Loading data to vector rather than cell in MATlab -

i load data text files matlab function using code:

data = cell(h.numdirs, numdatafilesinfirstdir); d = 1:h.numdirs     % code set filenames, idir     t = 1:size(filenames,1)         fid = fopen([idir, '/', filenames{t}]);         % drop first 2 lines (column headers)         skip = 1:2             fgets(fid);         end         u_temp = fscanf(fid, '%f %f', [2, inf]);         u_temp = u_temp'; % ' transpose (syntax highlighting on so)         data(d, t) = {u_temp(:,2)};         fclose(fid);     end end 

the files should each have same length (at least varying t, varying d or else have problems later)

should (/ how can i) simplify code here avoid (unnecessary?) cells?

i scan first data set, use

data = zeros(h.numdirs, numdatafilesinfirstdir, lengthoffirstfile)

but don't know if better. 'better' solution/method?

i use dlmread instead of fscanf. data type hard since dimensions vary. wouldn't pad arrays... benefit not using cells overcome complexity , memory hit. cell arrays reasonable choice. wouldn't worry preallocation in case actually. below similar option using structs dynamic field names embed source directory , filename, later reference.

data = struct(); d = 1: ...     t = 1: ...         file = fullfile(idir, filenames{t});         range = [3, 1, inf, 2];         dlm = ' ';         utemp = dlmread(file, dlm, range);         data.(idir).(filenames{t}) = utemp(:, 2);