What is the simplest way to convert this string '[[x1, x2, x3], [y1, y2, y3], [& so on]]' into a matlab matrix where each item is a row, [x1,x2,x3 ; y1, y2, y3; & so on]?

What is the simplest way to convert this string '[[x1, x2, x3], [y1, y2, y3], [& so on]]' into a matlab matrix where each item is a row, [x1,x2,x3 ; y1, y2, y3; & so on]? Thank you!

[the cyclist]

In the string, are x1, etc, numbers? So is an example string

'[[1,2,3],[4,5,6]]'

?

[Chris]

Yes numbers as you put it.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

S = '[[x1, x2, x3], [y1, y2, y3], [&, so, on]]';

S = S(3:end-2);      %get rid of leading and trailing [[ ]]
by_line = regexp(S, '],\s*\[', 'split');    %split at comma between subsections
by_item = regexp(by_line, ',\s*', 'split');  %split each subsection at comma
enmass = vertcat(by_item{:});                 %reassemble cell array

output = str2double(enmass);

[Chris]

Thank you!

Answer 2

[the cyclist]

Similar technique to Walter's:

S = '[[1,2,3],[4,5,16]]';
output = str2num(regexprep(S(3:end-2),'],[',';'));

[Stephen23]

But does rely on eval, so may be risky to use with strings "from the wild".

[Chris]

Thank you!