Storing image data as a row vector - matlab

Question

I have multiple images in a folder, and for each image, I want to store the data(pixel values) as a row vector. After I store them in a row vector I can combine these row vectors as one multi dimensional array. e.g. the data for the first image will be stored in row 1, the data for the second image will be stored in row 2 and so on. And any time I want to access a particular image data, let us say I want the third image, I can do something like this race(3,:).
I am currently getting the error:
Dimensions of matrices being concatenated are not consistent.
The error occurs here race = [race; imagevec] I am lost in how to correct this, unless imagevec = I(:)' is not converting the matrix to a row vector .
race = []; % to store all row vector
imagevec = []; % to store row vector
path = 'C:\Users\User_\somedir\'; % directory
pathfile = dir('C:\Users\User_\somedir\*.jpg'); % image file extension in directory
for i = 1 : length(path)
filename = strcat(path,pathfile(i).name); % get the file
I = imread(filename); % read file
imagevec = I(:)'; % convert image data to row vector
race = [race; imagevec]; % store row vector in matrix
end

Answer 1

Using a cell array instead of a matrix will allow you to index in this way even if your images are of different sizes.
You don't even have to turn them into a row vector to store them all in the same structure. You can do something like this:
path = 'C:\Users\User_\somedir\'; % directory
pathfile = dir([path,*.jpg']); % image file extension in directory
race = cell(length(pathfile),1);
for i = 1 : length(pathfile)
filename = strcat(path,pathfile(i).name); % get the file
I = imread(filename); % read file
race{i} = I; % store in cell array
end
Then when you want to perform some operation, you can simply index into the cell array. You could even turn it into a row vector, if you wanted to, as follows.
thisImage = race{3}(:)';

Answer 2

If you are using a matrix to store the results, all rows of a matrix must be the same length.
Cell arrays are similar to arrays except the elements need not be the same type / size.
You can accomplish what you are looking for using a cell array. First, initialize race to:
race = {};
Then try:
race = {race{:}, imagevec};