converting cell array of strings (dates) to matrix

Hi, I get a cell array of strings by calling a sqlserver stored procedure. The strings are all dates "dd/mnm/yyyy" which I want to keep in string format.

Cell2mat creates (for an array of 100 cells) a 100x10 matrix, not the 100x1 I would like.

As my strings are all the same length, is there an easy way to convert to a matrix please?

Thanks a lot,

Tom

Answer 1

[Andrei Caragea]

Hey tombola.

The problem is that matlab views a string as a row of ascii values. For example, if you have a date like '01/01/2000', this is viewed as [48 49 47 48 49 47 50 48 48 48]. This is precisely why you get a 100*10 matrix. The cell format views the string '01/01/2000' as a single "object", so if you try size(cell) it will give [100 1]. But the string format is different. If you need to work with the string form, convert inside of the specific function you are using, i.e. instead of having C as the cell and M=cell2mat(C), try f(cell2mat(C(i)) where f is your function and i the current index.

BTW, if you want to see this in action, just try '01/01/2000'+1-1 in the command window.

[Walter Roberson]

f(cell2mat(C(i))) would be f(C{i}) unless you have a cell array of cell arrays.

Answer 2

[Titus Edelhofer]

Hi,

hmm, I don't understand: you have a cell array of strings (i.e., you have some 100x1 cell array). What exactly is the output you expect?

Titus