CSE 123

Formatted Input/Output Operations

Data Import-Export
Why is it important? Lab experiment results are: usually recorded in lab (even on paper) Put together and stored into a data file Analyzed using mathematical tools Text file (.txt) Microsoft Excel file (.xls) Binary file

What do we want to export? Save everything in the workspace for post analysis. Save a selected number of results from the analysis in a text file (formatted or not)

fprintf Function
Format effects only the display of variables not their values through program execution fpintf function writes formatted data in a user specified format to a file
fprintf(fid,format,val1,val2, .) fid :the file id to which data will be written (no fid for printing on CW)

format :the format string. % always marks the beginning of a format

The structure of a format specifier

%-12.5e

Marker (Required)

Modifier (Optional)

Field Width (Optional)

Precision (Optional)

Format Descriptor (Required)

Common format specifier notation for fprintf

Specifier
%c %d %e %E %f %g %s
Single character Decimal notation (signed) Exponential notation Exponential notation Fixed-point notation

Description

The more compact of %e and %f. Insignificant zeros do not print String of characters

%u

Decimal notation unsigned

Escape characters in Format strings

symbol

Description
New line
Horizontal tab backspace Print an ordinary backslash (\) Print an ordinary percent symbol (%)

\n
\t \b \\b %%

\ or Print an aposthrophe or single quote

Example: Decimal (integer) data is displayed using %d format specifier.

fprintf(%d\n,123) fprintf(%6d\n,123) fprintf(%6.4d\n,123) ----|----| 123 ----|----| 123 ----|----| 0123

If a non decimal number is displayed with the %d specifier, the specifier will be ignored and the number will be displayed in exponential format fprintf(%6d\n,123.4) produces 1.234000e+002

Example: floating point (real) data is displayed using %e, %f and %g format specifiers
fprintf(%f\n,123.4) ----|----| 123.400000 (default is 6 chars after the decimal place) ----|----| 123.40 ----|----| 123.40 (6 chars wide field) ----|----| 1.23e+002 ----|----| 1.23E+002 ----|----| 123.4000 ----|----| 123.4

fprintf(%8.2f\n,123.4) fprintf(%4.2f\n,123.4) fprintf(%10.2e\n,123.4) fprintf(%10.2E\n,123.4) fprintf('%8.4f\n',123.4) fprintf('%8.4g\n',123.4)

Example: character data may be displayed with %c or %s format specifiers.

fprintf(%c\n,s) ----|----| s

fprintf(%s\n, string)
fprintf(%8s\n, string) fprintf(%-8s\n, string)

----|----| string
----|----| string ----|----| String (left justified)

Examples:

x = 0:.1:1;
y = [x; exp(x)]; %fid = fopen('exp.txt', 'w+'); fprintf(fid, '%6.2f %12.8f\n', y); %fclose(fid)

fprintf( ...
'A unit circle has circumference %g radians.\n', 2*pi) A unit circle has circumference 6.283186 radians. B = [8.8 7.7; 8800 7700]

fprintf(1, 'X is %6.2f meters or %8.3f mm\n', 9.9, 9900, B)

X is 9.90 meters or 9900.000 mm X is 8.80 meters or 8800.000 mm X is 7.70 meters or 7700.000 mm

Importing data
Two common ways Direct input through the keyboard (using the input function) Good for individual input.

Not so good for large amount of data.

Use existing data stored in a file and import them into Matlab.

Good for any data set size.

Need to know the format of the data.

Importing data
Different types of data files Text based files = formatted data for user usage.

(.txt .dat )

Usually follows the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)

Binary files = Pre-converted data for computer usage.

(.bin .mat)

Software specific format = formatted data for software usage (.xls)

Depending on the type of data file

Different import function

Importing data
test1.txt

Function load

Syntax:

load filename

load filename loads all the variables from filename

If filename has an extension other than .mat, load treats the file as ASCII data. If filename has no extension, load looks for file named filename or filename.mat and treats it as a binary MAT-file.

0 1.0000 2.0000 3.0000 4.0000 5.0000 6.0000 7.0000 8.0000 9.0000 10.0000

0 0.3090 0.5878 0.8090 0.9511 1.0000 0.9511 0.8090 0.5878 0.3090 0.0000

>> load test1.txt; >> whos

Name Size test1 11x2 Bytes Class 176 double array

Importing data
test2.txt

Function dlmread

7.2;8.5;6.2;6.6 5.4;9.2;8.1;7.2
test3.txt

Syntax:

A = dlmread('filename', 'delimiter');

dlmread command works even if the contents of filename has spaces:

7.2; 5.4;

8.5; 6.2; 6.6 9.2; 8.1; 7.2

>> A=dlmread('test2.txt',';')
A= 7.2000 5.4000 8.5000 9.2000 6.2000 6.6000 8.1000 7.2000

Importing data
Function textread

Syntax: [A,B,C,...] = textread('filename','format')

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

[A,B,C,...] = textread('filename','format') reads data from the file filename into the variables A,B,C, and so on, using the specified format, until the entire file is read. textread is useful for reading text files with known mixed formats. Both fixed and free format files can be handled. The format needs to be specified with a specifier like fprintf %s for string, %f for fix point notation %d for integers [A,B,C,...] = textread('filename','format',N) reads data from the file 'filename' N times.

