# MATLAB: Using fscanf to capture a mixed data string.

datafscanfMATLABmixed-format

Hi,
I have a text file formatted
#########-10-K-#################-10-K-########...
I want to bring the entire contents of the lines into an nx1 matrix or array, where n is the number of lines in my text file.
So far I have tried:
x=fscanf(fn, '%f-10-K-%f\n', [inf])
which creates a 2nx1 matrix where the first float is the first entry, and the second float is the second entry.
x=fscanf(fn, '%[0123456789-K\n]', [inf])
which honestly seems to have worked except for the fact that is results in a 1×67165 char array.
x=fscan(fn, '%[0123456789-K]\n', [inf])
which just results in one really long string.
I have also tried
x=fscan(fn, '%f%c%d%d%c%c%c%f\n', [inf])
which isn't working.
Any tips?

• OK, you don't want to match the strings, then; characters in a format string other than those with specific formatting meaning are matched and ignored.
Simplest is just return a cellstring array...
 data=textread('yourfile.dat','%s');
If you prefer, you can cast into a character array as
 data=char(textread('yourfile.dat','%s'));
Read up in doc on difference if not fully aware.
NB: I used textread above even though it's been relegated to "redhaired stepchild" status by TMW. It reads directly from a file saving the extra fopen/fclose steps and is often more convenient than textscan. The higher-level routines will do a more convenient job of shaping the returned output to the file as they keep track of line length automagically which you have to do explicitly with fscanf