Selecting Files Within Subfolders

Hi, I have written the code:

>> path = {'/Users/Naomi/Desktop/GroupAnalysis/sub1/STRUC'}; 
>> movefile('s0-0007-00001-000001-01.nii', 'T1.nii')

Error using movefile
mv: rename /Users/naomi/Desktop/GroupAnalysis/s0-0007-00001-000001-01.nii to
/Users/naomi/Desktop/GroupAnalysis/T1.nii: No such file or directory

And I am receiving the above error message. Why is my file not being selected in the STRUC subfolder even if I am indicating it in the path?

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

Do not overwrite path, the built-in variable or you will have problems.

Make sure the file exists. It's telling you your source file is not there.

[Naomi Gaggi]

Yes, the file is in the folder sub1/STRUC/ but the error is showing: /Users/naomi/Desktop/GroupAnalysis/T1.nii: No such file or directory So, I would like the program to select the file in the directory I specified: '/Users/Naomi/Desktop/GroupAnalysis/sub1/STRUC'

[Image Analyst]

The change the current folder and call movefile(). If you want to do it in code you can use cd, NOT path:

cd('/Users/Naomi/Desktop/GroupAnalysis/sub1/STRUC'); 
movefile('s0-0007-00001-000001-01.nii', 'T1.nii')

[Naomi Gaggi]

Thanks! Is there a way use cd in a loop? For example, I want to select path(1) = '/Users/Naomi/Desktop/GroupAnalysis/sub1/STRUC' then path (2) = '/Users/Naomi/Desktop/GroupAnalysis/sub2/STRUC'and in each path select file 's0-0007-00001-000001-01.nii' and rename it?

[Image Analyst]

Yes you can. But it's best not to use cd and to just use the full file name when you call movefile(). See the FAQ: https://matlab.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#Where_did_my_file_go.3F_The_risks_of_using_the_cd_function.

Also, use exist(sourceFileName, 'file') before you call movefile() to make sure it exists first.

And, AGAIN DO NOT USE path AS THE NAME OF YOUR VARIABLE or you will regret it. I can't emphasize that enough.

[Naomi Gaggi]

Thanks a lot!!

Answer 2

[Jan]

Instead of using cd to modify the current folder, it is safer to use absolute paths:

for k = 1:10
  Folder = sprintf('/Users/Naomi/Desktop/GroupAnalysis/sub%d/STRUC', k);
  movefile(fullfile(Folder, 's0-0007-00001-000001-01.nii'), ...
           fullfile(Folder, 'T1.nii'));
end

[Naomi Gaggi]

Thank you! The program created a folder T1.nii within the folder STRUC, is there a way to change the file name rather than create a folder name?