How to replace a single word in a string with multiple row string?

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Hello,
I am trying to replace a single word/token in a string variable with a string containing multiple rows of words. I get the following error using regexprep function :
Error using regexprep The 'REPLACE' input must be a one-dimensional array of char or cell arrays of strings.
I tried using strrep function as well. I get the following error for it :
Error using strrep Input strings must have one row.
A = strrep(B,'Keyword',C);
A = regexprep(B,'Keyword',C);
I am trying to replace Keyword in String B with C. C has multiple rows of words in it.
I searched the forum for similar questions. Did not find any.
How do i prevent this error? Please help.
  1 Comment
Guillaume
Guillaume on 10 Dec 2014
Edited: Guillaume on 10 Dec 2014
What are you expecting as an output? Several strings, each with one of your replacement word?
Also is your C a 2D char array or a cell array of strings?
It would be best if you gave an example of values for your A, B and C

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Accepted Answer

Guillaume
Guillaume on 10 Dec 2014
This is possibly what you want:
B = 'Some string with a Keyword in it';
C = {'foo', 'bar', 'baz'};
A = cellfun(@(rep) strrep(B, 'Keyword', rep), C, 'UniformOutput', false)
If your C is a 2D char array and you also want a 2D char array as an output
B = 'Some string with a Keyword in it';
C = ['foo';'bar';'baz'];
A = cell2mat(cellfun(@(rep) strrep(B, 'Keyword', rep), num2cell(C, 2), 'UniformOutput', false))
  2 Comments
Math
Math on 10 Dec 2014
Edited: Math on 10 Dec 2014
Hello Guilaume,
Yes C is a 2D char array and i also want a 2D char array as an output.
However, I want the output as:
Some string with a foo bar baz in it.
B can also a 2D char array in my case. I was able to replace Keyword in B with single token. But i am not able to replace Keyword with 2D char array.
Guillaume
Guillaume on 10 Dec 2014
It is much simpler to work with cell arrays of strings than 2D char arrays. Most string functions will happily work on multiple strings as long as they're in a cell array. A cell array has the added advantage that your strings don't have to be all the same length.
Use num2cell to convert a 2D array to cell, and cell2mat to convert back.
Anyway
B=['A string with Keyword'; 'Another Keyword abcde'];
C=['foo';'bar';'baz'];
Bascell = num2cell(B, 2);
Cascell = num2cell(C, 2);
Aascell = strrep(Bascell, 'Keyword', strjoin(Cascell));
A = cell2mat(Aascell)

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More Answers (1)

Math
Math on 10 Dec 2014
Edited: Math on 10 Dec 2014
Some string with foobarbaz in it. as output is also acceptable. I thought of concatenating C. But it's size is not fixed for different cases.

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