MATLAB: Delimit a text file based on columns of cells

delimiterMATLAB

I have a text file that looks like this:
LOAD BOX  1 SUBJ M1_299633_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat1 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi (x)
LOAD BOX  2 SUBJ M2_297928_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat2 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi (x)
LOAD BOX  3 SUBJ M3_299632_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat3 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii (x)
LOAD BOX  4 SUBJ M4_297929_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat4 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii (x)
LOAD BOX  5 SUBJ F5_299621_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat5 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi (x)
LOAD BOX  6 SUBJ F6_297923_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat6 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi (x)
LOAD BOX  7 SUBJ F7_299626_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat7 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii (x)
LOAD BOX  8 SUBJ F8_297924_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St(m)_Se(n)_Rat8 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii (x)
note that there is a return before each LOAD, making a total of 8 separated lines. I then have a code which writes in replacements for the (m), (n), and (x) variables:
% Initialize by cleaning up
clear
%add complete paths to every template file you will be using
addpath('C:\Users\Administrator\Dropbox (*******)\******* Team Folder\Matlab\RFID chip reader\EXPT1\1',...
    'C:\Users\Administrator\Dropbox (*******)\******* Team Folder\Matlab\RFID chip reader\EXPT1\2',...
    'C:\Users\Administrator\Dropbox (*******)\******* Team Folder\Matlab\RFID chip reader\EXPT1\3',...
    'C:\Users\Administrator\Dropbox (*******)\******* Team Folder\Matlab\RFID chip reader\EXPT1\4',...
    'C:\Users\Administrator\Dropbox (*******)\******* Team Folder\Matlab\RFID chip reader\EXPT2\1',...
    'C:\Users\Administrator\Dropbox (*******)\******* Team Folder\Matlab\RFID chip reader\EXPT1\2',...
    'C:\Users\Administrator\Dropbox (*******)\******* Team Folder\Matlab\RFID chip reader\EXPT1\3',...
    'C:\Users\Administrator\Dropbox (*******)\******* Team Folder\Matlab\RFID chip reader\EXPT1\4');
% this bit will take user input, and replace specific characters found in
% the templates, using strrep(str, old, new). In this case, strings being
% replaced are the characters (m), (n), and (x). 
user_input_exp = input('Enter Experiment Number: ', 's');
user_input_squad = input('Enter Squad Number: ', 's');
Mac_Templ = importdata('EXP1_SQ1_Template.txt');
user_input_stage = input('Enter correct Stage: ','s');
todaysMac = Mac_Templ;
todaysMac = strrep(todaysMac, '(m)', user_input_stage);
user_input_session = input('Enter correct Session: ','s');
todaysMac = strrep(todaysMac, '(n)', user_input_session);
user_input_list = input('Enter correct List: ','s');
todaysMac = strrep(todaysMac, '(x)', user_input_list);
todaysMac = string(todaysMac); % RAMI: THIS IS THE TROUBLESOME LINE
fid = fopen('C:\Users\Administrator\Dropbox (*******)\******* Team Folder\Matlab\RFID chip reader\Completed_Macros\YesterdaysMac.txt','wt');
fprintf(fid, '%s', todaysMac);
fclose(fid);
this works fine, saving to the correct location. the problem is that there is no longer any returns, so my new file looks like this:
LOAD BOX  1 SUBJ M1_299633_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St8_Se6_Rat1 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi 4LOAD BOX  2 SUBJ M2_297928_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St8_Se6_Rat2 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi 4LOAD BOX  3 SUBJ M3_299632_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St8_Se6_Rat3 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii 4LOAD BOX  4 SUBJ M4_297929_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St8_Se6_Rat4 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii 4LOAD BOX  5 SUBJ F5_299621_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St8_Se6_Rat5 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi 4LOAD BOX  6 SUBJ F6_297923_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St8_Se6_Rat6 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbi 4LOAD BOX  7 SUBJ F7_299626_D295158_JUN19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St8_Se6_Rat7 GROUP 1 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii 4LOAD BOX  8 SUBJ F8_297924_D294277_APR19@1910_Aut_ERROR2 EXPT St8_Se6_Rat8 GROUP 2 PROGRAM 1908_SIP_EPHYS_ERROR2_St3_TrainWZ_Cbii 4
Which does not work for my use case. How can I get the ouput file to look like the input file (other than the variable changes)?

Best Answer

I figured out how to do it. basically, use the function
newstr = compose(str)
so I just added the newline character to the end of each of my lines, and used that.
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