Extracting a number from a changing string using sscanf

Hi there!

I'm having trouble extracting a number from a data string that isn't always consistent.

I'm getting incoming strings that sometimes change their format, but will always have a number with a "G" after it. For example:

ans = 

      +1.4105 G           799 ON 1X OFF

ans = 

isj34 ME102+03994 G

ans = 

         ME101-04230 G 17 OFF

It can be formatted a whole mess of ways, but the one thing that is consistent is the sign, number, and "G" after it. (there are blank spaces sometimes, the ME10# will sometimes be there, sometimes will not, and if it is, there's no guarantee that the # is 1 or 2)

I've tried using sscanf to simply extract the number, for example:

sscanf('silj 90 ME102-014830 G','ME102%f G',1)

or

sscanf('silj 90 ME102-014830 G','%*s ME102%f G',1)

or

sscanf('silj 90 ME102-014830 G','%*f ME102%f G',1)

and I'm looking for:

ans = 

      -14830

So far I've only gotten blank strings.

Open to any suggestions. Thanks!

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

sscanf('silj 90 ME102-014830 G','%*[^-+]%f G',1)

[Rodmehr Semnani]

I found a way to do it, but it looks like it's meant to be shown to CS majors being interrogated at Guantanimo. Your's is tremendously better and cleaner.

Thanks!