how to write a function checking to see if a file is in a format of a 2 row matrix, and then creating separate arrays for each row

I want a function to be able to do the following: Load the .dat file. Then call a function that checks if the file is in the format of a 2 row matrix. If so, the function places the two rows in two arrays name X and Y, and returns the two arrays to the menu1 script; otherwise, it halts the entire program. I've tried various methods to get the data into this form but to no avail.

Answer 1

[Sean de Wolski]

if size(A,1)==2;
  X = A(1,:);
  Y = A(2,:);
else
  error('Fail!');
end

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

assert(size(A,1)==2, 'Oh no! Program needed a matrix with two rows!')
X = A(1,:);
Y = A(2,:);