uitable / string question

I create a uitable to capture a user input of strings.

global num_groups;
num_tech = uitable('Data',cell(1,num_groups));
temp = cell(1,num_groups);
for i = 1:1:num_groups
   temp{1,i} = 'char';
end
set(num_tech,'ColumnEditable',[true(1,num_groups)],'ColumnFormat',temp);

I think it is pretty close to right because it left aligns, which I think a uitable with character inputs should do. Whatever string I type into the input cells is transformed into 'NaN'. What settin am I missing?

Answer 1

[Edward Umpfenbach]

Looks like this is what uitable is designed to do.

From:

http://www.mathworks.com/help/techdoc/ref/uitableproperties.html#brglhyc

If your column is editable and the user enters a number, the number will be left-aligned. However, if the user enters a text string, the table displays a NaN.

What is the best way to prompt a user for a dynamic number of strings? (ie, whatever num_groups is, prompt for that many of strings).