How to create a very large array with an incremently named variable?
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Scotty Mac
on 4 Nov 2025 at 22:57
Commented: Stephen23
on 4 Nov 2025 at 23:24
I searched and searched and can't find the answer to this problem...
How can I create a large array from entered inputs without brute forcing it?
I have:
timing_array=[timing1, timing2, timing3, timing4, timing5, timing6, timing7, timing8, timing9, timing10];
Is there an easier way to do this, if I have, say timing values from 1 to 512 (timing1, timing2, ....timing512)?
Thanks in advance!
2 Comments
John D'Errico
on 4 Nov 2025 at 23:00
A huge reason why it was a terrible idea in the first place to number your variables like that. LEARN TO USE ARRAYS!
Stephen23
on 4 Nov 2025 at 23:24
"Is there an easier way to do this"
Yes: use better data design that does not force meta-data (e.g. pseudo-indices) into variable names:
You forgot to tell us the most important information of all: how did you get all of those variables into the workspace? That is one place where you could fix this data design, for example by LOADing into an output variable rather than directly into the workspace:
S = load(..);
Even better data design would use actual indexing, not pseudo-indices.
Accepted Answer
Walter Roberson
on 4 Nov 2025 at 23:12
Don't Do That.
If you are loading arrays from a single .mat file, then instead of using
load FILENAME
use
STRUCTURE = load(FILENAME);
timing_array = struct2array(orderfields(STRUCTURE));
where struct2array code is given at https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/1717910-was-struct2array-removed-from-matlab#answer_962795
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