MATLAB: How to create a cell array of different data type

data import

I am trying to create a cell array of different data type to a single matrix
  • Take the first eleven columns. Some columns have decimals and characters.
  • Take all the rows of data and store them on one single matrix
I am proceding the following way,
 clc,clear all
 urlwrite('http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/realtime2/41053.txt','SJ.txt'); % URL from CARICOOS
 fid = fopen( 'SJ.txt', 'rt' );
DataCell = textscan(fid, '%d%d%d%d%d%d%f%f%s%s%s*[^\n]', 'HeaderLines', 2, 'CollectOutput', 1) ;
 fclose(fid);
 Data = cell2mat(DataCell);
MATLAB outputs this error,
 ??? Error using ==> cell2mat at 47
All contents of the input cell array must be of the same data type.
 Error in ==> SJ_F at 11
Data = cell2mat(DataCell);
This is the way I want it stored
 Data = 
Columns 1 through 10
    '2013'    '02'    '23'    '23'    '50'    '110'    '5.0'    '7.0'    'MM'    'MM'
Column 11
    'MM' % This is just one row of the data.
Could you please help?

Best Answer

Documentation says:
    A = cell2mat(C) converts cell array C with contents of the **same** data type 
    into a single array, A.
Thus
    Data = cell2mat(DataCell);
is not possible in your case since DataCell contains both numeric and character data.
However, DataCell as returned by textscan is close as is
    cell_array_of_different_data_type = DataCell{1};
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