Convert Cell Arrays to Doubles

How can I convert a cell array of times:

C = {'12:35' '11:35'
     '14:21' '11:01'}

to an array of doubles

B = 12:35 11:35
    14:21 11:01

where I can do mathematical operations with it if given a certain amount of minutes.

For example, 12:35 + 60 minutes = 13:35.

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

The output that you request is not possible, because the colon character : cannot be part of a double array. If you really want those numbers in a numeric array then that array will need to be a different size to the input cell array. Here is one easy conversion that puts the hours on the top row and the minutes underneath:

>> C = {'12:35','11:35';'14:21','11:01'};
>> M = sscanf(char(C)','%2d:%2d',[2,numel(C)])
M =

     12   14   11   11
     35   21   35    1

Of course if you really want those values in exactly the same shape array as the input cell array C, then the minutes can be converted to decimal fractions of the hours:

>> N = reshape(M(1,:)+M(2,:)/60,size(C))
N =
   12.583   11.583
   14.350   11.017

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

You will need to use datetime objects or duration objects, which were introduced in R2014b.

Answer 3

[Jan]

C = {'12:35' '11:35'
     '14:21' '11:01'}
D = datenum(C, 'HH:MM')