MATLAB: Error while reading files from a directory

Question

Here is my code:

awdFiles = dir(fullfile(uigetdir,'*.awd'))
for k = 1:length(awdFiles)
  waveform = awdFiles(k).name
  fid = fopen(waveform)
  A(:,k) = textscan(fid, '%s')
  fclose(fid);
end

I am recieving this error:

fid =

    -1

??? Error using ==> textscan Invalid file identifier. Use fopen to generate a valid file identifier.

Error in ==> readintest at 8 A(:,k) = textscan(fid, '%s')

The thing I do not understand is when say I have 3 files with the names:

DC282 Ch1.awd DC282 Ch1test2.awd DC282 Ch1test3.awd

The code works fine and reads in each file no problem.

If the names are:

DC282 Ch1.awd DC282 Ch1test2.awd DC282 Ch2.awd

The program throws the error out when trying to open the Ch2 file. It seems the names of the files are giving it issues and I am unsure why. I do not see why it has a problem because it pulls the name of the file correctly, but can't open it. Am I missing something simple? Do I need to reinitialize the waveform variable everytime or something?

Thanks

Answer 1

It's probably the directory. Are the files in a different directory than where you're running from? Store the directory name and use the full path:

dirname = uigetdir;
awdFiles = dir(fullfile(dirname,'*.awd'))
for k = 1:length(awdFiles)
  waveform = fullfile(dirname, awdFiles(k).name)
  fid = fopen(waveform)
  A(:,k) = textscan(fid, '%s')
  fclose(fid);
end