Is it better to import data directly from an Excel file?

I want to generate some graphs of blood glucose readings stored in Excel. The Excel files have a lot of other data besides the readings columns. I have been reading the help sections on importing data. It is not clear to me whether it is better to import the data directly from the Excel file and then filter it or export just the data I want to plot from Excel to a CSV file and import that.

I am inclined to import directly from the Excel file and filter if that works. That would save a step and I would have the latest data.

I assume that I can set it up so that MatLab can refresh the import whenever I want a new plot, right?

[dpb]

If the data are in consistent format/position, it's far simpler to just import what you need than a whole complex workbook if don't need the rest...if you have to search for where the data are because they move around based on number of readings and/or channels or somesuch, then still doable, just takes a little more code to generalize.

As always, attaching a sample would make talking about much easier...

[darova]

Why do you ask such things? Do you any doubts? You can easily import data from Excel using readmatrix

Just specify range if you need only specific cells

[darova]

• I assume that I can set it up so that MatLab can refresh the import whenever I want a new plot, right?

Yes, of course

Answer 1

[Cynthia Moore]

Thanks, dpb.