How to pull value of table for char array?

Hi there, I am new to tables (using 2019a) and I can't figure this bit out.

I have char arrays in a table:

t(1,'Domain')
ans =
  table
           Domain        
    _____________________
    {'www.wisebread.com'}

And I want to make a char array using a value from that table to input as a url in a webwrite();

When I use the code

    a = 'www.checkthing.com\thingcheck?domain='+t(1,'Domain')+'&secretkey=secretcode'

I get the error

    Undefined operator '+' for input arguments of type 'table'.

alternatively if I use strcat I get the error

    Inputs must be character vectors, cell arrays of character vectors, or string arrays.

I think this is supposed to be simple but I can't figure out how to use table values in normal operations :(

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

"When I use the code"

t(1,'Domain')

then your indexing returns a table, because parentheses is used to return a table (i.e. usually a sub-table of the table you are indexing into). This is clearly explained in the documentation:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/access-data-in-a-table.html

Just like other container classes (e.g. cell array, string array), if you want to access the content of a table you need to use curly braces (not parentheses):

t{1,'Domain'}

"I think this is supposed to be simple..."

It is simple. For container classes table, cell arrays, and string arrays:

• () refers to the container array itself.
• {} refers to the contents of the array.

If you want part of the cell array, use parentheses. If you want whatever is in the cell array, use curly braces.

[Budding MATLAB Jockey]

thank you!

Answer 2

[Mehmed Saad]

Because t(1,'Domain') is of type table. You need to convert that table output to string or cell. To do that type on Command window

t.Domain(1)
ans =

  1×1 cell array

    {'www.wisebread.com'}

So basically we extracted the data from table

Now do that strcat step

    a = strcat('www.checkthing.com\thingcheck?domain=',t.Domain(1),'&secretkey=secretcode')

[Budding MATLAB Jockey]

oh nice, multiple ways to access the content! many thanks!