How can you create an empty table object with named columns?

How can you create an empty table object with named columns?

I have a loop that logically does something like this:

a = 1
b = 2
t = [t; table(a, b)]

a = 5
b = 6
t = [t; table(a, b)]

However, I want to add an assert after each row creation, like this:

a = 1
b = 2
t = [t; table(a, b)]
assert(0 == sum(t{:,{'a'}} == t{:,{'b'}}))

a = 5
b = 6
t = [t; table(a, b)]
assert(0 == sum(t{:,{'a'}} == t{:,{'b'}}))

But since t starts off empty, before I run t{:,{'a'}} I have to check if t is empty. I imagine if I can have named columns in an empty table, the problem can be solved?

Answer 1

[Nikita Agrawal]

Solution from Stack Overflow

[Stephen23]

In that thread, the table is not empty.

[Nikita Agrawal]

You can keep data empty. Here you go:

Headers = {'A','B'}
Empty_table = cell2table(cell(1,2),'VariableNames'= Headers)

[Stephen23]

@Nikita Agrawal: sure. But the original question asked about an empty table, not empty data.

To make an empty table, the input cell array must be empty too:

Headers = {'A','B'}

Headers = 1x2 cell array
    {'A'}    {'B'}

Empty_table = cell2table(cell(0,2),'VariableNames', Headers)

Empty_table =

  0x2 empty table

Empty_table.Properties.VariableNames

ans = 1x2 cell array
    {'A'}    {'B'}