MATLAB: How to use R2020a import tool to upload multiple excel files

Question

I used the import tool in the new R2020a version to generate code to selectively import signal data and error data from an Excel file. The data is then output into a cell array (to capture both the numerical and text data). The problem is I need to upload data the same way from another 120 files. Each file name is named after a chemical element and their mass (e.g., Be9Round2, B10Round2, Mg26Rounde, etc) and is output into one cell array for the signal and one cell array for the error (e.g., Be9CPS, Be9Error; Mg6CPS, Mg6Error). Is there a smarter way to import the data in this method without using copy and paste for each file? I have the generated code pasted below:

%% Setup the Import Options and import the data


opts = spreadsheetImportOptions("NumVariables", 530);

% Specify sheet
opts.Sheet = "Sheet1";

% Specify column names and types
opts.VariableNames = ["Var1", "Var2", "Var3", "Var4", "Var5", "Var6", "Var7", "Var8", "Var9", "CPS", "Var11", "CPS_1", "Var13", "CPS_2", "Var15", "CPS_3", "Var17", "CPS_4", "Var19", "CPS_5", "Var21", "CPS_6", "Var23", "CPS_7", "Var25", "CPS_8", "Var27", "CPS_9", "Var29", "CPS_10", "Var31", "CPS_11", "Var33", "CPS_12", "Var35", "CPS_13", "Var37", "CPS_14", "Var39", "CPS_15", "Var41", "CPS_16", "Var43", "CPS_17", "Var45", "CPS_18", "Var47", "CPS_19", "Var49", "CPS_20", "Var51", "CPS_21", "Var53", "CPS_22", "Var55", "CPS_23", "Var57", "CPS_24", "Var59", "CPS_25", "Var61", "CPS_26", "Var63", "CPS_27", "Var65", "CPS_28", "Var67", "CPS_29", "Var69", "CPS_30", "Var71", "CPS_31", "Var73", "CPS_32", "Var75", "CPS_33", "Var77", "CPS_34", "Var79", "CPS_35", "Var81", "CPS_36", "Var83", "CPS_37", "Var85", "CPS_38", "Var87", "CPS_39", "Var89", "CPS_40", "Var91", "CPS_41", "Var93", "CPS_42", "Var95", "CPS_43", "Var97", "CPS_44", "Var99", "CPS_45", "Var101", "CPS_46", "Var103", "CPS_47", "Var105", "CPS_48", "Var107", "CPS_49", "Var109", "CPS_50", "Var111", "CPS_51", "Var113", "CPS_52", "Var115", "CPS_53", "Var117", "CPS_54", "Var119", "CPS_55", "Var121", "CPS_56", "Var123", "CPS_57", "Var125", "CPS_58", "Var127", "CPS_59", "Var129", "CPS_60", "Var131", "CPS_61", "Var133", "CPS_62", "Var135", "CPS_63", "Var137", "CPS_64", "Var139", "CPS_65", "Var141", "CPS_66", "Var143", "CPS_67", "Var145", "CPS_68", "Var147", "CPS_69", "Var149", "CPS_70", "Var151", "CPS_71", "Var153", "CPS_72", "Var155", "CPS_73", "Var157", "CPS_74", "Var159", "CPS_75", "Var161", "CPS_76", "Var163", "CPS_77", "Var165", "CPS_78", "Var167", "CPS_79", "Var169", "CPS_80", "Var171", "CPS_81", "Var173", "CPS_82", "Var175", "CPS_83", "Var177", "CPS_84", "Var179", "CPS_85", "Var181", "CPS_86", "Var183", "CPS_87", "Var185", "CPS_88", "Var187", "CPS_89", "Var189", "CPS_90", "Var191", "CPS_91", "Var193", "CPS_92", "Var195", "CPS_93", "Var197", "CPS_94", "Var199", "CPS_95", "Var201", "CPS_96", "Var203", "CPS_97", "Var205", "CPS_98", "Var207", "CPS_99", "Var209", "CPS_100", "Var211", "CPS_101", "Var213", "CPS_102", "Var215", "CPS_103", "Var217", "CPS_104", "Var219", "CPS_105", "Var221", "CPS_106", "Var223", "CPS_107", "Var225", "CPS_108", "Var227", "CPS_109", "Var229", "CPS_110", "Var231", "CPS_111", "Var233", "CPS_112", "Var235", "CPS_113", "Var237", "CPS_114", "Var239", "CPS_115", "Var241", "CPS_116", "Var243", "CPS_117", "Var245", "CPS_118", "Var247", "CPS_119", "Var249", "CPS_120", "Var251", "CPS_121", "Var253", "CPS_122", "Var255", "CPS_123", "Var257", "CPS_124", "Var259", "CPS_125", "Var261", "CPS_126", "Var263", "CPS_127", "Var265", "CPS_128", "Var267", "CPS_129", "Var269", "CPS_130", "Var271", "CPS_131", "Var273", "CPS_132", "Var275", "CPS_133", "Var277", "CPS_134", "Var279", "CPS_135", "Var281", "CPS_136", "Var283", "CPS_137", "Var285", "CPS_138", "Var287", "CPS_139", "Var289", "CPS_140", "Var291", "CPS_141", "Var293", "CPS_142", "Var295", "CPS_143", "Var297", "CPS_144", "Var299", "CPS_145", "Var301", "CPS_146", "Var303", "CPS_147", "Var305", "CPS_148", "Var307", "CPS_149", "Var309", "CPS_150", "Var311", "CPS_151", "Var313", "CPS_152", "Var315", "CPS_153", "Var317", "CPS_154", "Var319", "CPS_155", "Var321", "CPS_156", "Var323", "CPS_157", "Var325", "CPS_158", "Var327", "CPS_159", "Var329", "CPS_160", "Var331", "CPS_161", "Var333", "CPS_162", "Var335", "CPS_163", "Var337", "CPS_164", "Var339", "CPS_165", "Var341", "CPS_166", "Var343", "CPS_167", "Var345", "CPS_168", "Var347", "CPS_169", "Var349", "CPS_170", "Var351", "CPS_171", "Var353", "CPS_172", "Var355", "CPS_173", "Var357", "CPS_174", "Var359", "CPS_175", "Var361", "CPS_176", "Var363", "CPS_177", "Var365", "CPS_178", "Var367", "CPS_179", "Var369", "CPS_180", "Var371", "CPS_181", "Var373", "CPS_182", "Var375", "CPS_183", "Var377", "CPS_184", "Var379", "CPS_185", "Var381", "CPS_186", "Var383", "CPS_187", "Var385", "CPS_188", "Var387", "CPS_189", "Var389", "CPS_190", "Var391", "CPS_191", "Var393", "CPS_192", "Var395", "CPS_193", "Var397", "CPS_194", "Var399", "CPS_195", "Var401", "CPS_196", "Var403", "CPS_197", "Var405", "CPS_198", "Var407", "CPS_199", "Var409", "CPS_200", "Var411", "CPS_201", "Var413", "CPS_202", "Var415", "CPS_203", "Var417", "CPS_204", "Var419", "CPS_205", "Var421", "CPS_206", "Var423", "CPS_207", "Var425", "CPS_208", "Var427", "CPS_209", "Var429", "CPS_210", "Var431", "CPS_211", "Var433", "CPS_212", "Var435", "CPS_213", "Var437", "CPS_214", "Var439", "CPS_215", "Var441", "CPS_216", "Var443", "CPS_217", "Var445", "CPS_218", "Var447", "CPS_219", "Var449", "CPS_220", "Var451", "CPS_221", "Var453", "CPS_222", "Var455", "CPS_223", "Var457", "CPS_224", "Var459", "CPS_225", "Var461", "CPS_226", "Var463", "CPS_227", "Var465", "CPS_228", "Var467", "CPS_229", "Var469", "CPS_230", "Var471", "CPS_231", "Var473", "CPS_232", "Var475", "CPS_233", "Var477", "CPS_234", "Var479", "CPS_235", "Var481", "CPS_236", "Var483", "CPS_237", "Var485", "CPS_238", "Var487", "CPS_239", "Var489", "CPS_240", "Var491", "CPS_241", "Var493", "CPS_242", "Var495", "CPS_243", "Var497", "CPS_244", "Var499", "CPS_245", "Var501", "CPS_246", "Var503", "CPS_247", "Var505", "CPS_248", "Var507", "CPS_249", "Var509", "CPS_250", "Var511", "CPS_251", "Var513", "CPS_252", "Var515", "CPS_253", "Var517", "CPS_254", "Var519", "CPS_255", "Var521", "CPS_256", "Var523", "CPS_257", "Var525", "CPS_258", "Var527", "CPS_259", "Var529", "CPS_260"];
