Convert dataset column to obsnames - matlab

Question

I have many large dataset arrays in my workspace (loaded from a .mat file).
A minimal working example is like this
>> disp(old_ds)
Date firm1 firm2 firm3 firm4
734692 880,0 102,1 32,7 204,2
734695 880,0 102,0 30,9 196,4
734696 880,0 100,0 30,9 200,2
734697 880,0 101,4 30,9 200,2
734698 880,0 100,8 30,9 202,2
where the first row (with the strings) already are headers in the dataset, that is they are already displayed if I run old_ds.Properties.VarNames.
I'm wondering whether there is an easy and/or fast way to make the first column as ObsNames.
As a first approach, I've thought of "exporting" the data matrix (columns 2 to 5, in the example), the vector of dates and then creating a new dataset where the rows have names.
Namely:
>> mat = double(old_ds(:,2:5)); % taking the data, making it a matrix array
>> head = old_ds.Properties.VarNames % saving headers
>> head(1,1) = []; % getting rid of 'Date' from head
>> dates = dataset2cell(old_ds(:,1)); % taking dates as column cell array
>> dates(1) = []; % getting rid of 'Date' from dates
>> new_ds = mat2dataset(mat,'VarNames',head,'ObsNames',dates);
Apart from the fact that the last line returns the following error, ...
Error using setobsnames (line 25)
NEWNAMES must be a nonempty string or a cell array of nonempty strings.
Error in dataset (line 377)
a = setobsnames(a,obsnamesArg);
Error in mat2dataset (line 75)
d = dataset(vars{:},args{:});
...I would have found a solution, then created a function (such to generalize the process for all 22 dataset arrays that I have) and then run the function 22 times (once for each dataset array).
To put things into perspective, each dataset has 7660 rows and a number of columns that ranges from 2 to 1320.
I have no idea about how I could (and if I could) make the dataset directly "eat" the first column as ObsNames.
Can anyone give me a hint?
EDIT: attached a sample file.

Answer 1

Actually it should be quite easy (but the fact that I'm reading your question means that having the same problem, I first googled it before looking up the documentation... ;)
When loading the dataset, use the following command (adjusted to your case of course):
cell_dat{1} = dataset('File', 'YourDataFile.csv', 'Delimiter', ';',...
'ReadObsNames', true);
The 'ReadObsNames' default is false. It takes the header of the first column and saves it in the file or range as the name of the first dimension in A.Properties.DimNames.
(see the Documentation, Section: "Name/value pairs available when using text files or Excel spreadsheets as inputs")
I can't download your sample file, but if you haven't yet solved the problem otherwise, just try the suggested solution and tell if it works. Glad if I could help.

Answer 2

You are almost there, the error message you got is basically saying that Obsname have to be strings. In your case the 'dates' variable is cell array containing doubles. So you just need to convert them to string.
mat = double(piHU(:,2:end)); % taking the data, making it a matrix array
head = piHU.Properties.VarNames % saving headers
head(1) = []; % getting rid of 'Date' from head
dates = dataset2cell(piHU(:,1)); % taking dates as column cell array, here dates are of type double. try typing on the command window class(dates{2}), you can see the output is double.
dates(1) = []; % getting rid of 'Date' from dates
dates_str=cellfun(#(s) num2str(s),dates,'UniformOutput',false); % convert dates to string, now try typing class(dates_str{2}), the output should be char
new_ds = mat2dataset(mat,'VarNames',head,'ObsNames',dates_str); % construct new dataset.