MATLAB: How to access an array using a string

array indexing using string

I have 5 arrays which store the past 100 values related with 5 entities of a time series. time series contains of data values and each data value has one corresponding entity.
z = dataset('XLSFile','timeseries.xlsx');
    var1_a = z(9698:9797);
    var2_a = z(23298:23397);
    var3_a = z(93372:93471);
    var4_a = z(127688:127787);
    var5_a = z(206878:206977);
% each array is of 100 elements.
% for future values of time series, I need to call one of the array to add 
% 'new data value' to it and delete the oldest one out of it.
%I tried calling the array using 'strcat'.
    same_val = strcmp(next element,'var1_a');
% 'next element' is any one from var1, var2, var3, var4 or var5. 
% I need to access var1_a, var2_a.. and so on respectively for detected 'next element,.
        if (condition is satisfied)
            ary = strcat(next element,'_a');
            ary = [ary(2:100);new data value];
        else
        (do something else) 
        end
but I am getting error for this. What should be the right way?

Best Answer

I have no idea what you’re doing, but the way you are doing it is inefficient if not just wrong.
Use a cell array instead:
      var_a{1} = z(9698:9797);
      var_a{2} = z(23298:23397);
      var_a{3} = z(93372:93471);
      var_a{4} = z(127688:127787);
      var_a{5} = z(206878:206977);
You can then access them easily in a loop.
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