Delete the string symbols on specific line with special symbol.

Hi I have file fomated like that.

# 1996  3  4  9 58 11.0 20.2810 106.3000  20.8  2.7 0.0 0.0 0.5    1
PLV   12.20 1.00 Pg
PLV   21.00 0.75 Sg
HNV   16.20 1.00 Pg
HNV   28.40 0.75 Sg
# 1996  3 29 10 34 43.4 20.8820 107.2830  28.5  2.6 0.0 0.0 0.7    2
PLV   12.20 1.00 Pg
PLV   20.60 0.75 Sg

Now I need to remove the number on line have symbol "#" from

# 1996  3  4  9 58 11.0 20.2810 106.3000  20.8  2.7 0.0 0.0 0.5    1

to

#    1

Mean that all so thing after "#" to last number need to be remove (between # and number have 4 <space>). Final I need the file like that

#    1
PLV   12.20 1.00 Pg
PLV   21.00 0.75 Sg
HNV   16.20 1.00 Pg
HNV   28.40 0.75 Sg
#    2
PLV   12.20 1.00 Pg
PLV   20.60 0.75 Sg

Any one can help me! I try few way but it remove all or change the string only.

Answer 1

[Adam Danz]

Here we use fileread() to read your txt file into matlab and then we put each line of text into a cell array. Using regexp() we find which lines start with the pattern "# ****" where the asterisks are numbers. Then we replace those lines with your new pattern: "# *" and write it to a new text file using fprintf().

txtFile = 'C:\Users\name\Documents\MATLAB\mlc.txt'; 

% Read file and store each line in a cell
txt = fileread(txtFile);
txtCell = strsplit(txt, newline)'; 

% Find rows that start with '# ####'
hasPattern = regexp(txtCell, '# \d+');          %this searches for "#' followed by 1 space and at least 1 number.
rowIdx = find(~cellfun(@isempty, hasPattern));  %row numbers that will be replaced

% Replace the rows with new text
newText = strsplit(sprintf('#    %d|', 1:length(rowIdx)), '|');   %Here's where you create the new text; ignore last element. 
txtCell(rowIdx)  = newText(1:end-1); 
txtCell = cellfun(@(x)sprintf('%s\n',x), txtCell, 'UniformOutput', false); %add 'newrow' char

% Write text to new file (or you could overwrite the old one).
newFile = 'C:\Users\name\Documents\MATLAB\mlcNEW.txt'; 
fid = fopen(newFile, 'wt'); 
fprintf(fid, [txtCell{:}]);
fclose(fid);

Your new txt file will look like this

#    1
PLV   12.20 1.00 Pg
PLV   21.00 0.75 Sg
HNV   16.20 1.00 Pg
HNV   28.40 0.75 Sg
#    2
PLV   12.20 1.00 Pg
PLV   20.60 0.75 Sg

[Long Hà Vinh]

@Adam: Thanks. Seem it work. However it created the space between another line:

#    1
PLV   12.20 1.00 Pg

PLV   21.00 0.75 Sg

HNV   16.20 1.00 Pg

HNV   28.40 0.75 Sg

#    2
PLV   12.20 1.00 Pg

PLV   20.60 0.75 Sg

BGV   20.50 1.00 Pg

BGV   33.30 0.75 Sg

[Long Hà Vinh]

@Adam: Error fixed. Thank you!

[Adam Danz]

Curious what your solution was. Mind sharing it here?

Answer 2

[Long Hà Vinh]

@Adam: Just a little bit modify your code bro :) :)

close all; clear all; clc;
%txtFile = 'C:\Users\name\Documents\MATLAB\mlc.txt'; 
txtFile='input'
% Read file and store each line in a cell
txt = fileread(txtFile);
txtCell = strsplit(txt, newline)'; 
% Find rows that start with '# ####'
hasPattern = regexp(txtCell, '# \d+');          %this searches for "#' followed by 1 space and at least 1 number.
rowIdx = find(~cellfun(@isempty, hasPattern));  %row numbers that will be replaced
% Replace the rows with new text
newText = strsplit(sprintf('#    %d\n|', 1:length(rowIdx)), '|');   %Here's where you create the new text; ignore last element. 
txtCell(rowIdx)  = newText(1:end-1); 
txtCell = cellfun(@(x)sprintf('%s',x), txtCell, 'UniformOutput', false); %add 'newrow' char
% Write text to new file (or you could overwrite the old one).
%newFile = 'C:\Users\name\Documents\MATLAB\mlcNEW.txt';
newFile='output'
fid = fopen(newFile, 'wt'); 
fprintf(fid, [txtCell{:}]);
  fclose(fid);

as you see. I only remove "/n" at line 13 and add "/n" at line 11.

Cheer!

[Adam Danz]

I see, thanks!