Importing data
test4.txt

Ann Type1 12.34 45 Yes Joe Type2 45.67 67 No

>> [A B C D E]=textread('test4.txt',' %s %s %f %f %s')
A= 'Ann' 'Joe' B= 'Type1' 'Type2' C= 12.3400 45.6700 D= 45 67 E= 'Yes' 'No'

>> [A B C D E]=textread('test4.txt',' %s %s %f %f %s',1)

A= 'Ann' B= 'Type1' C= 12.3400 D= 45 E= 'Yes'

Importing data
Function fscanf Syntax:

: Read formatted data from file

A = fscanf(fid, format)

[A,count] = fscanf(fid, format, size)

A = fscanf(fid, format) reads data from the file specified by fid, converts it according to the specified format string, and returns it in matrix A. Argument fid is an integer file identifier obtained from fopen. format is a string specifying the format of the data to be read. [A,count] = fscanf(fid, format, size) reads the amount of data specified by size, converts it according to the specified format string, and returns it along with a count of values successfully read. size is an argument that determines how much data is read.
Options n inf [m,n]

Read at most n numbers, characters, or strings. Read to the end of the file. Read at most (m*n) numbers, characters, or strings. Fill a matrix of at most m rows in column order. n can be inf, but m cannot.

Importing data
Example 1: fid = fopen('exp.txt', 'r'); a = fscanf(fid, '%g %g', [2 inf]) a = a'; fclose(fid)
0 0.1 0.2 1 1.10517092 1.22140276

0.3

1.34985881
1.4918247 1.64872127 1.8221188 2.01375271 2.22554093 2.45960311 2.71828183

% It has two rows now.

0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

xdata.txt Example 2:

1 12 3 4 8 a = 1 12 3 4 8 nvals = 5

0.9 1

clc;clear; fileID=fopen(xdata.txt', 'r' ); [a,nvals]=fscanf( fileID,'%d ',inf); fclose( fileID); a nvals

Importing data
Data Format Sample 1234 5 6 7 8 9 10
1; 2; 3; 4; 5 6; 7; 8; 9; 10 or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Ann Type1 12.34 45 Yes Joe Type2 45.67 67 No Grade1 Grade2 Grade3 91.5 89.2 77.3 88.0 67.8 91.0 67.3 78.1 92.5

File Extension .txt .dat or other

Matlab function

load

.txt .dat .csv or other

dlmread or csvread textread or fscanf textread or fscanf

.txt .dat or other

.txt .dat or other

Tips for loading data

Use for loops to load entire series of files
test001.txt test002.txt 0 0

for j=1:N name1=test00'; name2=num2str(j); name3=.txt; NAME=[name1 name2 name3]; F=load(NAME); A(:,1)= F(:,1); A(:,j+1)= F(:,2); end

1.0000 0.3090 test003.txt 0 0 2.0000 1.0000 0.5878 0.3090 0 0 3.0000 2.0000 0.8090 0.5878 1.0000 0.3090 4.0000 3.0000 0.9511 0.8090 2.0000 0.5878 5.0000 4.0000 1.0000 0.9511 3.0000 0.8090 6.0000 5.0000 0.9511 1.0000 4.0000 0.9511 7.0000 6.0000 0.8090 0.9511 5.0000 1.0000 8.0000 7.0000 0.5878 0.8090 6.0000 0.9511 9.0000 8.0000 0.3090 0.5878 7.0000 0.8090 10.00009.0000 0.0000 0.3090 8.0000 0.5878 10.0000 0.0000 9.0000 0.3090 10.0000 0.0000

Exporting data
Three Steps:

Functions fopen, fprintf and fclose

1. fopen: opens a file or obtain information about open files

Syntax: fid = fopen(filename,permission)
permission= 'r
'a

Open file for reading (default).

Open file, or create new file, for writing; append data to the end of the file.

'w Open file, or create new file, for writing; discard existing contents, if any.

Exporting data

fopen file permissions

r r+ w Open an existing file for reading only Open an existing file for reading and writing Delete the contents of an existing file (or create a new file) and open it for writing only.

w+ a
a+

Delete the contents of an existing file (or create a new file) and open it for reading and writing Open an existing file (or create a new file) and open it for writing only, appending to the end of file.
Open an existing file (or create a new file) and open it for reading and writing, appending to the end of file.

Exporting data Functions fopen,fprintf and fclose 2 fprintf: Used the same way as display function, except that this time, the
formatting of the data is retained in the data file. Syntax: fprintf(fid,format,A,...) Formats the data in the real part of matrix A (and in any additional matrix arguments) under control of the specified format string, and writes it to the file associated with file identifier fid.

