MATLAB: Loading files with a particular string on its name

Question

Hi everyone,

I have a series of files named like this:

Result_2017_5_24_13_44_IC.mat
Result_2017_5_24_13_54_MID.mat
Result_2017_5_25_13_20_SVO.mat
Result_2017_5_28_16_50_IC.mat
Result_2017_5_28_16_58_MID.mat
Result_2017_5_28_17_02_SVO.mat

I would like to load the files that have SVO, MID, and IC on its name separately. Is there a way of doing this? Right now I had to change the names of the files to something more simple to process. However, I would like to know a way of working with the files in their original name. The code I have right now works with the modification I do to the name:

for i=1:subjects
    files = [num2str(i) '_SVO.mat']; %name of the files to process
    load(files);
    ...
end

Many thanks, Ramiro

Answer 1

See the FAQ: http://matlab.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#How_can_I_process_a_sequence_of_files.3F

% Specify the folder where the files live.
myFolder = pwd; % or 'C:\Users\yourUserName\Documents\My Pictures' or whatever...
% Check to make sure that folder actually exists.  Warn user if it doesn't.
if ~isdir(myFolder)
  errorMessage = sprintf('Error: The following folder does not exist:\n%s', myFolder);
  uiwait(warndlg(errorMessage));
  return;
end
% Get a list of all files in the folder with the desired file name pattern.
filePattern = fullfile(myFolder, 'Result*.mat'); % Change to whatever pattern you need.
theFiles = dir(filePattern);
for k = 1 : length(theFiles)
  baseFileName = theFiles(k).name;
  fullFileName = fullfile(myFolder, baseFileName);
  fprintf(1, 'Now reading %s\n', fullFileName);
  % Now do whatever you want with this file name,
  % such as reading it in as an image array with imread()
  thisStructure = load(fullFileName)
end
msgbox('Done');