Combining two strings to a common string

How can I combine the following two strings

Variables = {'var1', 'var2', 'var3'};
Sectors = {'sec1', 'sec2'};

to the common string

New = {'var1_sec1','var1_sec2', 'var2_sec1', 'var2_sec2', 'var3_sec1', 'var3_sec2' };

I guess there must be a loop involved here.

Answer 1

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

Variables = {'var1', 'var2', 'var3'};
Sectors = {'sec1', 'sec2'};
[ii,jj]=ndgrid(1:2,1:3);
cellfun(@(x,y) [x '_' y],Variables(jj(:)),Sectors(ii(:)),'un',0)

[Karl]

Thank you!

You guys have saved me a lot of time!

Answer 2

[Andrei Bobrov]

Variables = {'var1', 'var2', 'var3'};
Sectors = {'sec1', 'sec2'};

ii = fullfact([3 2]);
out = strcat(Variables(ii(:,1)),{'_'},Sectors(ii(:,2)));

Answer 3

[Jos (10584)]

The easiest, and most user-friendly, way is, indeed to use for-loops. However, you can make advantage of the built-in function STRCAT and use only one loop

Variables = {'var1', 'var2', 'var3'}
Sectors = {'sec1', 'sec2'}

M = numel(Sectors)
Output = cell(M, numel(Variables)) % pre-allocation before a for-loop will speed it up
for k=1:M
   Output(k,:) = strcat(Variables, '_', Sectors{k}) 
end
Output = reshape(Output,1,[]) % only necessary for cosmetic reasons

[Karl]

Thanks!