Creating Variable names from strings

Hi: I am a new user so apologies for any stupid questions.

Here is what I am seeking to do

1. Read a XLS file with 1 column and 50 rows of ticker name 2. Go through this matrix in MATLAB cell by cell and create a variable in the MATLAB workspace that will hold the price data of this variable, pulled from yahoo.

I can do 1. However, I need help in achieving the "create variable" part of 2. I read and tried "genvarname" function, but still no success.

Can anyone here please help me with this.

Many thanx

[Jan]

Please post what you have done and explain "no success" with details.

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

For #1, simply call xlsread() like it sounds like you are doing.

#2 is not advised - see the FAQ http://matlab.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#How_can_I_create_variables_A1.2C_A2.2C....2CA10_in_a_loop.3F

Just keep your prices in the array. If your workbook has both the prices and tickername, you can go down the cell array and convert to an array of structures if you think that would be easier.

[Sanjay]

Thank you. I appreciate the heads up. Reading that FAQ now.

Best

Answer 2

[Jan]

I suggest not to use eval to create the variables directly in the current workspace, because this can conflict (beside other problems) with other variables, which are defined already.

Better store the variables as fields of a struct:

for iColumn = 1:n
  S.(genvarname(Name{iColumn})) = Data{iColumn};
end

"Name" and "Data" depend on the format of your input data.

Answer 3

[Rick Rosson]

Don't worry about making them variable names. The easiest thing to do is to read the ticker symbols in as a cell array of strings. For more info:

   >> doc xlsread

HTH.

[Sanjay]

Thanx Rick:

Already did that. The problem step is after getting data, I would ideally like to put each data into a separate MATLAB variable and in doing so, create a variable name that corresponds to the ticker that is in the cell array for which I extract data.

Thanx

[Walter Roberson]

Not advised. Put them all in one structure if you must, with the fieldname for the structure derived from the ticker name.

[Rick Rosson]

I agree with Walter. Alternatively, create an array of structures, where each element of the array has fields such as ticker, company name, stock price, etc.

[Rick Rosson]

Sanjay: Walter, Jan, Image Analyst, and I are all very experienced MATLAB programmers. All four of us have independently recommended against using the ticker symbols as variable names. We have each proposed various alternative ways to organize the data. You are free to do what you want, but please consider following our advice. Thanks!

[Walter Roberson]

Each time I take on a major project, I spend the first several *years* re-writing the code to eliminate the unsustainable code the previous generations of programmers had put in.

You know what that _feels_ like to a skilled and creative programmer working for years to clean up code? If feels like one has been sent to the basement to clean all of the walls and storage rooms and duct-work with a small wire tooth-brush, having to derive one's entire satisfaction out of knowing that one has postponed the critical rust and mold spots for another 5 years -- as no-one else will give a care beyond thinking you've been a waste of company salary.

So, please do graying maintenance programmers everywhere a favor and design your programs to make it easy for those who will come after you in debugging and enhancing and extending your programs.