Sorting cell arrays with characters and numbers

Given a cell array such as {'a1', 'a2', 'a3'...'a9', 'a10', 'a11','a12'}, in random order ofcourse, using the sort function gives me {'a1', 'a10', 'a11','a12','a1','a2',...'a9'}. What method can be used to get the right order?

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

"What method can be used to get the right order?"

You could download my FEX submission NATSORT:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/34464-customizable-natural-order-sort

unzip it onto your MATLAB search path or into the current directory, then call it like this:

C = {'a11', 'a9', 'a3', 'a2', 'a12', 'a1','a10'}

C = 1×7 cell array
    {'a11'}    {'a9'}    {'a3'}    {'a2'}    {'a12'}    {'a1'}    {'a10'}

D = natsort(C)

D = 1×7 cell array
    {'a1'}    {'a2'}    {'a3'}    {'a9'}    {'a10'}    {'a11'}    {'a12'}

[Araya Mengistu]

Worked great. Appreciated.

[Thomas Jarry]

23 thanks Stephen ! :-)

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

MATLAB already gives the "right" order, just not the order you want.

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/34464-customizable-natural-order-sort