How to format output using MATLAB's num2str

Question

I'm trying to ouput an array of numbers as a string in MATLAB. I know this is easily done using num2str, but I wanted commas followed by a space to separate the numbers, not tabs. The array elements will at most have resolution to the tenths place, but most of them will be integers. Is there a way to format output so that unnecessary trailing zeros are left off? Here's what I've managed to put together:

data=[2,3,5.5,4];
datastring=num2str(data,'%.1f, ');
datastring=['[',datastring(1:end-1),']']

which gives the output:

[2.0, 3.0, 5.5, 4.0]

rather than:

[2, 3, 5.5, 4]

Any suggestions?

EDIT: I just realized that I can use strrep to fix this by calling

datastring=strrep(datastring,'.0','')

but that seems even more kludgey than what I've been doing.

Jacob · Accepted Answer · 2010-06-16 22:56:20Z

9

Instead of:

datastring=num2str(data,'%.1f, ');

Try:

datastring=num2str(data,'%g, ');

Output:`[2, 3, 5.5, 4]`

Or:

datastring=sprintf('%g,',data);

Output:`[2,3,5.5,4]`

edited Jun 16, 2010 at 22:56

answered Jun 16, 2010 at 22:51

Jacob

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Amro · Accepted Answer · 2010-06-16 23:47:43Z

4

Another option using MAT2STR:

» datastring = strrep(mat2str(data,2),' ',',')
datastring =
[2,3,5.5,4]

with 2 being the number of digits of precision.

answered Jun 16, 2010 at 23:47

Amro

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1 Comment

JaBe Over a year ago

Note that the number of digits of precision cuts the decimals, too. For example mat2str(123,2) returns 1.2e+002.

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How to format output using MATLAB's num2str

2 Answers 2

Instead of:

Try:

Output:`[2, 3, 5.5, 4]`

Or:

Output:`[2,3,5.5,4]`

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Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Instead of:

Try:

Output:[2, 3, 5.5, 4]

Or:

Output:[2,3,5.5,4]

Comments

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Output:`[2, 3, 5.5, 4]`

Output:`[2,3,5.5,4]`