How to convert easily *.mat files to *.m files

I tried to do my own routine (see below) but I am not totally satisfied. Does someone known a smarter solution ?

A built-in matlab function would be the best.

function mat2m(calib_name)
% Convert file_name.mat to file_name.m
% Copy variable (in upper case) names and values as follows:
% A = "value of A"; or A = ["values of A"];

path_name = which(calib_name); % get loading file path
path_name = strrep(path_name,'.mat','.m'); % create output file path

% try/catch for .mat loading
try 
    load(calib_name)
    error=0;
catch
    disp(['Error loading ',calib_name])
    error=1;
end

if error == 0

      fid = fopen(path_name,'w'); % open file and get file id
      dd=whos; % get DD list (loading calib + working variables as dd)
      for j=1:length(dd) % parse DD list
          if strcmp(lower(dd(j,1).name(1)),dd(j,1).name(1))
              % check if first letter is lower case
              % lower case = working variables (not used)
          else
              fprintf(fid,dd(j,1).name); % write one var name in file
              siz=eval(['size(',dd(j,1).name,')']); % check var size
              if siz(1,1)==1 % Xdim = 1
                  if siz(1,2)==1 % Ydim = 1
                      %0-D
                      fprintf(fid,' = '); % write start of the assignation
                      fprintf(fid,num2str(eval(dd(j,1).name))); % write value of the variable
                      fprintf(fid,';'); % write end of the assignation
                  else % Ydim > 1 (siz(1,2)>1)
                      %1-D
                      fprintf(fid,' = ['); % write start of the assignation
                      for k=1:siz(1,2)-1
                          fprintf(fid,num2str(eval([dd(j,1).name,'(k)'])));
                          fprintf(fid,',');
                      end
                      fprintf(fid,num2str(eval([dd(j,1).name,'(siz(1,2))'])));   
                      fprintf(fid,'];'); % write end of the assignation
                  end            
              else % Xdim > 1 (siz(1,1)>1)
                  fprintf(fid,' = ['); % write start of the assignation
                  if siz(1,2)>1 %2-D % specific case of 2D matrix
                      for k=1:siz(1,1)
                          for l=1:siz(1,2)
                              fprintf(fid,num2str(eval([dd(j,1).name,'(k,l)'])));
                              if l~=siz(1,2)
                                  fprintf(fid,',');
                              end
                          end
                          if k~=siz(1,1)
                              fprintf(fid,';');
                          end
                      end
                  else
                      %1-D
                      for k=1:siz(1,1)-1
                          fprintf(fid,num2str(eval([dd(j,1).name,'(k)'])));
                          fprintf(fid,';');
                      end
                      fprintf(fid,num2str(eval([dd(j,1).name,'(siz(1,1))'])));
                  end
                  fprintf(fid,'];'); % write end of the assignation
              end
              fprintf(fid,'\n'); % write end of the line for next var
              eval(strcat('clear(''',dd(j,1).name,''')')); % clear var from workspace
          end
      end
      fclose(fid); % close file with its id

else
    % Do nothing
end

end

[Daniel Shub]

So you want a function that when given the name of a mat file will create an m file. When this newly created mfile is run you want it to essentially create a new mat file which is binary equal to the original mat file?

[Sean de Wolski]

>>why

Seriously, why do you want to do this?

[Valery Carpentier]

Because m-file is readable without Matlab

[Renish Ramegowda]

Are you still in need of this file?

Answer 1

[Teja Muppirala]

Do you happen to have Simulink? There is the "Simulink.savevars" command that will write variables into a readable MATLAB script.

http://www.mathworks.co.jp/help/toolbox/simulink/slref/simulink.savevars.html

[Valery Carpentier]

Perfect.

The command works fine in R2011b.

Simulink.savevars was not in Matlab R2007b but we will migrate to R2011b.

[Sean de Wolski]

And in more recent releases:

matlab.io.saveVariablesToScript

Answer 2

[Daniel Shub]

I am guessing you want a human readable m file, but since you didn't specify that ...

function mat2m(fname)
  fid(1) = fopen([fname, '.mat']);
  fid(2) = fopen([fname, '.m'], 'w');
  fprintf(fid(2), '%s\n', 'fid = fopen(''temp.mat'', ''w'');');
  fprintf(fid(2), '%s', 'fwrite(fid, [');
  fprintf(fid(2), '%d\n', fread(fid(1))');
  fprintf(fid(2), '%s\n', ']);');
  fprintf(fid(2), '%s\n', 'evalin(''base'', ''load temp'');');
  fclose(fid(1));
  fclose(fid(2));
end

With the above code

mat2m('myfile');
myfile;

where myfile.mat exists should do behave "exactly" like

load myfile

Answer 3

[Walter Roberson]

Please avoid using eval(). Instead of load() into the workspace, assign the output of load() to a variable, and use fieldnames() of that variable instead of whos(), and use dynamic structure fieldnames.

http://matlab.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#How_can_I_create_variables_A1.2C_A2.2C....2CA10_in_a_loop.3F

Answer 4

[DILIP KUMAR GARG]

matlab.io.saveVaraiblestoScript(filename)

[Walter Roberson]

I think you might mean matlab.io.saveVariablesToScript https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/matlab.io.savevariablestoscript.html