strings

Create string array with no characters

Syntax

str = strings

str = strings(n)

str = strings(sz1,...,szN)

str = strings(sz)

Description

str = strings returns a string with no characters. For more information on string arrays, see string.

You also can use double quotes. For example, str = "" creates a string scalar that contains no characters.

str = strings(n) returns an n-by-n string array. Each element is a string with no characters.

str = strings(sz1,...,szN) returns a sz1-by-...-by-szN string array, where sz1,...,szN indicate the size of each dimension. For example, strings(2,3) returns a 2-by-3 string array where each element is "".

str = strings(sz) returns a string array where size vector sz defines size(str). For example, strings([2,3]) returns a 2-by-3 string array.

Examples

Square Array of Empty Strings

str = strings(4)

str = 4×4 string
    ""    ""    ""    ""
    ""    ""    ""    ""
    ""    ""    ""    ""
    ""    ""    ""    ""

Rectangular Array of Empty Strings

str = strings([2,6])

str = 2×6 string
    ""    ""    ""    ""    ""    ""
    ""    ""    ""    ""    ""    ""

Clone String Array Size from Existing Array

Create an array of empty strings that is the same size as an existing array.

A = [1 2 3; 4 5 6];
sz = size(A);
str = strings(sz)

str = 2×3 string
    ""    ""    ""
    ""    ""    ""

It is a common pattern to combine the previous two lines of code into a single line:

str = strings(size(A));

You can use strings to preallocate the space required for a large string array.

Input Arguments

n — Size of square array

nonnegative integer

Size of a square array, specified as a nonnegative integer.

• If n is 0, then str is an empty array.

• If n is negative, then strings treats n as 0.

Data Types: double | single | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64

sz1,...,szN — Size of each dimension (as separate arguments)

nonnegative integers

Size of each dimension, specified as separate nonnegative integer arguments.

• If the size of any dimension is 0, then str is an empty array.

• If the size of any dimension is negative, then strings treats it as 0.

• Beyond the second dimension, strings ignores trailing dimensions with a size of 1. For example, strings(3,1,1,1) produces a 3-by-1 vector of strings with no characters.

Data Types: double | single | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64

sz — Size of each dimension (as a row vector)

nonnegative integers

Size of each dimension, specified as a row vector of nonnegative integers. Each element of this vector indicates the size of the corresponding dimension:

• If the size of any dimension is 0, then str is an empty array.

• If the size of any dimension is negative, then strings treats it as 0.

• Beyond the second dimension, strings ignores trailing dimensions with a size of 1. For example, strings([3,1,1,1]) produces a 3-by-1 vector of strings with no characters.

Example: sz = [2,3,4] creates a 2-by-3-by-4 array.

Data Types: double | single | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64

Extended Capabilities

Thread-Based Environment

Run code in the background using MATLAB® backgroundPool or accelerate code with Parallel Computing Toolbox™ ThreadPool.

This function fully supports thread-based environments. For more information, see Run MATLAB Functions in Thread-Based Environment.

Version History

Introduced in R2016b