How can I recursively process files in subdirectories using MATLAB?

How can I recursively process files in subdirectories using MATLAB?

I have files located in multiple subdirectories within a directory. I would like to be able to process the data in each subdirectory using the same functions. How can I do this without having to manually run the code in each directory?

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

The first task is to get a list of all the desired files in all of the subdirectories.

One option to do this is to use a "system" call to access the Operating System recursive directory search call. For example to get all ".m" files in "C:\Program Files\MATLAB" on Windows:

baseDir = 'C:\"Program Files"\MATLAB'
[status, list] = system(['dir/s/b ' baseDir '*.m']);

This produces a different output format than "dir" but it can be parsed to perform the same tasks.

Another option is to process the files in a directory hierarchy through the use of recursive functions. The general format is:

1) Call the recursive function with the name of a directory.

2) Use the "dir" function to obtain a listing of the directory.

3) Loop through the entries in the listing.

4) If an entry is a directory, then call the function recursively, passing the subdirectory's name as the directory to process.

5) If an entry is not a directory, then store the file path including filename.

Please find an example file in the MATLAB File Exchange submission "subdir":

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/1492-subdir-new

Or the example file on the File Exchange "rdir":

http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/32226-recursive-directory-listing-enhanced-rdir

Note that MathWorks does not guarantee or warrant the use or content of these submissions. Any questions, issues, or complaints should be directed to the contributing author.

Once a list of files has been gathered through one of these methods, the files can be processed.

Answer 2

[lvn]

It is high time Matlab updates some of the official answers, as many are outdated.

This is an example, as of R2016b, no need for external tools:

files=dir('C:\temp\**\*.txt'); 
for k=1:length(files)
fn=fullfile(files(k).folder, files(k).name);
%process the file fn here
end

See also https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/429891-how-to-recursively-go-through-all-directories-and-sub-directories-and-process-files