opts.SelectedVariableNames = ["CPS", "CPS_1", "CPS_2", "CPS_3", "CPS_4", "CPS_5", "CPS_6", "CPS_7", "CPS_8", "CPS_9", "CPS_10", "CPS_11", "CPS_12", "CPS_13", "CPS_14", "CPS_15", "CPS_16", "CPS_17", "CPS_18", "CPS_19", "CPS_20", "CPS_21", "CPS_22", "CPS_23", "CPS_24", "CPS_25", "CPS_26", "CPS_27", "CPS_28", "CPS_29", "CPS_30", "CPS_31", "CPS_32", "CPS_33", "CPS_34", "CPS_35", "CPS_36", "CPS_37", "CPS_38", "CPS_39", "CPS_40", "CPS_41", "CPS_42", "CPS_43", "CPS_44", "CPS_45", "CPS_46", "CPS_47", "CPS_48", "CPS_49", "CPS_50", "CPS_51", "CPS_52", "CPS_53", "CPS_54", "CPS_55", "CPS_56", "CPS_57", "CPS_58", "CPS_59", "CPS_60", "CPS_61", "CPS_62", "CPS_63", "CPS_64", "CPS_65", "CPS_66", "CPS_67", "CPS_68", "CPS_69", "CPS_70", "CPS_71", "CPS_72", "CPS_73", "CPS_74", "CPS_75", "CPS_76", "CPS_77", "CPS_78", "CPS_79", "CPS_80", "CPS_81", "CPS_82", "CPS_83", "CPS_84", "CPS_85", "CPS_86", "CPS_87", "CPS_88", "CPS_89", "CPS_90", "CPS_91", "CPS_92", "CPS_93", "CPS_94", "CPS_95", "CPS_96", "CPS_97", "CPS_98", "CPS_99", "CPS_100", "CPS_101", "CPS_102", "CPS_103", "CPS_104", "CPS_105", "CPS_106", "CPS_107", "CPS_108", "CPS_109", "CPS_110", "CPS_111", "CPS_112", "CPS_113", "CPS_114", "CPS_115", "CPS_116", "CPS_117", "CPS_118", "CPS_119", "CPS_120", "CPS_121", "CPS_122", "CPS_123", "CPS_124", "CPS_125", "CPS_126", "CPS_127", "CPS_128", "CPS_129", "CPS_130", "CPS_131", "CPS_132", "CPS_133", "CPS_134", "CPS_135", "CPS_136", "CPS_137", "CPS_138", "CPS_139", "CPS_140", "CPS_141", "CPS_142", "CPS_143", "CPS_144", "CPS_145", "CPS_146", "CPS_147", "CPS_148", "CPS_149", "CPS_150", "CPS_151", "CPS_152", "CPS_153", "CPS_154", "CPS_155", "CPS_156", "CPS_157", "CPS_158", "CPS_159", "CPS_160", &#

            

            
            
            

    

        

	
    

        
Best Answer
    

    

								

								
Yes. Is the format of your data the same in all your files? If yes, then use the import tool to generate a function instead of a script. That function can be used to automate the import process of all files with the same formatting. It appears you are already familiar with the Import Tool. If you do want to create an importing function, this video shows you how to generate and reuse your code.
And if you have a lot of files, this video shows you how to use the import function you have created in conjunction with a datastore to import multiple files.
I'd suggest reading your data in as a table instead of a cell array. This short video shows how to access data in a table.
   
						    
						
		
    
        

    

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Answer 1

Yes. Is the format of your data the same in all your files? If yes, then use the import tool to generate a function instead of a script. That function can be used to automate the import process of all files with the same formatting. It appears you are already familiar with the Import Tool. If you do want to create an importing function, this video shows you how to generate and reuse your code.

And if you have a lot of files, this video shows you how to use the import function you have created in conjunction with a datastore to import multiple files.

I'd suggest reading your data in as a table instead of a cell array. This short video shows how to access data in a table.