How can I import data selectively from a text file?

I have a text file in the following format:

START filename.txt, 6.9 Mw, 14.5 km, ndata = 5496, dt = 0.010, PGA = 0.5235g, unit = g

1 0.00 -1.819686e-03

2 0.01 3.291146e-04

3 0.02 3.273409e-03

and so on

I would to like a import the third column. When i use x=filename(:,3), it obviously throws an error because of the first line. Its important that i keep the first line. I figured out a way to do it by pasting the data into an excel sheet and then importing, but i was wondering if i can somehow import directly from the text file.

Thanks!

[Jan]

Please explain, what you want as output. "Keeping" the first line is not clear enough.

[Amit Yalwar]

when i use the following code

load filename.txt

x=filename(:,3)

it returned an error due to the higher number of columns on line 1 compared to the rest of the lines. If i erased line 1, it loaded the third column just fine. The solution you posted works for me. Thanks.

Answer 1

[Jan]

fid = fopen(filename, 'r');
if fid == -1
  error('Cannot open file: %s', filename);
end

firstline = fgetl(fid);
data = fscanf(fid, '%g', [3, inf]);
fclose(fid);

Now firstline contains the first line while data contains the rest.