Python read matlab .mat file containing table

Question

I'm trying to read a matlab .mat file (v7.3) from python. The thing is one of the field in the .mat object is a table (7x6) with named columns, and every time I read the object I only get a 1x6 array with random numbers. I've tried with the h5py and pymatreader libraries but it didn't work.

How to correctly read the matlab .mat in Python?

I'm adding a minimal working example.

So from the Matlab code:

test_table = table([1, 2]', [3, 4]', VariableNames={'a', 'b'});
save("test_table_73.mat", "test_table", "-v7.3");

And the python code to read it:

import mat73

data_73 = mat73.loadmat("test_table_73.mat")
print(data_73)

The python code output

{'test_table': None}
ERROR:root:ERROR: MATLAB type not supported: table, (uint32)

You should share the sample .mat file here to understand the input better. However, normally mat73 is good in all these. Posted as an answer — Ranadip Dutta
– Ranadip Dutta, Commented Sep 19 at 20:19
Please, take some time to read how to ask and How to create a Minimal, Reproducible Example — LMC
– LMC, Commented Sep 19 at 20:58
@CrisLuengo pymatreader kinda works. It gives me a dict with the keys 'test_table' and '#subsystem#' 'test_table' is just a random array, while under subsystem there is the key 'MCOS' wich is a list. data_73['#subsystem#']['MCOS'][2] gives me the array and data_73['#subsystem#']['MCOS'][7] gives me the VariableNames in the table. This works because it's a .mat file containing a single variable, but if the .mat file was bigger it will contain way too many stuff under 'MCOS' — gee3107
– gee3107, Commented Sep 23 at 14:24

Cris Luengo · Accepted Answer · 2025-09-23 12:20:19Z

0

As stated in the comment, please try this. It might help

from mat73 import loadmat
data = loadmat('your_file.mat')
table = data['your_table_name']  # Replace with actual key
print(table)

edited Sep 23 at 12:20

Cris Luengo

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answered Sep 19 at 20:20

Ranadip Dutta

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3 Comments

gee3107 Sep 19 at 20:29

It's not working, I get ERROR:root:ERROR: MATLAB type not supported: table, (uint32) {'T_PRT': None}

Ranadip Dutta Sep 21 at 13:14

Did you try importing directly? import mat73.

Cris Luengo Sep 23 at 12:14

The mat73 package explicitly states that only the basic data types are supported, there’s a list of types you can load from the MAT-file. github.com/skjerns/mat7.3?tab=readme-ov-file#datatypes

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