Error using readcell ...Input must be a row vector of characters or string scalar.

Hi,

I am getting this error when calling readcell:

>> direct = readcell('Scopus.xlsx'); %Scopus.xlsx is a spreadsheet in the current directory.

Error using readcell (line 140)

Input must be a row vector of characters or string scalar.

To make sure that it is not a coding problem, I exectuted the live script example from readcell documentation and I get the same error:

Advice will be appreciated.

Leon

[Ameer Hamza]

Which MATLAB release are you using? What is the output of

which readcell -all

[dpb]

Start with

clear readcell

altho looks like the error is with the actual routine not an alias -- if that doesn't, then

rehash(matlabroot)

[Leon Y. Deouell]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I am using MATLAB Version: 9.6.0.1114505 (R2019a) Update 2 on Windows 10 64 bit OS

The answer to the which -all is:

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2019a\toolbox\matlab\iofun\readcell.m

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2019a\toolbox\shared\io\+matlab\+io\@ImportOptions\ImportOptions.m % matlab.io.ImportOptions method

I also tried the rehash per @dbp suggestion. Just rehash didn't help and rehash(matlabroot) returns an error that matlabroot is not a valid option for rehash.

[dpb]

"matlabroot is not a valid option for rehash. "

That's cuz you didn't use the functional form as I showed but command syntax instead-- matlabroot is a builtin function that returns the root folder of the installation; rehash needs the path, not an option argument.

That said, it's probably not going to solve the problem anyway.

Is the a new install and symptom from beginning or something that has shown up recently and (as far as you know, anyway) used to work?

If a shutdown/restart of MATLAB doesn't make it go away, try a reboot. If that doesn't, a reinstall is probably in order.

[Leon Y. Deouell]

I actually used teh functional form just as you suggsted dbp

>> rehash(matlabroot)

Error using rehash

No such rehash option

matlabroot on its own indeed returns the path:

>> matlabroot

ans =

'C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2019a'

Answer 1

[Ameer Hamza]

This error is thrown inside the try-catch block. So we can't see what is causing the error, but the most common reason is that you have created a custom-function which is named the same as MATLAB's built-in function. The following procedure will help you spot the file.

1. Run the following line in command window

dbstop if caught error

2. Run your code again. It will automatically pause at the line which is causing the error.

3. Note the name of the file in which the debugger paused.

4. If it is a file which you created, or installed by some external toolbox, i.e., not a part of a MATLAB's toolboxes, then either rename it or remove it from MATLAB path.

5. Run following line to restore debugger to previous state

dbclear if caught error

[dpb]

But OP already told us that

The answer to the which -all is:
C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2019a\toolbox\matlab\iofun\readcell.m
C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2019a\toolbox\shared\io\+matlab\+io\@ImportOptions\ImportOptions.m  % matlab.io.ImportOptions method

which indicates no aliasing does exist.

[Ameer Hamza]

In this case, error will be caused because of some functions being internally called by readcell(). For example same happened with this OP: https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/663603-readmatrix-not-enough-input-arguments

[Leon Y. Deouell]

Thanks for your help. I tracked the problem to an outdated 'fileparts.m' file that was high on my path.