Flexible search and listing tool for field names in a structure array
Call options:
------------
SearchFields(AStruct)
- Displays all fields in structure array AStruct with their complete ("long") names.
SearchFields(AStruct, SearchString)
- Displays all fields in structure array AStruct of which the name contains SearchString (default = case-insensitive).
SearchFields(AStruct, SearchString, SearchOption)
- The following options may be indicated by SearchOption:
'default' - Default (case-insensitive search, see above).
'case' - Case-sensitive search.
'exact' - Only those field names are listed which matches the SearchString exactly (case-insensitive search).
'exactcase' - The same as 'exact', but with case-sensitive search.
'begin' - Only those field names are listed of which the beginning matches the SearchString (case-insensitive search).
'begincase' - The same as 'begin', but with case-sensitive search.
'end' - Only those field names are listed of which the end matches the SearchString (case-insensitive search).
'endcase' - The same as 'end', but with case-sensitive search.
If no option is given, 'default' is assumed.
SearchFields(AStruct, SearchString, SearchOption, AStructName)
- Normally, the name of the structure array AStruct is resolved using the internal MatLab function "inputname". However, this does not work when the name of AStruct contains dots and/or brackets. As a workaround (as well as to enable recursive operation) the name of AStruct can be entered "manually" as a string in AStructName.
FoundFieldsList = SearchFields(AStruct, ...)
- A list of the found field names is stored as a cellular string array into the output variable FoundFieldsList.
If no output variable is indicated, the names are printed as a list on the screen.
Example of function call:
------------------------
SearchFields(ExampleStruct, 'afield')
Result (example):
----------------
ExampleStruct.AField
ExampleStruct.AnotherField{2,3}.AField
ExampleStruct.AnotherField{2,3}.AField2
Cite As
Paul A.M. Bune (2026). Flexible search and listing tool for field names in a structure array (https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/19484-flexible-search-and-listing-tool-for-field-names-in-a-structure-array), MATLAB Central File Exchange. Retrieved .
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| Version | Published | Release Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0.0.0 | No change in the program file. Only correction of a small typo in the description on the website, where the search mode using the 'default' option was indicated as being case-sensitive, while in realitiy it is case-insensitive. |
