How can I use dlmread to input data as single precision?

I am using dlmread to get input data and found that the return matrix is always double precision which is too big for the memory on my machine. I'm wonder anyhow I could make the reading use just single precision. Here is what I'm doing:

mat = dlmread('a.txt');

Answer 1

[Todd Flanagan]

I think you want to use textscan. That will allow you to specify the input format. The %f32 format will import as single precision. For example:

>> f = fopen('data.txt');
>> textscan(f, '%f32')

ans = 

    [3x1 single]

[Jan]

You can create a copy of DLMREAD.M and insert this format specifier in the TEXTSCAN call. Then you have a fully featured DLMREAD with SIGNLE output.