Load and edit multiple poorly named .m files

Hello,

I don't really know how to write this question properly. I've spent the past few hours googling and I did not find a good solution. Most answers are "don't do this" - but let me explain.

I've got (not made by me!) a folder with maany subfolders and in each subfolder there are 4 different .m files - each file is a single (quite large, around 500x500) matrix.

All of the files follow some naming logic, but they are terrible to use in MATLAB.

See picture:

In the end I need to load each .m file, cut the size, and combine into a single matrix. I know how to cut the size and combine, but I don't know how to automate the import.

So what I want:

...to add this file as an input to the classification learner, which only accepts one single matrix?

The matrix needs to be in a specific order, which is sadly not alphabetic - but the order the folders were created in - Date.

I loaded all .m files up in the workspace and created a struct, but the order of the entries is wrong.

I would be happy if I just get this done, with whatever "not reccomended" or unrobust or ugly way.

I'm fine with:

• the idea of using placeholders in a for-loop for the multiple variables - is this possible?

• importing all files and renaming them 1:1:length(x) and then edit them in a loop - how?

How would you go about this problem?

[Roche de Guzman]

You can get the filenames (using the dir fx, then extracting from the name field) and replace them with ordered names in a for loop. Place the load fx and matrix processes within the for loop.

[Marino]

Thank you for your answer.

Will this only rename the file in the system (like windows folder), but not the name of the variable itself in the workspace?

[Walter Roberson]

?? I do not see any .m files in your listing? I see .mat files .

[Marino]

Sorry my bad, .mat files.

[Stephen23]

"How would you go about this problem?"

I don't see why you need to rename any files or use "placeholders in a for-loop for the multiple variables" (whatever that means). Why not do the obvious:

• Get the folder creation date (search this forum to know how).
• Sort the folders into that order
• process each folder (dir, load into output variables, etc.)

'Most answers are "don't do this"'

I have never seen an answer that says "do not process multiple folders/files in a loop". This is a very common task.

PS: none of your screenshots have any .m files in them, I can only see .mat files.

Answer 1

[Cris LaPierre]

See this answer for a way to rename all files in a folder and all its subfolders.

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/708923-how-can-i-add-an-extension-to-all-files-in-a-folder