`load`

Loads variables from a MAT-file or numeric data from a text file.

Category: Data Import and Analysis > Data Import and Export

Syntax

load(filename)

Loads all variables of a MAT-file into the workspace.

load(filename, var1, var2)

Loads only the named variables.

S = load(filename)

Returns the contents in a struct instead of creating variables.

load(filename, '-ascii')

Reads a numeric text file; the variable is named after the file.

Description

Prefer the form with an output, S = load(...): it never overwrites existing variables and makes it clear where a name came from. Loading a text file requires that every line has the same number of numbers.

Input arguments

filename: File name. .mat is assumed when there is no extension.
var1, ...: Names of variables to load.

Output arguments

S: Struct with one field per loaded variable; for a numeric text file, the matrix itself.

Example

Save, clear and load back

x = 1:3; s = 'hi';
save('v.mat', 'x', 's');
clear x s
S = load('v.mat')
load('v.mat', 'x');
x

Output

S = struct with fields:

    s: 'hi'
    x: [1 2 3]
x = 1×3

     1     2     3

load