Extracting a file path from a .txt file

Hi, I want to build a script that is able to retrieve information from a text file that has a specific format. I have simplified a lot what's below so everyone can understand my problem, which is pretty basic. This is a sample of such file, stored as "mytestfile.txt':

% Your inputs start after the line.

% ---------------------------------------------

% Raw data full path folder:

InputFolder C:\Users\Cami\Documents\Processing Tool\Test Folder - Trial 1

% Distance from seabed to transducer head (in meters)

instrument_nominal_height 0.9

So I have started to write a code that reads this text file:

SummaryFileTest='mytestfile.txt';
A=textread(SummaryFileTest,'%s','delimiter','\n');

for p=1:length(A)    
    test=strmatch('InputFolder',A(p));
    if test~=0
        [a,result.InputFolder]=strread(char(A(p)),'%s  %s');
        clear a
    end

      test=strmatch('instrument_nominal_height',A(p));
      if test~=0
          [a,result.instrument_nominal_height]=strread(char(A(p)),'%s %f');
          clear a
      end
  end

result

result.instrument_nominal_height works fine, it picks up 0.9 as a float. But I am having trouble with result.InputFolder because the string has spaces and a "-". I get this:

result = 

    struct with fields:

                    InputFolder: {5×1 cell}
      instrument_nominal_height: 0.900000000000000

>> result.InputFolder
ans =

3×1 cell array

    'C:\Users\Cami\Documents\Processing'
    'Folder'
    'Trial'

Do you have a better method to do this? I can't change the paths of the folders where my text files will be stored, as this is part of my company's drive.

Thanks doe your help! Cheers, Cami.

[Stephen23]

@Camille Couzi: please upload a sample data file by clicking the paperclip button.

Answer 1

[Alfonso]

Attending to the title of your question, in order to extract the full path filename of a file:

% Select the file you want to open %
defaultFileName = fullfile(cd, '*.*');
[baseFileName, folder] = uigetfile(defaultFileName, 'Select file');
 if baseFileName == 0
   return;
 end

 fullFileName = fullfile(folder, baseFileName); % Full path filename
 if ~exist(fullFileName, 'file')
   fullFileName = baseFileName; 
   if ~exist(fullFileName, 'file') 
     return;
     end
 end

fullFileName is the full path of the selected file.

[Camille Couzi]

THanks Alfonso, I know that solution but I am trying to read the path from the text file

[kc]

Hey @Camille is your task done?

Plz help as m stuck in similar problem.

I have a text file from which i need to read the path of my data files and if certain text is appearing in file then i need to save it in a different folder. In this way i have to prepare many diffrent folders plz help.

Thanks in advance.

[Camille Couzi]

Sorry kc,

This was quite some time ago, in a different job and I don't remember what solution I used. Good luck!

Cheers,

Answer 2

[Paolo]

You can use regexp to match the path in your .txt file.

 corr = fileread('mytestfile.txt');
 path=regexp(corr,'(C:)(\\\w*\s*\w*)*(\s*-?\s*)(\w*\s*\d)','match');

path =

 {'C:\Users\Cami\Documents\Processing Tool\Test Folder - Trial 1'}

[Camille Couzi]

thanks paolo, I'll try that!

[Paolo]

You are welcome, if it solved the problem you can accept the answer.