Reading from a text file

I have data in a text file that looks like as follows:

A  736  575  493  669  517  514  519  Z
A  741  482  518  721  510  518  495  Z
A  746  540  518  696  541  521  480  Z
A  747  490  470  740  544  518  477  Z
748  468  522  674  502  517  465  Z
A  749  551  546  627  500  512  472  Z
A  750  454  521  653  538  503  474  Z
A  751  454  555  711  540  508  467  Z
A  752  615  551  740  532  508  482  Z
A  753  471  477  853  526  507  487  Z

As you can see the first four rows are the same where as the fifth is not. Is there any way I can only read the rows that are similar and neglect the rest? In addition, I would only like to read the columns 3,4,5,6,7,8. I tried using the following code but it give me an error I cannot figure out.

[a_x,a_y,a_z,pitch,roll,yaw]=textread('data3.txt','%*s %*d %d %d %d %d %d %d %*s','headerlines',1);

The error states that Trouble reading integer from file (row 698, field 8) ==> Z\n

I have, of course, not shown the entire data. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Answer 1

[Chirag Gupta]

function rev_data = sampleread

filename = 'data.txt';
fid = fopen('data.txt','r');
% Use TEXTSCAN and not textread  
M = textscan(fid,'%d %*d %d %d %d %d %d %d %d','TreatAsEmpty',{'A','Z'})
fclose(fid);
% Convert data to Matrix (since I am not interested in A and Z)
data = cell2mat(M);
% eliminate dissimilar rows
rev_data = data(~data(:,1),:);
% filter out dummy columns for A and Z
rev_data = rev_data(:,2:7);

This should do the trick. It works for the sample data you have posted. Read the documentation on TEXTSCAN.

doc textscan

[Usman Azher]

This works perfectly except that there are some zero rows. How can a row of zeros have the same values as the row above it? I appreciate your help a lot :)

[Chirag Gupta]

can you upload your data file somewhere?

[Usman Azher]

What would you recommend?

[Chirag Gupta]

any data share site, google it

[Usman Azher]

https://rapidshare.com/files/459486727/data2.doc

[Usman Azher]

I believe the row of zeros is showing because of additional spaces in the data

[Chirag Gupta]

Yup, the data file has other formatting issues.

You have two options:

1) Format the data (if its going to be onetime thing)

2) Remove these rows that return 0

Sorry, there doesn't seem to be an easier option

Answer 2

[Usman Azher]

If anyone wants to see the entire text file, I can email it to you.