Clear Filters
Clear Filters

Which character conversion notation do I have to use?

3 views (last 30 days)
Ben van Zon
Ben van Zon on 13 Sep 2023
Edited: Ben van Zon on 14 Sep 2023
I am currently working with a big 1610x19 .txt file from which I wanna gather information about specific rovibrational transitions. But first I want everything in a working table file, but it keeps giving random errors like:
Error using readtable
Unable to read the entire file. You may need to specify a different format, delimiter, or number of header lines.
Error in MeasuredTransitions (line 6)
Lines = readtable(FileName, 'Format', '%.3f %s %c %c %c %d %c %d %s %s %s %s %s %s %s %s %s %s', 'HeaderLines', 18, 'ReadVariableNames', true, 'Delimiter', '\t');
Caused by:
Reading failed at line 20. A field on that line may have contained the wrong type of value.
Even though the file itself isn't any different at the line in question.
Now, what characters do I have to use so I can use all the text and values that are in the data?
The data in question is attached.
  2 Comments
Dyuman Joshi
Dyuman Joshi on 13 Sep 2023
You have 19 columns and 18 format specifications.
Any particular reason why you are reading numeric data as string? Why not just use readtable() directly?
Stephen23
Stephen23 on 13 Sep 2023
The file contains no header lines:
Question: why do you specify 18 header lines?

Sign in to comment.

Sign in to answer this question.

