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How to Convert Cell Array to Multiple Variables All At Once?

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I have a 1x8 cell array, where each unit is a 3X3 'matrix'. I can use:
a(1) = mydata{:,1};
a(2) = mydata{:,2};
to get each subsequent matrix assigned to an 'a(n)' variable where n is just a consecutive number.
How do I use for loops or some other command to get all individual cell array units assigned each a variable a(n) all at once?
-in instances where the cell array may be 1:9000000000000. I would not want to assign them manually each time.
Thank you.
  1 Comment
Stephen23
Stephen23 on 26 Sep 2018
Edited: Stephen23 on 26 Sep 2018
"...to get each subsequent matrix assigned to an 'a(n)' variable where n is just a consecutive number."
What you describe is either basic indexing of one variable a, or dynamically named variables using sequential numbered names:
  1. Using one variable is trivially simple and could be quite efficient, see the answers below. Note that because your data is equally accessible from within the cell array this step might be superfluous.
  2. Dynamically names variables are one way that beginners force themselves into writing slow, complex, buggy code that is hard to debug. The MATLAB documentation specifically advises to avoid doing this. Read this to know why:

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Answers (2)

KSSV
KSSV on 26 Sep 2018
C = cell(1,8) ;
for i = 1:8
C{i} = rand(3) ;
end
% With loop
A = zeros(3,3,8) ;
for i = 1:8
A(:,:,i) = C{i} ;
end
% With out loop
CC = cell2mat(C) ;
B = reshape(CC,3,3,[]) ;

Stephen23
Stephen23 on 26 Sep 2018
Edited: Stephen23 on 26 Sep 2018
No loop or cell2mat required:
B = cat(3,a{:})
each slice/page is trivially accessible using efficient indexing:
B(:,:,1)
B(:,:,2)
...
Read more about the syntax I used:

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