How to convert the elements of a cell array from double to char?

Question

So ,

i have a cell array(1x5 cell) like this:

{[1111] [1111] [1010] [1000] [1011]}

the elements inside the cell array are type of double , but i want them to be type of char like this :

{'1111' '1111' '1010' '1000' '1011'}

i tried to convert them with num2str but i get the error Undefined function 'abs' for input arguments of type 'cell'. , basically meaning that i cannot use the function num2str for cell arrays

Anyone has an idea how to convert double to char in cell arrays?

Sardar Usama · Answer 1 · 2020-06-10T17:12:30.580

2

You can loop over all the cells.

input = {1111, 1111, 1010, 1000, 1011};
output = cellfun(@num2str, input, 'un', 0);

>> output
output =
  1×5 cell array
    {'1111'}    {'1111'}    {'1010'}    {'1000'}    {'1011'}

Alternatively there is this string class available since R2016b which may be relevant to use for your case:

outstr = string(input);

>> outstr
outstr = 
  1×5 string array
    "1111"    "1111"    "1010"    "1000"    "1011"

However if you strictly want a cell array with characters in each cell, you can further use cellstr:

output = cellstr(outstr);

edited Jun 10 '20 at 17:12

answered Jun 10 '20 at 17:05

Sardar Usama

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i tried that but i got an output like this: {'1 1 1 1' .......} .For some reason matlab added some spaces between every bit – Γιάννης Γιαννάκος Jun 10 '20 at 17:16
@Γιάννης What did you run? Did you try running the first code-block (which includes your input and cellfun) – Sardar Usama Jun 10 '20 at 17:18
Yes i tried the first code block :output=[cellfun(@num2str,input(1:end),'un',0)] where input is my initial cell array with elements of type double – Γιάννης Γιαννάκος Jun 10 '20 at 17:21
Not that it will make any difference but the above line is not the copy-paste of what I wrote: Also did you run `input = {1111, 1111, 1010, 1000, 1011};` before that line? Please run the first block *completely as it is written in the answer* – Sardar Usama Jun 10 '20 at 17:24
Yeah i tried it with your input and perfectly worked .In my case i have a 1x5 cell array and every element of the cell array is 1x4 double .Maybe this helps? – Γιάννης Γιαννάκος Jun 10 '20 at 17:30
I have used the input that you have given in the question. It is not 1x4. It is 1x1. – Sardar Usama Jun 10 '20 at 17:31
I am so sorry my mistake. – Γιάννης Γιαννάκος Jun 10 '20 at 17:32

How to convert the elements of a cell array from double to char?

1 Answers1