MATLAB: Rearrange Data in text file

MATLABtext file

I have data in a text file and would like to rearange the data in a different sequencial order.
For instance I have:
Name,proj2;
Edition,59;
Start;
Variable,1;
DataReg,00.0,00.0;
Area,520.00;
300,221.7467,424.1668,801.0146;
390,117.4175,507.8583,29.2203;
Area,530.00;
300,488.6090,963.0885,488.8977;
390,578.5251,546.8057,624.0601;
Datareg,00.0,30.0;
Area,520.00;
300,367.4366,913.2868,335.3568;
390,987.9820,796.1839,679.7280;
Area,530.00;
300,106.7619,715.0371,698.7458;
390,653.7573,903.7206,197.8098;
DataReg,00.0,60.0;
Area,520.00;
300,291.9841,167.1684,489.6876;
390,431.6512,106.2163,339.4934;
Area,530.00;
300,522.6770,5147.8709,3201.4549;
390,7137.8581,9142.7370,7101.0988;
DataReg,30.0,00.0;
Area,520.00;
300,2121.7467,4214.1668,8201.0146;
390,1217.4175,5107.8583,219.2203;
Area,530.00;
300,4188.6090,9163.0885,4288.8977;
390,5178.5251,5146.8057,6224.0601;
Datareg,30.0,30.0;
Area,520.00;
300,3167.4366,9113.2868,3135.3568;
390,9287.9820,7296.1839,6279.7280;
Area,530.00;
300,1106.7619,1715.0371,1698.7458;
390,1653.7573,1903.7206,1197.8098;
DataReg,30.0,60.0;
Area,520.00;
300,2921.9841,1672.1684,2489.6876;
390,4321.6512,1206.2163,2339.4934;
Area,530.00;
300,522.6770,57.8709,3021.4549;
390,7327.8581,9422.7370,7021.0988;
DataReg,60.0,00.0;
Area,520.00;
300,316.4366,911.2868,313.3568;
390,92.9820,729.1839,627.7280;
Area,530.00;
300,110.7619,171.0371,169.7458;
390,165.7573,190.7206,119.8098;
DataReg,60.0,30.0;
Area,520.00;
300,292.9841,167.1684,248.6876;
390,432.6512,120.2163,233.4934;
Area,530.00;
300,52.6770,5.8709,302.4549;
390,732.8581,942.7370,702.0988;
DataReg,60.0,60.0;
Area,520.00;
300,7292.9841,7167.1684,7248.6876;
390,7432.6512,7120.2163,7233.4934;
Area,530.00;
300,752.6770,75.8709,7302.4549;
390,7732.8581,7942.7370,7702.0988;
(Sorry it's so long, just wanted to paint a vivid picture)
Notice how the lines that include "DataReg" change in the following sequencial order:
00.0,00.0;
00.0,30.0;
00.0,60.0;
30.0,00.0;
30.0,30.0;
30,0,60.0;
60.0,00.0;
60.0,30.0;
60.0,60.0
What I would like instead is for the data to be in the following sequencial order:
00.0,00.0;
30.0,00.0;
60.0,00.0;
00.0,30.0;
30.0,30.0;
60.0,30.0;
00.0,60.0;
30.0,60.0;
60.0,60.0;
Of course, keep the 6 lines of data below each "DataReg" line to stay with it's corresponding DataReg when rearanged. Also keep in mind the actual data set is much larger than the one provided. Include many descriptive comments in the script please. Thank you kindly!

Best Answer

So you want to sort on "DataReg", then you can read the file in, search the lines for "DataReg", and then run your regexp on those lines (cells) only. Something like
fname = 'C:\Users\<username>\Documents\MATLAB\Sandbox\testfile.txt';
% read in data
MyData = importdata(fname);
% reshape it
ReshapedData = reshape(MyData(5:end),7,[]);
% find your values of DataReg
DataRegValues = regexp(ReshapedData(1,:),'\d\d.\d,\d\d.\d','match','once');
e = cellfun(@(x) strsplit(x,','),DataRegValues,'uni',0);
e = vertcat(e{:});
% Sort them based on second column
[~,SortedIDX] = sort(str2double(e(:,2)));
ReshapedData = ReshapedData(:,SortedIDX);
% Create new data that has same format as file, but sorted to your liking
NewMyData = [MyData(1:4);reshape(ReshapedData,[],1)];
% Create and write to file
fname = 'C:\Users\<username>\Documents\MATLAB\Sandbox\testfile_modified.txt';
FID = fopen(fname,'wt+');
for ii = 1:length(NewMyData)
   fprintf(FID,'%s\n',NewMyData{ii});
end
fclose(FID);
Hope this helps.
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