Image processing Error in MATLAB - matlab

Question

I was given a defined set of images (.png), I am supposed to detect each images Edges, then apply some image processing, but I have a problem.
First I an image array as follows :
imgArray = {'image_1.png','image_2.png','image_3.png'}
Then applied edging (sobel), using the MATLAB built in function edge so :
for i = 1:3
image=imread(imgArray{i});
image = edge(image,'sobel');
imgArray{i} = image;
end
based on that prvious code and my understanding, that the imageArray, now contains all 3 edged images.
Later on, I need to use the Edged images using that command image=imread(imgArray{i}); in a different place in the code, but it gives me an Error, I dont understand why does that happen ??
EDIT:
Here's the error I'm getting:
Error in ==> ImageCompare at 43 image=imread(imgArray{i});

Answer 1

imgArray = {'image_1.png','image_2.png','image_3.png'};
imgArrayEdged = strrep(imgArray, '.png', '_edged.png');
for i = 1 : length(imgArray)
image = imread(imgArray{i});
image = edge(image,'sobel');
imwrite(image, imgArrayEdged{i});
end
% later...
for i = 1 : length(imgArray)
if (your_condition)
image = imread(imgArray{i});
else
image = imread(imgArrayEdged{i});
end
end

Answer 2

Your imgArray contains file names as strings. In your loop, you are reading the image files and replacing each string in the cell array with image data.
If you absolutely require the file name strings later, you must create a second variable to hold the image data itself. If you only require the original images, just don't use imread later in the code!
Having read in an image file with imread once, there is no reason to waste time by reading the files again. It seems like you aren't quite aware of what state your data is in as it moves through your code. I suggest you use MATLAB's excellent debugger to step through and examine the type and content of the variables - you will quickly see where imread, which needs a file name, is inappropriate.