`textread`

Reads formatted text-file data into separate variables.

Category: Data Import and Analysis > Data Import and Export

Syntax

[A, B, ...] = textread(filename, format)

Reads columns according to the format, one output per conversion.

[A, B, ...] = textread(filename, format, Name, Value)

Sets options such as 'delimiter' and 'headerlines'.

Description

textread is an older function; textscan, readtable and readmatrix replace it. It is still convenient when you want each column in its own variable, with text columns as cell arrays of character vectors.

Input arguments

format: Conversions such as %s, %d, %f, one per column.
'delimiter': Field separator.
'headerlines': Number of lines to skip at the start.

Output arguments

A, B, ...: One column vector or cell array per conversion.

Example

Split a file into columns

fid = fopen('tx.txt', 'w'); fprintf(fid, 'a 1\nb 2\nc 3\n'); fclose(fid);
[name, val] = textread('tx.txt', '%s %f')
fid = fopen('q.csv', 'w'); fprintf(fid, 'x,y\n1,2\n3,4\n'); fclose(fid);
[x, y] = textread('q.csv', '%f %f', 'delimiter', ',', 'headerlines', 1)

Output

name = 3×1 cell

    {'a'}
    {'b'}
    {'c'}
val = 3×1

     1
     2
     3
x = 2×1

     1
     3
y = 2×1

     2
     4

textread