How to save variable as binary file?

I have a variable dimension double in workspace.This contains 4 individual physiological data in 4 rows. I want to save this variable with lowest possible size in the current folder. If I am not wrong the file format should be binary. How do I save this variable in current folder as a .bin file sothat later I can load it and work with it?

Answer 1

[Ameer Hamza]

Save in a .mat file(); you will get much better compression: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/import_export/mat-file-versions.html. In the bin file, each double number will take a full 8 bytes.

[Jhon Gray]

okay. Thanks a lot

[Jhon Gray]

However, I want to check how much the bin file take. Can you please help me with the code. I have seen binary file write function which needs to load a binary file. But can't figue out how to create one.

[Ameer Hamza]

See the following example

rng(0);
M = rand(1000); % create matrix

save('data.mat', 'M'); % save using .mat

% save in .bin file
f = fopen('data.bin', 'w');
fwrite(f, M, 'double');
fclose(f);

% load from .bin file
f = fopen('data.bin', 'r');
data = reshape(fread(f, inf, 'double'), size(M)); % binary file also does not store the matrix dimensions by default
fclose(f);

[Jhon Gray]

Thanks a lot

[Ameer Hamza]

I am glad to be of help!