Opening a file that requires another file for input

I have an m-file that requires a .txt file as input in order for the m-file to run.

Something like

Run_Program(FILENAME)

%Run_Program(FILENAME)runs the program based on input commands as 
%specified in ./runprogram/FILENAME.

where FILENAME corresponds to the name of the .txt file I wish to use.

I have a GUI (using GUIDE) which contains a listbox and a pushbutton. The listbox contains the .txt files that I can choose from in order to run the m-file. Normally I would just enter the name of the m-file into the pushbutton code to run it, but since the m-file cannot run on its own, and needs the selected file from the listbox, what would the code look like? To try and clarify, I want to run the m-file Run_Program with whichever .txt file is selected from the listbox via the pushbutton

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

Was it this you were looking for?

function listbox1_callback(src, event, handles)
  fileidx = get(src, 'Value');
  if isempty(value); return; end
  filechoices = cellstr(get(src, 'String'));
  thisfile = filechoices(fileidx);
  set(src, 'Enable', 'off');
  Run_Program(thisfile);
  set(src, 'Enable', 'on');
end

[Dave]

I put a comment on both posts in case it helps either way. This looks like it could work, though, as GUIDE already puts in a function listbox1_callback code, where does this fit in? Also, does this use the pushbutton to run the file 'Run_Program'?

Thanks

[Paulo Silva]

substitute the GUIDE listbox1_callback code by Walter's code, the program runs when you select the listbox value.

[Dave]

Ok, got that substituted; now I am getting an error message Run_Program is not designed for cell inputs. Walters code uses 'cellstr', is there some way of using something to have the selected listbox file remain a string... if that makes any sense?

If it helps.. my code for the listbox looks like

D = dir('C:\testingdirectory\*.txt'); % Dir Name.

FileNameList = {D(:).name}; %Listing by names

set(hObject,'string',FileNameList);

[Paulo Silva]

Run_Program(char(thisfile));

[Dave]

Got it, thanks for all the help

[Walter Roberson]

Sorry, should have been

thisfile = filechoices{fileidx};

Answer 2

[Matt Fig]

Get the string in the listbox, and pass it to the function which needs it. In the callback for the pushbutton, you put something like this:

C = get(listboxhandle,{'string','value'});  % Use the handle to the listbox.
mfl = C{1}(C{2});  % The M-File string name.
Run_Program(mfl)  % Run the M-File

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EDIT

In response to your comment, here is an example on one of my GUIDE GUIS. To figure out what GUIDE called the uicontrols, do this at the command line:

>> H = LISTBOX_EX  % Call the GUIDE GUI, return handle.
H =
          158.002563476563
>> guidata(H)  % This shows the names of the uicontrols.
ans = 
        figure1: 158.002563476563
       listbox1: 0.002685546875
    pushbutton1: 159.002563476563
         output: 158.002563476563

Now that you know the name of the listbox, in the callback to the pushbutton put this:

H = guidata(gcbo);
C = get(H.listbox1,{'string','value'});  % Use the handle to the listbox.
mfl = C{1}(C{2});  % The M-File string name.
Run_Program(mfl)  % Run the M-File

[Dave]

I put a comment on both posts, in case it helps either way. For your code, I'm not sure what to put for listboxhandle. As GUIDE put the GUI together, I don't know what the listbox is called. I tried entering the tag that it was named, but I continually get undefined function or variable.

Thanks