 0 -0.0013 0 0.0649 0 0.0418 0 0.0024 0 0.0012 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0024 0 -0.0012 0 -0.0048 0 -0.0024 -1.0000 1.0000 4.0000 0.0301 0 -0.0314 0 0.1318 0 -0.0010 0 0.0634 0 0.0327 0 0.0019 0 0.0009 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0019 0 -0.0009 0 -0.0038 0 -0.0018 -1.0000 1.0000 5.0000 0.0308 0 -0.0316 0 0.1329 0 -0.0009 0 0.0646 0 0.0330 0 0.0019 0 0.0010 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0019 0 -0.0010 0 -0.0037 0 -0.0020 -1.0000 1.0000 6.0000 0.0316 0 -0.0416 0 0.1357 0 -0.0012 0 0.0672 0 0.0433 0 0.0025 0 0.0014 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0025 0 -0.0014 0 -0.0050 0 -0.0028 -1.0000 1.0000 7.0000 0.0326 0 -0.0533 0 0.1392 0 -0.0017 0 0.0700 0 0.0550 0 0.0032 0 0.0017 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0032 0 -0.0017 0 -0.0064 0 -0.0035 -1.0000 1.0000 8.0000 0.0324 0 -0.0444 0 0.1379 0 -0.0012 0 0.0692 0 0.0461 0 0.0026 0 0.0016 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0026 0 -0.0016 0 -0.0053 0 -0.0031 -1.0000 1.0000 9.0000 0.0333 0 -0.0559 0 0.1413 0 -0.0016 0 0.0722 0 0.0575 0 0.0033 0 0.0020 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0033 0 -0.0020 0 -0.0067 0 -0.0039 -1.0000 1.0000 10.0000 0.0349 0 -0.0650 0 0.1443 0 -0.0021 0 0.0741 0 0.0663 0 0.0039 0 0.0022 0 0 0 0 0 -0.0039 0 -0.0022 0 -0.0077 0 -0.0044

Answer 2

[Sarvesh Kale]

Hi Jake,

You can open the text file in notepad and insert some text that best describes your data on the first line, from second line your data will start and I guess this should resolve your problem

Thank you

[Jake]

Hi, @Sarvesh Kale, this seems to work but it would be quite difficult to do this manually, since I will have to deal with several files soon. Thank you!