Creating a time input dialog and plotting in the time period.

I would like to plot specific variables with their time and values, that have been saved and imported from Excel. Which I already did.

Now I have to add a new part in the code, which is adding an input dialog where I can write a time stamp or period which the variable would only be plotted between the start time (st) and the end time (et) in the "HH:MM:SS" format that have been written in the dialog. I tried the code below and I got the following error for the two last disp lines of the inputbox.

Error using horzcat

The following error occurred converting from char to struct:

Conversion to struct from char is not possible.

Is there a way how write the two start and end times and plot the variables ( which are written in the U variable) only in the time stamp that was put in the dialog box?

answer = questdlg('is there a time stamp available? y = yes, n = no',...
         'input',...
         'y','n','n');
if (answer == 'y')
        st.Format='hh:mm:ss';
        et.Format='hh:mm:ss';
        st = input( ' Please add the starttime  in [HH:MM:SS] '])
        et = input( ' Please add the endtime  in [HH:MM:SS] '])
end
S = load('matlabtable.mat');
T = S.HV801000front10Vml2;
U = {'E1_ABD_FoamEventCnt','E1_LD_ActualStatus','H1_PRESSURE_S15hPa'};
for k = 1:numel(U)
X = T.Variable==U(k);
Wert = T.Value(X);
Uhrzeit = round(seconds(T.time(X)/1000));
Uhrzeit.Format='hh:mm:ss';
Uhrzeit = sort( Uhrzeit,'ascend');
nexttile
plot(T.time(X),T.Value(X))
xlabel('time')
title(char(U(k)),'Interpreter','none')
end

Answer 1

[VBBV]

You have additional ] at the end of input box. Plus you have defined st and at as structure. Define them outside the if condition.

 % if true
    % code
  %end
answer = questdlg('is there a time stamp available? y = yes, n = no',...
         'input',...
         'y','n','n');
if (answer == 'y')
       % st.Format='hh:mm:ss'; % place this after input box 
       % et.Format='hh:mm:ss';
        st = input( ' Please add the starttime  in [HH:MM:SS] ') % here 
        et = input( ' Please add the endtime  in [HH:MM:SS] ')%  here
end

[Ramo Rafsel]

Thanks a lot Vasishta! Do you know how can I plot the variables between the st and et? I tried using xticks([st et]) but it didn't work.

[VBBV]

 % if true
    % code
 % end
plot(T.time(X),T.Value(X));
xlim([st et])

Try it

[Ramo Rafsel]

It doesn't work, I get the following errors:

Error using xlim (line 31)

When specifying numeric values, enclose the input arguments in parentheses.

Error in Messdiagrammcode (line 20)

xlim([st et]);

since I use it twice for two loops I get a second error:

Error using xlim (line 31)

Specify limits or one of the 'mode', 'auto', or 'manual' options.

Answer 2

[Mathieu NOE]

hello

I think there is some input dialog window missing for the start and end time inputs

I suggest the following code :

answer = questdlg('is there a time stamp available? y = yes, n = no',...
         'input',...
         'y','n','n');
if (answer == 'y')
    
    
    prompt = {'Enter start Time indexes [HH:MM:SS]:','Enter stop Time indexes [HH:MM:SS]:'};
    dlgtitle = 'Time indexes HH:MM:SS ';
    dims = [1 35];
    definput = {'13:20:00','13:50:00'};
    time_answer = inputdlg(prompt,dlgtitle,dims,definput);
    st = time_answer{1,:};     % cell of char array
    et = time_answer{2,:};     % cell of char array
%     st.Format='hh:mm:ss';
%     et.Format='hh:mm:ss';
%         disp([st ' Please add the starttime  in [HH:MM:SS] '])
%         disp([et ' Please add the starttime  in [HH:MM:SS] '])
        
end

% conversion time in seconds for test in for loop below
[Y, M, D, H, MN, S] = datevec(st);
st_secs = S+MN*60+H*3600;
[Y, M, D, H, MN, S] = datevec(et);
et_secs = S+MN*60+H*3600;


S = load('matlabtable.mat');
T = S.HV801000front10Vml2;
U = {'E1_ABD_FoamEventCnt','E1_LD_ActualStatus','H1_PRESSURE_S15hPa'};

for k = 1:numel(U)
X = T.Variable==U(k);
Wert = T.Value(X);
time = (T.time(X)/1000);

% reduce plot to time index between start and stop 
ind = find(time>= st_secs & time<= et_secs);
time = time(ind);
Wert = Wert(ind);

Uhrzeit = round(seconds(time));
Uhrzeit.Format='hh:mm:ss';
Uhrzeit = sort( Uhrzeit,'ascend');
nexttile
plot(Uhrzeit,Wert);
xlabel('time')
title(char(U(k)),'Interpreter','none')
end

[Ramo Rafsel]

I thought about adding another input box for the start and end time but since I could write them in the command window I havent added the box in the code, but I guess it is better, so thanks a lot for the help!