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Split multicolumn variables in table or timetable
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Syntax
T2 = splitvars(T1)
T2 = splitvars(T1,vars)
T2 = splitvars(T1,vars,'NewVariableNames',newNames)
Description
example
T2 = splitvars(T1) splits all multicolumn variables in T1 so that they are single-column variables in T2. All single-column variables from T1 are unaltered.
If a variable in
T1has multiple columns, thensplitvarsmakes unique names for the new variables inT2from the name of the original variable inT1.If a variable in
T1is a table itself, thensplitvarsuses the names of its variables (and, if necessary, the name of that table) to make unique names for the new variables inT2.
To merge variables into one multicolumn variable, use the mergevars function.
example
T2 = splitvars(T1,vars) splits only the table variables specified by vars. You can specify variables by name, by position, or using logical indices.
example
T2 = splitvars(T1,vars,'NewVariableNames',newNames) assigns new names to the designated variables that are split out of T1 and copied to T2.
Examples
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Split Variables
Open Live Script
Create a table from workspace variables. Some of the variables are matrices with multiple columns.
A = (1:3)';B = [5 11 12; 20 30 50; 0.1 3.4 5.9]';C = {'a','XX';'b','YY';'c','ZZ'};D = [128 256 512]';T1 = table(A,B,C,D)T1=3×4 table A B C D _ ________________ _______________ ___ 1 5 20 0.1 {'a'} {'XX'} 128 2 11 30 3.4 {'b'} {'YY'} 256 3 12 50 5.9 {'c'} {'ZZ'} 512Split the variables B and C. All variables in the output table have one column.
T2 = splitvars(T1)
T2=3×7 table A B_1 B_2 B_3 C_1 C_2 D _ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______ ___ 1 5 20 0.1 {'a'} {'XX'} 128 2 11 30 3.4 {'b'} {'YY'} 256 3 12 50 5.9 {'c'} {'ZZ'} 512Specify Variable
Open Live Script
Create a table that contains tables, using arrays of data from the patients.mat file. Display the first three rows.
load patientsPersonal_Data = table(Gender,Age);BMI_Data = table(Height,Weight);BloodPressure = table(Systolic,Diastolic);T1 = table(LastName,Personal_Data,BMI_Data,BloodPressure);head(T1,3) LastName Personal_Data BMI_Data BloodPressure ____________ _________________ ________________ _____________________ Gender Age Height Weight Systolic Diastolic __________ ___ ______ ______ ________ _________ {'Smith' } {'Male' } 38 71 176 124 93 {'Johnson' } {'Male' } 43 69 163 109 77 {'Williams'} {'Female'} 38 64 131 125 83 Specify BloodPressure as the variable to split.
T2 = splitvars(T1,'BloodPressure');head(T2,3) LastName Personal_Data BMI_Data Systolic Diastolic ____________ _________________ ________________ ________ _________ Gender Age Height Weight __________ ___ ______ ______ {'Smith' } {'Male' } 38 71 176 124 93 {'Johnson' } {'Male' } 43 69 163 109 77 {'Williams'} {'Female'} 38 64 131 125 83 To specify multiple variables by name, use a cell array of character vectors.
T3 = splitvars(T1,{'BMI_Data','BloodPressure'});head(T3,3) LastName Personal_Data Height Weight Systolic Diastolic ____________ _________________ ______ ______ ________ _________ Gender Age __________ ___ {'Smith' } {'Male' } 38 71 176 124 93 {'Johnson' } {'Male' } 43 69 163 109 77 {'Williams'} {'Female'} 38 64 131 125 83 To specify variables by position, use a numeric array.
T4 = splitvars(T1,[2 4]);head(T4,3)
LastName Gender Age BMI_Data Systolic Diastolic ____________ __________ ___ ________________ ________ _________ Height Weight ______ ______ {'Smith' } {'Male' } 38 71 176 124 93 {'Johnson' } {'Male' } 43 69 163 109 77 {'Williams'} {'Female'} 38 64 131 125 83 New Names for Split Variables
Open Live Script
Create a table that contains multi-column variables, using data from the patients.mat file. Display the first three rows.
load patientsPersonal_Data = [Age,Height,Weight];BloodPressure = [Systolic,Diastolic];T1 = table(LastName,Gender,Personal_Data,BloodPressure);head(T1,3) LastName Gender Personal_Data BloodPressure ____________ __________ ________________ _____________ {'Smith' } {'Male' } 38 71 176 124 93 {'Johnson' } {'Male' } 43 69 163 109 77 {'Williams'} {'Female'} 38 64 131 125 83 Split BloodPressure and specify new names for the new variables in the output table.
T2 = splitvars(T1,'BloodPressure','NewVariableNames',{'Systolic','Diastolic'});head(T2,3)
LastName Gender Personal_Data Systolic Diastolic ____________ __________ ________________ ________ _________ {'Smith' } {'Male' } 38 71 176 124 93 {'Johnson' } {'Male' } 43 69 163 109 77 {'Williams'} {'Female'} 38 64 131 125 83 Split both BMI_Data and BloodPressure. For each variable being split, you must provide a cell array with the correct number of new names.
T3 = splitvars(T1,{'Personal_Data','BloodPressure'},... 'NewVariableNames',{{'Age','Height','Weight'},{'Systolic','Diastolic'}});head(T3,3) LastName Gender Age Height Weight Systolic Diastolic ____________ __________ ___ ______ ______ ________ _________ {'Smith' } {'Male' } 38 71 176 124 93 {'Johnson' } {'Male' } 43 69 163 109 77 {'Williams'} {'Female'} 38 64 131 125 83 Input Arguments
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T1 — Input table
table | timetable
Input table, specified as a table or timetable.
vars — Variables in input table
string array | character vector | cell array of character vectors | pattern scalar | numeric array | logical array
Variables in the input table, specified as a string array, character vector, cell array of character vectors, pattern scalar, numeric array, or logical array.
newNames — Names of split variables
cell array of character vectors | string array
Names of the split variables, specified as a cell array of character vectors or string array.
Extended Capabilities
Tall Arrays
Calculate with arrays that have more rows than fit in memory.
Usage notes and limitations:
The
varsinput argument does not support pattern expressions.
For more information, see Tall Arrays.
C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using MATLAB® Coder™.
Usage notes and limitations:
The
varsinput argument does not support pattern expressions.The value of the
'NewVariableNames'name-value argument must be constant.The variables that are split cannot have a variable number of columns.
Thread-Based Environment
Run code in the background using MATLAB® backgroundPool or accelerate code with Parallel Computing Toolbox™ ThreadPool.
This function fully supports thread-based environments. For more information, see Run MATLAB Functions in Thread-Based Environment.
Version History
Introduced in R2018a
See Also
addvars | mergevars | movevars | removevars | renamevars
Topics
- Add, Delete, and Rearrange Table Variables
- Add and Delete Table Rows
- Access Data in Tables
- Rename and Describe Table Variables
- Clean Messy and Missing Data in Tables
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