Accepted Answer

Stephen23
Stephen23 on 13 Sep 2023
Edited: Stephen23 on 13 Sep 2023
Ran in:
T = readtable('ct4004355_si_003.txt', 'Delimiter','\t', 'TextType','string')
T = 1610×19 table
Var1 Var2 Var3 Var4 Var5 Var6 Var7 Var8 Var9 Var10 Var11 Var12 Var13 Var14 Var15 Var16 Var17 Var18 Var19 ______ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ______ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ ______ ______________ 7.255 0.01 0 0 0 4 4 "m" 4 "E'" 0 0 0 3 1 "m" 1 "E''" "04OkEp_CD.1" 9.261 0.01 0 0 0 7 6 "m" 6 "A2'" 0 0 0 6 3 "m" 3 "A2''" "04OkEp_CD.2" 29.655 0.01 0 0 0 7 4 "m" 4 "E'" 0 0 0 8 7 "m" 7 "E''" "04OkEp_CD.3" 39.453 0.01 0 0 0 4 2 "m" 2 "E'" 0 0 0 5 5 "m" 5 "E''" "04OkEp_CD.4" 51.347 0.01 0 0 0 6 5 "m" 5 "E''" 0 0 0 5 2 "m" 2 "E'" "04OkEp_CD.5" 56.563 0.01 0 0 0 8 1 "m" 1 "E''" 0 0 0 8 2 "m" 2 "E'" "04OkEp_CD.6" 58.88 0.01 0 0 0 7 1 "m" 1 "E''" 0 0 0 7 2 "m" 2 "E'" "04OkEp_CD.7" 61.101 0.01 0 0 0 6 1 "m" 1 "E''" 0 0 0 6 2 "m" 2 "E'" "04OkEp_CD.8" 63.197 0.01 0 0 0 5 1 "m" 1 "E''" 0 0 0 5 2 "m" 2 "E'" "04OkEp_CD.9" 65.107 0.01 0 0 0 4 1 "m" 1 "E''" 0 0 0 4 2 "m" 2 "E'" "04OkEp_CD.10" 66.758 0.01 0 0 0 3 1 "m" 1 "E''" 0 0 0 3 2 "m" 2 "E'" "04OkEp_CD.11" 68.062 0.01 0 0 0 2 1 "m" 1 "E''" 0 0 0 2 2 "m" 2 "E'" "04OkEp_CD.12" 84.606 0.01 0 0 0 5 3 "m" 3 "A2''" 0 0 0 6 6 "m" 6 "A2'" "04OkEp_CD.13" 95.383 0.01 0 0 0 5 4 "m" 4 "E'" 0 0 0 4 1 "m" 1 "E''" "04OkEp_CD.14" 100.11 0.01 0 0 0 8 6 "m" 6 "A2'" 0 0 0 7 3 "m" 3 "A2''" "04OkEp_CD.15" 105.17 0.01 0 0 0 2 2 "m" 2 "E'" 0 0 0 1 1 "m" 1 "E''" "04OkEp_CD.16"
  3 Comments
Show 1 older comment
Stephen23
Stephen23 on 14 Sep 2023
Edited: Stephen23 on 14 Sep 2023
Ran in:
"I tried running it like that but at the last rows it starts returning NaNs for me."
Aaah, I can see that all of the columns can contain non-numeric data, except for the first two columns. In particular, those columns contain the characters 'l', 'm', and 'u' (and perhaps others) as this screenshot shows:
READTABLE has converted that non-numeric data in numeric columns to NaN, which seems reasonable.
If those non-numeric data need to be retained AND you want to retain the numeric data then perhaps READCELL:
C = readcell('ct4004355_si_003.txt', 'Delimiter','\t')
C = 1610×19 cell array
Columns 1 through 18 {[ 7.2550]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[4]} {[4]} {'m'} {[4]} {'E'' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[3]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } {[ 9.2610]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[7]} {[6]} {'m'} {[6]} {'A2'' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[6]} {[3]} {'m'} {[3]} {'A2'''} {[ 29.6550]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[7]} {[4]} {'m'} {[4]} {'E'' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[8]} {[7]} {'m'} {[7]} {'E''' } {[ 39.4530]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[4]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[5]} {[5]} {'m'} {[5]} {'E''' } {[ 51.3470]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[6]} {[5]} {'m'} {[5]} {'E''' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[5]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[ 56.5630]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[8]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[8]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[ 58.8800]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[7]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[7]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[ 61.1010]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[6]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[6]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[ 63.1970]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[5]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[5]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[ 65.1070]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[4]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[4]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[ 66.7580]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[3]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[3]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[ 68.0620]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[2]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[2]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[ 84.6060]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[5]} {[3]} {'m'} {[3]} {'A2'''} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[6]} {[6]} {'m'} {[6]} {'A2'' } {[ 95.3830]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[5]} {[4]} {'m'} {[4]} {'E'' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[4]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } {[100.1120]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[8]} {[6]} {'m'} {[6]} {'A2'' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[7]} {[3]} {'m'} {[3]} {'A2'''} {[105.1730]} {[0.0100]} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[2]} {[2]} {'m'} {[2]} {'E'' } {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[1]} {[1]} {'m'} {[1]} {'E''' } Column 19 {'04OkEp_CD.1' } {'04OkEp_CD.2' } {'04OkEp_CD.3' } {'04OkEp_CD.4' } {'04OkEp_CD.5' } {'04OkEp_CD.6' } {'04OkEp_CD.7' } {'04OkEp_CD.8' } {'04OkEp_CD.9' } {'04OkEp_CD.10'} {'04OkEp_CD.11'} {'04OkEp_CD.12'} {'04OkEp_CD.13'} {'04OkEp_CD.14'} {'04OkEp_CD.15'} {'04OkEp_CD.16'}
C(end-8:end,:)
ans = 9×19 cell array
