`movevars`

Moves table variables to a new position.

Category: Language Fundamentals > Data Types

Syntax

T2 = movevars(T, vars, 'Before', ref)

Places the variables vars just before the variable ref.

T2 = movevars(T, vars, 'After', ref)

Places them just after ref.

Description

Only the order of the columns changes; no data are modified. When several variables are moved, they keep their relative order. It is a neat way to bring an identifier column to the front before displaying or exporting a table.

Input arguments

T: A table or timetable.
vars: Variables to move: a name, cell array of names, positions or a logical mask.
ref: Reference variable, by name or position.

Output arguments

T2: A table with the same data and a new variable order.

Example

Reordering columns

T = table([1;2], [3;4], [5;6], 'VariableNames', {'x','y','z'});
movevars(T, 'z', 'Before', 'x')
movevars(T, 'x', 'After', 'z')

Output

ans = 2×3 table

    z    x    y
    _    _    _

    5    1    3
    6    2    4
ans = 2×3 table

    y    z    x
    _    _    _

    3    5    1
    4    6    2

movevars