Extract Variable from Filename?

Hi there,

I'm trying to write a reuseable function for a multitude of data points. My current filename when I download my data is:

sitename.yr.synth.daily.mat

Is there a straightforward way to extract the site name so that I can assign it to a column in the matrix? The year is already a column.

I will need to do this on hundreds of sites and years, so I don't want to code each site name by hand. I also need this so that I can match the site name with other classifications and generate unique file names.

Thanks a million!

Answer 1

[Matt Kindig]

You can use strtok() or other methods, but I prefer regexp here:

    filename = 'sitename.yr.synth.daily.mat'  %example
    pieces = regexp(filename, '\.', 'split');  %divide by periods
    sitename = pieces{1};

[Kate]

Great idea, thanks!

Answer 2

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

file='sitename.yr.synth.daily.mat'
idx=strfind(file,'.')
site=file(1:idx(1)-1)

%or

file='sitename.yr.synth.daily.mat'
idx=regexp(file,'\.' ,'split')
site=idx{1}

[Kate]

I'll try this, thanks!