Need help with Textread (Again)

Trying to read in the following file:

Id   DOMES#    Location   lat(decimal_degrees_-90to90) long(-180to180) height(metres)
---- --------- -----------------------  --- ---- ----------------------------------
1181 14106S001 Potsdam    5.2380263e+001  1.3065290e+001  1.4784603e+002
1824 12356S001 Golosiiv    5.0363130e+001  3.0495881e+001  2.1241848e+002
1831 12368S001 Lviv    4.9917567e+001  2.3954413e+001  3.5918362e+002
1863 12340S001 Maidanak-2    3.8685738e+001  6.6943090e+001  2.7138656e+003
1864 12340S002 Maidanak-1    3.8684895e+001  6.6943086e+001  2.7135990e+003
1868 12341S001 Komsomolsk-na-Amure    5.0694613e+001  1.3674383e+002  2.6940265e+002
1870 12309S001 Mendeleevo    5.6027584e+001  3.7223454e+001  2.5618141e+002
1873 12337S003 Simeiz    4.4413187e+001  3.3990950e+001  3.6458796e+002
1884 12302S002 Riga    5.6948551e+001  2.4059074e+001  3.1332111e+001
1885 12302S006 Riga    5.6948721e+001  2.4058627e+001  3.0968508e+001
1893 12337S006 Katsively    4.4393173e+001  3.3970123e+001  6.8144159e+001
1953 40701S001 Santiago_de_Cuba    2.0011941e+001 -7.5762220e+001  1.7767477e+001
7035 40436M003 Otay    3.2600682e+001 -1.1684085e+002  9.8867137e+002
7046 40438M002 Bear_Lake    4.1933542e+001 -1.1142071e+002  1.9632293e+003

I've tried to use this function:

[ID,Domes,Location,lat,long,height] = textread('slr_sites.dat','%d%d%s%s%s%s','headerlines',2,'whitespace',' \b\t\n\r');

I keep getting the error: ??? Error using ==> dataread Trouble reading integer from file (row 2, field 2) ==> .4784603e+002\n

Can anyone fix this?

Answer 1

[Jiro Doke]

Your second column cannot be stored as integers. There's a letter "S" or "M" in it. This should work (note the format string):

[ID,Domes,Location,lat,long,height] = textread('slr_sites.dat', '%d%s%s%s%s%s', 'headerlines', 2, 'whitespace', ' \b\t\n\r');

Answer 2

[Andrew]

How would I convert those strings into numbers after? Is there a scientific type conversion?

[Paulo Silva]

MyNumber=str2num(MyString)

[Walter Roberson]

What would it mean to convert "12337S006" in to a number? Do you just want the part before the S or M ? If so is it _certain_ to be exactly 5 digits before the S or M? Do you care if the S or M or following 3 digits are stored somewhere or can they be discarded?

[Andrew]

I was talking about the lat/long/h values. I would want to change them to the numbers with the exponent added on. Sorry about not being clear.

[Walter Roberson]

Why not use %f for those three fields?