loadascii(filename)

function a = loadascii(filename)

fid = fopen(filename);

if fid==-1

    error([filename ': File does not exist']);

end

numlines = 0;

try

    while( 1 )

        tline = fgetl(fid);

        if ~ischar(tline), break, end

        numlines=numlines+1;

    end

    fseek(fid, 0, 'bof');

    a = fscanf(fid,'%g',[numlines inf]);

    [r c] = size(a);

    % The next two steps are required since MATLAB reads the data in column major format
    % and fscanf reads data in row major format

    a = reshape(a,c,r);
    a = a';

    fclose(fid);

catch

    fclose(fid);

    error([filename ': Error while reading file']);

end