Error using eval when load many files in recursive

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I want to load many files, i.e.
load('SST_mw_region6.mat','sst','time','lon','lat');
where "6" can be vary from 1 to 20
I did try using :
for k=1:20
eval(['load SST_mw_region' num2str(k) '.mat','sst','time','lon','lat';'])
end
I am not sure where I have to put ' ' and how many of them
Thanks
Dwi

Answers (1)

Walter Roberson
Walter Roberson on 20 Sep 2019
Don't use eval(). Construct your filenames using sprintf() and use the function form of load instead of the command form.
Note that when you do not assign the output of load() to a variable, that each iteration each of the variables you just loaded will be overwritten completely with the variables you just loaded.
  4 Comments
Guillaume
Guillaume on 20 Sep 2019
As Walter said, don't use eval. With eval you're effectively writing code that generates code. (one of) The (many) problem(s) is you can't easily tell what code is being generated and thus can't easily debug it. E.g. in your case, you're "not sure where I have to put ' ' and how many of them". You're giving yourself twice as much work to do. You have to make sure that your code generator is correct (the eval line) and that the generated code is correct (the stuff eval creates).
There are plenty of ways to construct file names (as per Walter's link). In your case, this should work:
numfiles = 20;
matdata = cell(1, numfiles); %preallocate cell array that stores the data from each matfile
for file = 1:numfiles
matdata{file} = load(sprintf(' SST_mw_region%d.mat', file), 'sst', 'time', 'long', 'lat');
end
%optional: since all cells will be scalar structures with the same fields
matdata = [matdata{:}]; %matdata will be a 1xnumfiles structure array.
DwiNY
DwiNY on 20 Sep 2019
Dear Walter, Stephen and Guillaume,
Thank you so much for your kind help
Dwi

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