selecting file which name only differs at the end

hi! i am currently trying to get a file out of a folder however, the file names are very similar, differing only at the end by "session1" "session 2" and "session 3"

vdm5_scsEMPT-150406-00001-00001-2_session1

vdm5_scsEMPT-150406-00001-00001-2_session2

vdm5_scsEMPT-150406-00001-00001-2_session3

This is the current code im using to try to get the specific fieldmap, however it gives me all 3 files instead of just 1, which is specific to ses1

fieldmap(subject_number).all = spm_select('FPListRec', [sub_dirs(subject_number,:) '/' direc(indexses1).name],'^vdm5_scs.*.nii');

Anyone know what can i do? Thank you!

[Stephen23]

I guess that your OS is set to hide file extensions of known filetypes. I recommend changing this setting, so that you can see the file extensions.

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/628498-reading-a-file-name-from-a-list-of-files-in-a-text-file-line-by-line-and-open-the-files-one-at-a-tim#comment_1091898

[Ashley Lee]

hmm alright i will look into trying that! thank you so much :)

Answer 1

[Jan]

You list of files does not contain the file extension ".nii", but your code does. This looks confusing.

What is the type of sub_dirs? It looks strange, that you access if by: sub_dirs(subject_number,:)

Is it a CHAR matrix? If so: Don't do it, because it is padded with spaces. Create it as srting or cell string instead.

Why do you provide the file as a pattern '^vdm5_scs.*.nii'? If you know, that you want the file 'vdm5_scsEMPT-150406-00001-00001-2_session1.nii', you can specify this directly:

Folder = fullfile(sub_dirs(subject_number,:), direc(indexses1).name);
File   = 'vdm5_scsEMPT-150406-00001-00001-2_session1.nii';
fieldmap(subject_number).all = spm_select('FPListRec', Folder , File);

If you have a reason to provide the file as a pattern, use a pattern, which matchs the wanted file only:

Pattern = 'vdm5_scs*_session1.nii';
fieldmap(subject_number).all = spm_select('FPListRec', Folder , Pattern);

[Ashley Lee]

Hi there! Thank you for all your feedback and suggestions :)

im sorry, but the files actually do contain .nii, that's my mistake, it actually looks like:

vdm5_scsEMPT-150406-00001-00001-2_session1.nii

And yes, it is a char matrix.

I have tried out your above code, with the pattern (as i am trying to create a loop), but it doesnt seem to be giving me any output.

Would you perhaps have any idea why?