convert cell array into date and time string

Hello, I have the following cell (1x6) that will be extracted from different text files of accelerometers records. For example:

date_hne =

1×6 cell array

{'2014'} {'04'} {'01'} {'23'} {'46'} {'44.998300'}

I would like to convert it into a string to recognize date and time like 2014-04-01 23:46:45

I would appreciate your help.

Answer 1

[Karim]

See below for one method on how to do this

% reconstruct the cell array from the OP
date_hne = {'2014' '04' '01' '23' '46' '44.998300'}

date_hne = 1×6 cell array
    {'2014'}    {'04'}    {'01'}    {'23'}    {'46'}    {'44.998300'}

% concat the data and convert into a string
date_hne_string = string([date_hne{:}])

date_hne_string = "20140401234644.998300"

% convert into a datetime
date_hne_dt = datetime(date_hne_string, 'InputFormat', 'yyyyMMddHHmmss.SSSSSS')

date_hne_dt = datetime
   01-Apr-2014 23:46:44

[Jorge Luis Paredes Estacio]

Thank you very much. How would be the case for this string:

'2021-04-23T17:00:19.860000Z' or '2021-04-23T17:00:19Z' to convert it into 2021/04/23 17:00:19. A general command should be applied because sometimes the amount of decimals in the seconds may vary.

Answer 2

[Eric Sofen]

As much as I love string, there's no need to do an extra type conversion. Just concatenate the elements of the cell into a char vector and pass that directly to datetime.

C = {'2014','04','01','23','46','44.998300'};
d = datetime([C{:}],"InputFormat","uuuuMMddHHmmss.SSSSSS")

d = datetime
   01-Apr-2014 23:46:44