MATLAB: Add numerical array as column or in cell array

add colum in cell arrayadd matrix in cell arrayadd row in cell arraycell arraytransform cell array

How to add a numerical array
 a=[1 2 3 4]
as row into my cell
 C = |'a' 'b' 'c' 'd'|
     |'e' 'f' 'g' 'h'|
     |'i' 'j' 'k' 'l'|
     |'m' 'n' 'o' 'p'|
so, that
 C = |'1' '2' '3' '4'|
     |'a' 'b' 'c' 'd'|
     |'e' 'f' 'g' 'h'|
     |'i' 'j' 'k' 'l'|
     |'m' 'n' 'o' 'p'|
or as new column into cell C:
C = |'1' 'a' 'b' 'c' 'd'|
    |'2' 'e' 'f' 'g' 'h'|
    |'3' 'i' 'j' 'k' 'l'|
    |'4' 'm' 'n' 'o' 'p'|
(the numerical values become strings).
AND: How to transform for example a 2×4 cell into a 1×8 (or 8×1) cell:
 C= |'a' 'b' 'c' 'd'|       ----> C = |'a' 'b' 'c' 'd' 'e' 'f' 'g' 'h'|
    |'e' 'f' 'g' 'h'|   
                         or:----> C = |'a'|
                                      |'e'|
                                      |'b'|
                                      |'f'|
                                      |'c'|
                                      |'g'|
                                      |'d'|
                                      |'h'|
I can solve these problems with for-loops, but imagine you have a huge size of the cell array, it is not very efficient. Is there an easier way? Thanks!

Best Answer

C = {'a' 'b' 'c' 'd'; ...
     'e' 'f' 'g' 'h'; ...
     'i' 'j' 'k' 'l'; ...
     'm' 'n' 'o' 'p'};
a     = [1 2 3 4];
tmp   = sprintf('%g*', a);
tmp(end) = [];
aC    = regexp(tmp, '*', 'split');
C_row = cat(1, aC,  C);  % Insert as row
C_col = cat(2, aC', C);  % Insert as column
C2 = reshape(transpose(C), 1, [])
C3 = reshape(C, [], 1)
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