function dlmcell(file,cell_array,varargin)
%% <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> %%
% <><><><><> dlmcell - Write Cell Array to Text File <><><><><> %
% <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> %
% Version: 01.06.2010 %
% (c) Roland Pfister %
% roland_pfister@t-online.de %
% 1. Synopsis %
% %
% A single cell array is written to an output file. Cells may consist of %
% any combination of (a) numbers, (b) letters, or (c) words. The inputs %
% are as follows: %
% %
% - file The output filename (string). %
% - cell_array The cell array to be written. %
% - delimiter Delimiter symbol, e.g. ',' (optional; %
% default: tab ('\t'}). %
% - append '-a' for appending the content to the %
% output file (optional). %
% %
% 2. Example %
% %
% mycell = {'Numbers', 'Letters', 'Words','More Words'; ... %
% 1, 'A', 'Apple', {'Apricot'}; ... %
% 2, 'B', 'Banana', {'Blueberry'}; ... %
% 3, 'C', 'Cherry', {'Cranberry'}; }; %
% dlmcell('mytext.txt',mycell); %
% %
% <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> %
%% Check input arguments
if nargin < 2
disp('Error - Give at least two input arguments!');
return;
elseif nargin > 4
disp('Error - Do not give more than 4 input arguments!');
return;
end
if ~ischar(file)
disp(['Error - File input has to be a string (e.g. ' ...
char(39) 'output.txt' char(39) '!']);
return;
end;
if ~iscell(cell_array)
disp('Error - Input cell_array not of the type "cell"!');
return;
end;
delimiter = '\t';
append = 'w';
if nargin > 2
for i = 1:size(varargin,2)
if strcmp('-a',varargin{1,i}) == 1
append = 'a';
else
delimiter = varargin{1,i};
end;
end;
end
%% Open output file and prepare output array.
output_file = fopen(file,append);
output = cell(size(cell_array,1),size(cell_array,2));
%% Evaluate and write input array.
for i = 1:size(cell_array,1)
for j = 1:size(cell_array,2)
if numel(cell_array{i,j}) == 0
output{i,j} = '';
% Check whether the content of cell i,j is
% numeric and convert numbers to strings.
elseif isnumeric(cell_array{i,j}) || islogical(cell_array{i,j})
output{i,j} = num2str(cell_array{i,j}(1,1));
% Check whether the content of cell i,j is another cell (e.g. a
% string of length > 1 that was stored as cell. If cell sizes
% equal [1,1], convert numbers and char-cells to strings.
%
% Note that any other cells-within-the-cell will produce errors
% or wrong results.
elseif iscell(cell_array{i,j})
if size(cell_array{i,j},1) == 1 && size(cell_array{i,j},1) == 1
if isnumeric(cell_array{i,j}{1,1})
output{i,j} = num2str(cell_array{i,j}{1,1}(1,1));
elseif ischar(cell_array{i,j}{1,1})
output{i,j} = cell_array{i,j}{1,1};
end;
end;
% If the cell already contains a string, nothing has to be done.
elseif ischar(cell_array{i,j})
output{i,j} = cell_array{i,j};
end;
% Cell i,j is written to the output file. A delimiter is appended
% for all but the last element of each row.
fprintf(output_file,'%s',output{i,j});
if j ~= size(cell_array,2)
fprintf(output_file,'%s',delimiter);
end
end;
% At the end of a row, a newline is written to the output file.
fprintf(output_file,'\r\n');
end;
%% Close output file.
fclose(output_file);
end
