Creating a structure from a cell array with nested structure fields

I have a structure with a cell array with structure fields.

The structure is a.fields. where a.fields{1,1} = 'b.c', a.fields{2,1}='c.d'

The real info is longer with even more nested structures, but I need a way that takes those fields to create the actual structure. I am using a for loop to go through the list, and so far I have:

    structure_name = a.fields{i;1};
    name.structure_name = {some info};

with the final hope that name.b.c = {some info} and so on and so forth.

I considered a loop by separating the cell array strings by period and looping through as well but figured I would ask about the (hopefully) more simple way. Obviously Matlab doesnt like that the names have periods and its telling me that it's invalid.

I would appreciate any insight.

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

Nope, that won't work.

Best approach: split on the period characters, then use setfield and getfield as appropriate:

S.field1.field2.field3 = 42;
P = 'field1.field2.field3';
pathPieces = split(P, '.');
theAnswer = getfield(S, pathPieces{:})

This example is taken from Steven Lord's answer here:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/514322-dot-notation-from-string#answer_423141

[Lexi Anderson]

Ah yeah, my next problem arises that the values for the new structure exist as a nxm matrix in the same inital matrix under a.values, so I get

"Reference to non-existent field, ' structure_name';

[Stephen23]

"...the values for the new structure exist as a nxm matrix in the same inital matrix under a.values"

I see no reason why that should cause you any problem:

...
S = setfield(S, pathPieces{:}, a.values)