MATLAB: Error using the Save Function. “Unable to open filename…. for out”

2019datestrdatestr(now)functionMATLABsavetounable

I am having trouble saving my data using the save function.
This code works but I want to add a date time at the end of it.
%name is user inputted
save(name,'x','y')
However, I am running code multiple times so I do not want to save over the old file. I am trying to get it to save with the date time at the end of it but it doesn't seem to be working. The code is:
name1 = [name,'-',datestr(now)];
save(name1,'x','y')
However this gives me the error" Error using save Unable to open file "Name-19-Sep-2020 23:45:39" for out." When I do class(name) and class(name1) they both give me 'char' so why doesn it not save name1 and how can I save it? Thank you

Best Answer

Colon (:) are not allowed in filenames in most OS. Replace it with some other character
name1 = [name,'-',strrep(datestr(now), ':', '-')];
save(name1,'x','y')
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