www.neuron.yale.edu

Posted: **Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:13 am**

Hi,

Is there a way to open a file whose name is determined by a variable that I set? i.e., i have many data files that have this naming scheme:

GLUT_path_1.dat
GLUT_path_2.dat

GABA_path_1.dat
GABA_path_2.dat

etc.

and in every simulation i need to change the path number that is used

so instead of changing the path numbers in every data file i open in my hoc file, I would like to just set a variable to do this, something like:

i = 2

objectvar glutfile
glutfile = new File()
glutfile.ropen("GLUT_path_i.dat")

objectvar gabafile
gabafile = new File()
gabafile.ropen("GABA_path_i.dat")

Is there a way to do this? It would be extremely convenient..thanks!

Rita

Posted: **Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:54 am**

>>>> Hint: when reading the Programmer's Reference, every time you see an
example that involves an explicit string, such as
fobj = new File("filename")
a strdef can be substituted for the explicit string, e.g.
strdef foo
foo = "fap"
fobj = new File(foo) // opens file called "fap"

So the solution to your current problem is: use sprint to print the file name to a string.

Code: Select all

objref datafile
strdef basename, extension, filename
extension = "dat"
basename = "whatsis"

for ii = first,last {
  sprint(filename, "%s%d.%s", basename, ii, extension)
  datafile = new File(filename)
  // etc.
}

Read about File class here
http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/stati ... /file.html
Read about sprint here
http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/stati ... tml#sprint
Read about format strings here
http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/stati ... tml#printf

Posted: **Thu Jul 20, 2006 3:40 pm**

Thanks for your prompt response! Its much easier to run simulations now and my eyes don't get glazed over from changing numbers!

www.neuron.yale.edu

opening data files with variable names

opening data files with variable names