Reading numeric value from COM port

I try to use fscanf( ) to get the numeric heading of an electronic compass. The compass is sending data through COM1 with NMEA standard. When I open the port, and use FSCANF(ser) I get

ans =

$HCHDG,49.0,,,,

My problem is: how to filter the 49.0 out of this string, and convert it to a numeric value (eg float) so I can use it for calculations?

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

textscan(). Or fscanf() or sscanf(). Or strfind() and index to extract the number as a string and str2double() it. Or regexp() to extract the number as a string and str2double() it.

A format of '%*7c' would eat the '$HCHDG,' and discard it.

[Jan De Vries]

Thanks! It works with the str2double() function.

Is this also possible in simulink?

[Walter Roberson]

Sorry, I am not familiar enough with simulink. I am sure there is _some_ way, but I do not know if there is a "nice" way.