3 loops using sprintf to change directories doesn't quite work

Hello everyonem

I would like to do a code that write a txt procedure for another software, that go through a multiples folder to find files.

I got k main folders with each 2 subfolders (j and i)

The k and j variables are set and their value are correct in the workspace. But lines sprintf for k and j loop don't modify topo and dir1 and strut and dir2 names, so i don't have the good directory, example :

I have this

G:\Matthieu\Nomenclature\topo\strut\file1\file1.bdf

...

G:\Matthieu\Nomenclature\topo\strut\file9\file9.bdf

instead of that

G:\Matthieu\Nomenclature\topo1\strut3\file1\file1.bdf

...

G:\Matthieu\Nomenclature\topo1\strut3\file9\file9.bdf

Only file is modified. But i have the right amount of lines.

The code is below, I would appreciate any help! Also, if you think it should be optimised let me know!

Thanks a lot, Matt

clc
clear all

folder = sprintf('G:\\Matthieu\\Nomenclature\\script');
proc_array1 = dir('G:\\Matthieu\\Nomenclature\\topo*');
proc_array2 = dir('G:\\Matthieu\\Nomenclature\\topo1\\strut*');
proc_array3 = dir('G:\\Matthieu\\Nomenclature\\topo1\\strut0\\file*');

%size of folders check
num_models1=size(proc_array1, 1)
num_models2=size(proc_array2, 1)
num_models3=size(proc_array3, 1)

%create loop sizes
n_proc1 = size(proc_array1, 1);
n_proc2 = size(proc_array2, 1);
n_proc3 = size(proc_array3, 1);
%create txt
proc_f = fullfile(folder , 'fullproc.proc');
fid1 = fopen(proc_f,'w');

%txt constant strings to be printed
model_creation='*new_model\n yes \n';
yes='yes';
n='\n';
import='*import nastran ';
exec_proc='*exec_procedure G:\\Matthieu\\Nomenclature\\script\\basicprocedure.proc \n';
save_as='*set_save_formatted off *save_as_model ';
save='save_model';
base_dir='G:\\Matthieu\\Nomenclature';
slash='\\';

%loop 1 create topo1, topo 2
for k= 1:n_proc1
topo=sprintf('topo%k',k);
dir1=[base_dir,slash,topo,slash]
%loop 2 create strut0 to 4
for j= 1:n_proc2
strut=sprintf('strut%j',j);
dir2=[strut,slash]

%loop 3 create file1 to 10 and marc1 to 10
for i= 1:n_proc3
file=sprintf('file%i',i);
  
imp_name=sprintf('file%i.bdf',i);
exp_name=sprintf('marc%i.mud ',i);

full_dir=[dir1, dir2, file,slash]
  
total=[model_creation,n,save_as,full_dir,exp_name,n,yes,n,import,full_dir,imp_name,n,exec_proc,save,n];

fprintf(fid1,total);

end
end
end
fprintf(fid1,'*quit yes \n');
fclose(fid1);

%   total=[model_creation,n,save_as,exp_name,n,imp_dir,imp_name,n,exec_proc,n,save,n,n];

Answer 1

[Bjorn Gustavsson]

Have a good look at the help and documentation of fullfile. That function is made to help you generate full filenames with absolute or relative paths, in addition it will be system-independent such that your function will work in both microsoft's \-systems and UNIX's/Linux's and Apple's /-systems, and you will not have to manually concatenate directory-names and make sure that you get the right number of separators in (this is a great benefit as far as I'm concerned).

HTH

[Matthieu Aoun]

Thanks for the quick reply! I will take a look at this I didn't know this function

Answer 2

[Matthieu Aoun]

Okay thanks for the help!

By the way, i just solved my problem : here is the new loop :

topo=sprintf('topo%i',k)
strut=sprintf('strut%i',j)

%instead of

topo=sprintf('topo%k',k)
strut=sprintf('strut%j',j)

I thought %i call i but %i means integer! Ahah

[Bjorn Gustavsson]

Good, but I still strongly encourage you to switch to fullfile now or soon rather than later - I still have old scripts where I have too hard-coded (or too manually generated) paths that become a nuisance to run and update, while my newer ones are easier to maintain and move...

(about your goof: as far as I've undestood things programming is about avoiding running into the same lamp-posts multiple times - running into lamp-post seems to be standard working procedure.)

[Matthieu Aoun]

Hey, I'll try to use fullfile as I want to make my code more robust. It's the first script I create as I'm in mechanical engineering. I'll post here if I have more questions, thanks!

[Bjorn Gustavsson]

If it is your first time really doing matlab-programming there are a couple of useful hints:

Look for answers here, the search function is rather good.

Browse the help and documentation-pages, that gave me a decent overview of what functions were available.

Make use of the lookfor function - if you have a good keyword lookfor returns all functions with that keyword in the first line of the help - even if the function with the seemingly best match is not solving your problem its help-section might still have a function listed in the "see also"-section that does solve (most of) your problem.

Make good use of the file exchange - it is full of functions and toolboxes that can help you greatly.

Answer 3

[Image Analyst]

See the FAQ for more robust code samples:

https://matlab.fandom.com/wiki/FAQ#How_can_I_process_a_sequence_of_files.3F