How can I search a file in MATLAB 7.9 (R2009b)?

I would like to look for a particular file in a subdirectory. I only know the root level directory which contains multiple subdirectories. I would like to know how to look for this file recursively and find whcih subdirectory it resides in.

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

To search for file that are not on MATLAB path, use the DIR command in MS-DOS. For this, use the CD command to the top level directory, and use the DIR command within the DOS command from MATLAB this way:

 

[a,b] = dos('dir /s /b <myfile>*');
filenames = textscan(b,'%s','delimiter',char(10));
filenames = filenames{1};

Here the /s option looks inside subfolder and <myfile> is the file that you are searching for. The /b option ensures that the output is in bare format.

To read more about the DOS command, visit here:

 <http://www.computerhope.com/dirhlp.htm>