3 fclose: close one or more open files

Syntax: fclose(fid)

Exporting data Functions fopen, fprintf and fclose

Exp.txt x = 0:0.1:1; Y = [x; exp(x)]; fid = fopen('Exp.txt','w'); fprintf(fid,'%6.2f %12.8f \n',Y); fclose(fid)
File created in current directory
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00 1.00000000 1.10517092 1.22140276 1.34985881 1.49182470 1.64872127 1.82211880 2.01375271 2.22554093 2.45960311 2.71828183

Importing data (more)

Function xlsread reads MS Excel files

Syntax: num = xlsread(filename) num = xlsread(filename, -1) num = xlsread(filename, sheet, 'range )

num = xlsread(filename) returns numeric data in double array num from the first sheet in the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file named filename. The filename argument is a string enclosed in single quotes. num = xlsread(filename, -1) opens the file filename in an Excel window, enabling you to interactively select the worksheet to be read and the range of data on that worksheet to import. num = xlsread(filename, sheet, 'range') reads data from a specific rectangular region (range) of the worksheet specified by sheet.

Importing data (more)

Example: xlsread

A = xlsread('testdata1.xls') A = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

testdata1.xls 1 6 2 7 3 8 4 9 5 10

Importing data (more)

Example: xlsread

A = xlsread('testdata1.xls,-1) A = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

testdata1.xls 1 6 2 7 3 8 4 9 5 10

Importing data (more)

Example: xlsread

A = xlsread('testdata1.xls,1,A4:B5) A = 4 5 9 10

testdata1.xls 1 6 2 7 3 8 4 9 5 10

Exporting data (more)

Function xlswrite

Syntax:

xlswrite(filename, M) xlswrite(filename, M, sheet, 'range')

xlswrite(filename, M) writes matrix M to the Excel file filename. The filename input is a string enclosed in single quotes. The input matrix M is an m-by-n numeric, character, or cell array, where m < 65536 and n < 256. The matrix data is written to the first worksheet in the file, starting at cell A1. xlswrite(filename, M, sheet, 'range') writes matrix M to a rectangular region specified by range in worksheet sheet of the file filename.

Exporting data (more)

Example: xlswrite

xlswrite('testdata', [12.7 5.02 -98 63.9 0 -.2 56])

d = {'Time', 'Temp'; 12 98; 13 99; 14 97}; s = xlswrite('tempdata.xls', d, 'Temperatures', 'E1') tempdata.xls Time 12 13 14 Temp 98 99 97

Importing data (more)

Function csvread

Syntax:

M = csvread(filename) M = csvread(filename, row, col) M = csvread(filename, row, col, range)

M = csvread(filename) reads a comma-separated value formatted file, filename. The filename input is a string enclosed in single quotes. The result is returned in M. The file can only contain numeric values. M = csvread(filename, row, col) reads data from the comma-separated value formatted file starting at the specified row and column. The row and column arguments are zero based, so that row=0 and col=0 specify the first value in the file. M = csvread(filename, row, col, range) reads only the range specified. Specify range using the notation [R1 C1 R2 C2] where (R1,C1) is the upper left corner of the data to be read and (R2,C2) is the lower right corner. You can also specify the range using spreadsheet notation, as in range = 'A1..B7'.

Importing data (more)

Example: csvread

csvlist.dat 02, 04, 06, 08, 10, 12 03, 06, 09, 12, 15, 18 05, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 07, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66

csvread('csvlist.dat') ans = 2 3 5 7 11 4 6 10 14 22 6 9 15 21 33 8 12 20 28 44 10 15 25 35 55 12 18 30 42 66

Importing data (more)

Example: csvread

To read the matrix starting with zero-based row 2, column 0, and assign it to the variable m,

m = csvread('csvlist.dat', 2, 0) m = 5 7 11 10 14 22 15 21 33 20 28 44 25 35 55 30 42 66

Importing data (more)

Example: csvread

To read the matrix bounded by zero-based (2,0) and (3,3) and assign it to m,

m = csvread('csvlist.dat', 2, 0, [2,0,3,3]) m = 5 7 10 14 15 21 20 28

Exporting data (more)

Function csvwrite

Syntax:

csvwrite(filename,M) csvwrite(filename,M,row,col)

csvwrite(filename,M) writes matrix M into filename as comma-separated values. The filename input is a string enclosed in single quotes. csvwrite(filename,M,row,col) writes matrix M into filename starting at the specified row and column offset. The row and column arguments are zero based, so that row=0 and C=0 specify the first value in the file.

Exporting data (more)

Example: csvwrite

m = [3 6 9 12 15; 5 10 15 20 25; ... 7 14 21 28 35; 11 22 33 44 55]; csvwrite('csvlist.dat',m) type csvlist.dat 3,6,9,12,15 5,10,15,20,25 7,14,21,28,35 11,22,33,44,55

Exporting data (more)

Example: csvwrite

m = [3 6 9 12 15; 5 10 15 20 25; ... 7 14 21 28 35; 11 22 33 44 55]; csvwrite('csvlist.dat',m,0,2) type csvlist.dat ,,3,6,9,12,15 ,,5,10,15,20,25 ,,7,14,21,28,35 ,,11,22,33,44,55