{[1.1947e+04]} {[0.0100]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[5]} {[6]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[6]} {[6]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {'09MoGoOk.116'} {[1.2116e+04]} {[0.0100]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[3]} {[0]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[3]} {[0]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {'09MoGoOk.121'} {[1.2331e+04]} {[0.0100]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[5]} {[3]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[4]} {[3]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {'09MoGoOk.130'} {[1.2503e+04]} {[0.0100]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[2]} {[3]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[3]} {[3]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {'09MoGoOk.132'} {[1.2537e+04]} {[0.0100]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[4]} {[0]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[1]} {[1]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {'09MoGoOk.134'} {[1.3056e+04]} {[0.0100]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[2]} {[0]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[1]} {[0]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {'09MoGoOk.138'} {[1.3597e+04]} {[0.0100]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[1]} {[0]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[1]} {[0]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {'09MoGoOk.139'} {[1.3606e+04]} {[0.0100]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[4]} {[3]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[3]} {[3]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {'09MoGoOk.140'} {[1.3676e+04]} {[0.0100]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[1]} {[0]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {[0]} {[0]} {[0]} {[1]} {[0]} {'m'} {'m'} {'m'} {'09MoGoOk.141'}
Not very easy to use, but there are your m's together with some numeric data.
Otherwise specify the variable class before calling READTABLE:
fnm = 'ct4004355_si_003.txt';
obj = detectImportOptions(fnm, 'Delimiter','\t');
obj = setvartype(obj,'string');
obj = setvartype(obj,1:2,'double');
T = readtable(fnm,obj)
T = 1610×19 table
Var1 Var2 Var3 Var4 Var5 Var6 Var7 Var8 Var9 Var10 Var11 Var12 Var13 Var14 Var15 Var16 Var17 Var18 Var19 ______ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ______ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ ______ ______________ 7.255 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "4" "4" "m" "4" "E'" "0" "0" "0" "3" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "04OkEp_CD.1" 9.261 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "7" "6" "m" "6" "A2'" "0" "0" "0" "6" "3" "m" "3" "A2''" "04OkEp_CD.2" 29.655 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "7" "4" "m" "4" "E'" "0" "0" "0" "8" "7" "m" "7" "E''" "04OkEp_CD.3" 39.453 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "4" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "0" "0" "0" "5" "5" "m" "5" "E''" "04OkEp_CD.4" 51.347 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "6" "5" "m" "5" "E''" "0" "0" "0" "5" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "04OkEp_CD.5" 56.563 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "8" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "0" "0" "0" "8" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "04OkEp_CD.6" 58.88 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "7" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "0" "0" "0" "7" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "04OkEp_CD.7" 61.101 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "6" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "0" "0" "0" "6" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "04OkEp_CD.8" 63.197 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "5" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "0" "0" "0" "5" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "04OkEp_CD.9" 65.107 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "4" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "0" "0" "0" "4" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "04OkEp_CD.10" 66.758 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "3" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "0" "0" "0" "3" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "04OkEp_CD.11" 68.062 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "2" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "0" "0" "0" "2" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "04OkEp_CD.12" 84.606 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "5" "3" "m" "3" "A2''" "0" "0" "0" "6" "6" "m" "6" "A2'" "04OkEp_CD.13" 95.383 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "5" "4" "m" "4" "E'" "0" "0" "0" "4" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "04OkEp_CD.14" 100.11 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "8" "6" "m" "6" "A2'" "0" "0" "0" "7" "3" "m" "3" "A2''" "04OkEp_CD.15" 105.17 0.01 "0" "0" "0" "2" "2" "m" "2" "E'" "0" "0" "0" "1" "1" "m" "1" "E''" "04OkEp_CD.16"
T(end-8:end,:)
ans = 9×19 table
Var1 Var2 Var3 Var4 Var5 Var6 Var7 Var8 Var9 Var10 Var11 Var12 Var13 Var14 Var15 Var16 Var17 Var18 Var19 _____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ ______________ 11947 0.01 "m" "m" "m" "5" "6" "m" "m" "m" "0" "0" "0" "6" "6" "m" "m" "m" "09MoGoOk.116" 12116 0.01 "m" "m" "m" "3" "0" "m" "m" "m" "0" "0" "0" "3" "0" "m" "m" "m" "09MoGoOk.121" 12331 0.01 "m" "m" "m" "5" "3" "m" "m" "m" "0" "0" "0" "4" "3" "m" "m" "m" "09MoGoOk.130" 12503 0.01 "m" "m" "m" "2" "3" "m" "m" "m" "0" "0" "0" "3" "3" "m" "m" "m" "09MoGoOk.132" 12537 0.01 "m" "m" "m" "4" "0" "m" "m" "m" "0" "0" "0" "1" "1" "m" "m" "m" "09MoGoOk.134" 13056 0.01 "m" "m" "m" "2" "0" "m" "m" "m" "0" "0" "0" "1" "0" "m" "m" "m" "09MoGoOk.138" 13597 0.01 "m" "m" "m" "1" "0" "m" "m" "m" "0" "0" "0" "1" "0" "m" "m" "m" "09MoGoOk.139" 13606 0.01 "m" "m" "m" "4" "3" "m" "m" "m" "0" "0" "0" "3" "3" "m" "m" "m" "09MoGoOk.140" 13676 0.01 "m" "m" "m" "1" "0" "m" "m" "m" "0" "0" "0" "1" "0" "m" "m" "m" "09MoGoOk.141"
Well, there are those m's again, but now everything is text. Which do you prefer?
Ben van Zon
Ben van Zon on 14 Sep 2023
Edited: Ben van Zon on 14 Sep 2023
The thing is that the only columns with non-numeric data should be 8, 10, 16, 18 and 19.
The columns that you're showing should contain integers as they describe energy levels with in a certain mode, so I'm not sure what's happening there.
It seems that that might be a mistake within the file itself and I should omit those values.
Thanks for the rest of your explanation!

Sign in to comment.

More Answers (0)

Categories

Find more on Logical in Help Center and File Exchange

Tags

Products


Release

R2022b

Community Treasure Hunt

Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!

Start Hunting!