MATLAB urlread cannot determine file status if they exist

Hello:

I am using urlread function to check if particular file exists in a web-page. I have used the following command:

[~, Status] = urlread('https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/global-summary-of-the-day/access/1981/01001099999.csv')

Even if the file exists in the webpage, 'https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/global-summary-of-the-day/access/1981/', the Status shows 0. Webread cant give the file status. Kindly help!

[Philipp Prestel]

Just a comment since i sadly don't have your answer but I might know where your problem is;

Looking at the documentation, urlread isn't recommended for https protocols, it recommends to use webread instead.

So i'd try using that and maybe check "Use HTTP with MATLAB" for more information on using http with mathlab

Edit: Don't know whrether the http functions also work with https, sorry.

[Parag Jhunjhunwala]

Hi Poulomi Ganguli,

Which MATLAB release are you using for running the command? I tried running it in the latest release(R2023a) and the Status shows 1.

[Poulomi Ganguli]

earlier was using old version. Now, its working with 2022b.

[DGM]

It works for me in R2019b. If you're trying to do certain things in very old versions, you may find that either some certs or java settings are out of date.

The way urlread() is called silenced any error messages, so we're blind as to why it was failing. If it's still necessary to try troubleshooting, it would help to know what version that was and what the suppressed error message is. If you call urlread() fewer than two outputs, it will dump an error message.