use a variable name with VideoWriter

I am trying to create a program to create videos from images. I would like to use inputdlg to create a variable file name. I can use a selected path. However, it doesn't appear that VideoWriter allows you to use a variable name. Is there a way around this?

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

VideoWriter has no problems with variable file names.

[filename, pathname] = uiputfile('*.avi', 'Select an output file');
if ~ischar(filename); return; end   %user cancel
fullname = fullfile(pathname, filename);
obj = VideoWriter(fullname);
...

Answer 2

[Bryan Clark]

fileName = inputdlg('Input File Name');
fileName = strcat(fileName,'.avi');

if ~ischar(fileName);
    a = 'not char'
    disp(a)
end

my problem is that the inputdlg doesn't seem to create a chr variable even though is seems to be. Is there a way to make inputdlg return a chr array?

[Walter Roberson]

response = inputdlg('Input File Name');
fileName = response{1};
if isempty(fileName); return; end   %user cancel
[dirname, basename, ext] = fileparts(fileName);
if isempty(ext); ext = '.avi'; end
fileName = fullfile(dirname, [basename ext]);