Cell array to string to datetime conversion, parse error.

Hello,

I have a cell array of many data types. The first column stores dates and times of the format: '2016/04/16 10:06:05 PM'.

I have pulled the first column out,

here = T(:,1);

so I'm trying to obtain datetimes from them using,

f = 'yyyy/MM/dd h:mm:ss a';
d1 = datetime(here(1),'InputFormat',f,'Format',f);

but I get the following error:

Error using datetime (line 616)
Unable to parse ''2016/04/16 10:06:05 PM'' as a date/time using the format 'yyyy/MM/dd h:mm:ss a'

So it looks like I have extra quotes maybe? I'm not really sure. I tried changing the format f

'"yyyy/MM/dd h:mm:ss a"',

tried converting the cell to an array of strings,

here = string(here);

and an array of chars,

cell2mat(here);

but nothing has worked at all. I'm getting very frustrated.

I even tried converting it to a string and tried using the function erase() to get rid if potential extra quotes but nothing I've tried works. I need these to be datetimes to work with them with my other functions.

Any help would be wonderful, thank you.

*EDIT* I just read that datetime can handle cell arrays but that's not working either and I'm having the following returned where here is still a cell array:

Error using datetime (line 616)
Unable to parse date/time text using the format 'yyyy/MM/dd h:mm:ss a'.

I'm completely lost.

[Walter Roberson]

That error message only makes sense of T is a string array, not a cell array. If T is a cell array then here = T(:,1) would be a cell array, and here(1) would be a scalar cell array, in which case you would have received the error

Input data must be a numeric array, a string array, a cell array containing character vectors, or a char matrix.

[Erin Winkler]

here is certainly a cell array. I've pulled it directly from T which was the large cell array and the data type of here remains cell. I've tried converting it. I've tried working with it without converting it too but I continue to get a parse error. I've tried with it as a cell, string, and char.

[Erin Winkler]

@Walter I have just tried to convert T to a table with cell2table. Then I tried to the datetime command and got the error you speak of. But not before then.

[Walter Roberson]

Ah, during my testing I accidentally used a cell array containing a string object instead of a cell array containing character vectors.

Okay, yes, if you are getting that exact error message then the quotes are part of the character vectors. Try

datetime( regexprep(here, '''', ''), 'InputFormat', f, 'Format', f)

[Erin Winkler]

What format is here supposed to be in?

[Erin Winkler]

Never mind, a cell array. It looks like it worked! Thank you so very much sir!

[Erin Winkler]

If you wanted to put it in the answers, I'll gladly accept it.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

datetime( regexprep(here, '''', ''), 'InputFormat', f, 'Format', f)

[Erin Winkler]

That is with here being a cell array for anyone else confused in the future.

Thank you kindly!