how to delete duplicate values in a cell array of characters

hi! I have this cell array of charachter:

a={'1';'1';'1';'1';'1';'3';'3';'3';'3';'3';'3';'4';'4';'4';'4'};

and I want to trasform it in this:

a={'1';'';'';'';'';'3';'';'';'';'';'';'4';'';'';''};

can you help me? thanks

Answer 1

[Julian Hapke]

a={'1';'1';'1';'1';'1';'3';'3';'3';'3';'3';'3';'4';'4';'4';'4'};
[~,c,~]=unique(a);
tmp=true(size(a));
tmp(c)=false;
[a{tmp}] = deal('')

[Julian Hapke]

this is, of course, one of many solutions

[Guillaume]

I would have the last line as:

a(tmp) = {''};

I'm sure it involves less work in the background than cell array to comma separated list + deal expansion.

[Julian Hapke]

you're right, that's the cleaner way. I often have trouble getting the cell array syntax right...