Opening a txt file with chosen directory location

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Hi.
I have a code that works to read values from a formatted txt file that I'm producing with another code. The code works as long as I have the code in the same directory and choose the file using 'uigetfile'. However as I want to eventually run the code on multiple files in a directory, when I set a variable to choose the directory, the code gives this error:
Error using fopen
First input must be a file name of type char, or a file identifier of type double.* *
My x_filename variable comes out as a cell array which I belive is the main issue but having tried to convert and change it, I get different types of errors.
I know this is probably a very simple fix but I need some assistance to find it.
My code is something like this:
% Directories for Files
x_Directory = uigetdir;
y_Directory = uigetdir;
x_Files = dir([x_Directory, '\*.txt']); % Determine number of files in chosen directory
x_Filename = {x_Files.name}'; % Sanity check
file_x = fopen(x_Filename); % open raw txt file
data = textscan(file_x,'%s %s %s %s %s %s %s %s %s %s %s %s %s');
fclose(file_x); % close raw file
celldisp(data);
% MAIN CODE HERE
I am testing the above with only one file before I implement the for loop to read multiple files, but the above error is stopping me.
Can anyone help?

Accepted Answer

Robert Cumming
Robert Cumming on 27 Oct 2014
Edited: Robert Cumming on 27 Oct 2014
x_Filename
is a cell array, you need to pass the individual file into fopen:
file_x = fopen ( x_Filename{1} )
You should also look at
fullfile
filename = fullfile ( x_Directory, x_Filename{1} );
file_x = fopen ( filename )
for connecting paths and files
  23 Comments
Robert Cumming
Robert Cumming on 30 Oct 2014
I agree with Stephen it looks like you should have:
Array = zeros(noFiles,1);
Ross
Ross on 30 Oct 2014
I realised that after I posted, fixed now.
Thanks for all your help guys!
:)

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More Answers (1)

Image Analyst
Image Analyst on 30 Oct 2014
Try this snippet to get the full filename of what file the user browsed to.
% Have user browse for a file, from a specified "starting folder."
% For convenience in browsing, set a starting folder from which to browse.
startingFolder = 'C:\Program Files\MATLAB'; % Whatever you want....could be pwd if you want.
if ~exist(startingFolder, 'dir')
% If that folder doesn't exist, just start in the current folder.
startingFolder = pwd;
end
% Get the name of the file that the user wants to use.
defaultFileName = fullfile(startingFolder, '*.*');
[baseFileName, folder] = uigetfile(defaultFileName, 'Select a file');
if baseFileName == 0
% User clicked the Cancel button.
return;
end
fullFileName = fullfile(folder, baseFileName)
fid = fopen(fullFileName, 'rt');
% etc. more code......

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