`setxor`

Elements that are in exactly one of two sets.

Category: Language Fundamentals > Data Types

Syntax

C = setxor(A, B)

Values that appear in A or B but not in both, sorted and without repeats.

C = setxor(A, B, 'stable')

Keeps the order of appearance.

[C, ia, ib] = setxor(___)

Also returns the indices into A and B.

Description

The symmetric difference is the union minus the intersection. Equivalently, it is [setdiff(A,B) setdiff(B,A)] sorted. It answers the question of what differs between two lists.

Input arguments

A, B: Numeric arrays, string arrays, cell arrays of character vectors or tables.

Output arguments

C: The symmetric difference.
ia, ib: Indices such that C is made of A(ia) and B(ib).

Example

setxor([1 2 3], [3 4])
[c, ia, ib] = setxor([1 2 3], [3 4]);
ia'
ib

Output

ans = 1×3

     1     2     4
ans = 1×2

     1     2
ib = 2

setxor