How to concatenate cells within cells

Say I have X={{1},{2},{3},{4}}, Y={{5},{6},{7;8},{9;10}}

I would like to have Z={{1;5},{2;6},{3;7;8},{4;9;10}},

that is, concatenate X over Y, both 1x4 cell arrays, into Z which is also a 1x4 cell array.

Is there a simple way to do this?

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

"Is there a simple way to do this?"

Yes, CELLFUN and VERTCAT:

X = {{1},{2},{3},{4}};
Y = {{5},{6},{7;8},{9;10}};
Z = cellfun(@vertcat,X,Y,'uni',0)

Z = 1×4 cell array
    {2×1 cell}    {2×1 cell}    {3×1 cell}    {3×1 cell}

Checking:

Z{:}

ans = 2×1 cell array
    {[1]}
    {[5]}

ans = 2×1 cell array
    {[2]}
    {[6]}

ans = 3×1 cell array
    {[3]}
    {[7]}
    {[8]}

ans = 3×1 cell array
    {[ 4]}
    {[ 9]}
    {[10]}

Note that storing numeric data in those nested cell arrays is not efficient data design. Simpler numeric arrays are intended for storing numeric data.

[Keegan Sim]

How would you store X,Y, Z and perform this operation using numeric arrays?

[Stephen23]

"How would you store X,Y, Z and perform this operation using numeric arrays?"

Simply replace the inner nested cell arrays with basic numeric arrays:

X = {1,2,3,4};
Y = {5,6,[7;8],[9;10]};
Z = cellfun(@vertcat,X,Y,'uni',0)

Z = 1×4 cell array
    {2×1 double}    {2×1 double}    {3×1 double}    {3×1 double}

Checking:

Z{:}

ans = 2×1

1 5

ans = 2×1

2 6

ans = 3×1

3 7 8

ans = 3×1

4 9 10