Cannot I import data from a file with multiples delimiters?

Hello,

I have a file called a.txt which has the following format

{"node_id":"a4","Arrived at":"2017-07-04T02:57:06.344971Z","total_Light":66.7959976196289,"S1":0,"S2":0,"S3":0}
{"node_id":"a2","Arrived at":"2017-07-04T02:57:06.344971Z","total_Light":66.7959976196289,"S1":0,"S2":0,"S3":0}
...

I would like to import that data as is being done with the gui import data in Matlab but from the command line, I have searched for importdata however I get an error in such a function saying that it cannot handle multidelimeters, even when the help makes you believe so.

If I invoke the importata over my file a.txt like this,

d = importdata('a.txt',[':',',','}'],1)

I get this error

Error using importdata (line 225)
Unable to load file.
Use TEXTSCAN or FREAD for more complex formats.

Caused by:
    Error using importdata>parse (line 309)
    Multicharacter delimiters are not supported.

Is it possibe to use importdata to with the multidelimeters or I have to turn to textscan?

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

[Javier]

The solution for me was using the function readtable that it does allow as well the use of several delimeters

delimeters = {',','}',':'};
d = readtable('a.txt','Delimiter',delimeters)

d = 

          Var1        Var2         Var3                    Var4                     Var5          Var6     Var7    Var8    Var9    Var10    Var11    Var12    Var13
      ____________    _____    ____________    _____________________________    _____________    ______    ____    ____    ____    _____    _____    _____    _____

      '{"node_id"'    'a3'    'Arrived at'    '2017-07-03T14:41:58.931247Z'    'total_Light'    7273.4    'S1'     253    'S2'     534     'S3'      64      NaN  
      '{"node_id"'    'a3'    'Arrived at'    '2017-07-03T14:42:40.290891Z'    'total_Light'    7231.6    'S1'     259    'S2'     519     'S3'      61      NaN

Answer 2

[Star Strider]

The textscan (link) function allows you to specify multiple delimeters. See the section on 'Delimiter' (link) for details.

[Javier]

Thanks Star Strider, in the end I have used readtable() since my data is almost table formated and it does also allow the use of several delimeters as textscan

[Star Strider]

My pleasure.