Remove programmatically added checkboxes and replace them with new checkboxes

I am working on an app that dynamically adds checkboxes based on the data loaded to a panel. I want to replace the checkboxes with new checkboxes with different names depending on the file I load.

The data loaded here are the names of the files in a given folder to populate a set of checkboxes, whose number can vary.

How do I then remove the checkboxes when I load a different set of files?

            names=dir('*train*.mat');% identify files with 'train' in name
            r={names(:).name}.'; % Create an cell structure of names
            
            StrErase=["Train","Validation","train","validation","ing"]; % erase parts of the string
            
%           Load Posture data and names 
            for i=1:length(r)
                str=replace(erase(r(i),".mat"),'_',' '); % remove the file extension from the name
                app.Postcbx{i}=uicheckbox('Parent',app.PosturesPanel,"Value",1,'Position',...
                    [10 (330-20*i) 150 15],'Text',erase(str,StrErase)); % Create the checkboxes
            end

[Jan]

Okay. You explained, what you want to do and posted some code. What is your question?

[Stephen]

I want to remove the checkboxes when I load a new set of files.

[Jan]

What about:

delete(app.Postcbx)

or if they are really defined as cell elements:

delete([app.Postcbx{:}])

Answer 1

[Voss]

names=dir('*train*.mat');% identify files with 'train' in name
r={names(:).name}.'; % Create an cell structure of names

StrErase=["Train","Validation","train","validation","ing"]; % erase parts of the string

n_old = numel(app.Postcbx);
n_new = numel(r);

if n_old > n_new
    % delete any old checkboxes you don't need
    delete([app.Postcbx{n_new+1:n_old}]);
    app.Postcbx(n_new+1:n_old) = [];
elseif n_old < n_new
    % create any new checkboxes you need
    for i = n_old+1:n_new
        app.Postcbx{i}=uicheckbox('Parent',app.PosturesPanel);
    end
end

% update the Position, Text, and Value of all checkboxes
for i = 1:n_new
    str=replace(erase(r(i),".mat"),'_',' '); % remove the file extension from the name
    app.Postcbx{i}.Position = [10 (330-20*i) 150 15];
    app.Postcbx{i}.Text = erase(str,StrErase);
    app.Postcbx{i}.Value = 1;
end

[Stephen]

Thank you for your help. I used the code you suggested, however the text did not update the way I hoped.

I was able to use the delete function to erase the previous list and replace it with a whole new list.

[Voss]

Perhaps those checkboxes that persisted were not stored in app.Postcbx? Hard to say without seeing more of the app code.

In general, it should be feasible to delete/create objects as needed, without having to delete all and then create a new set each time the set changes.

EDIT: Actually, I just made a modification to my answer. Try it like it is now, and see if that works, if you're still planning to use checkboxes as opposed to some other type of component.

[Stephen]

I wasn't able to re-write the text on the checkboxes using this method. I ended up using this

if numel(app.Postcbx)>0

delete([app.Postcbx{:}]);

end

and making new checkboxes each time I open a new data folder.

Thanks!

Answer 2

[Steven Lord]

Are you sure you want to use an unknown number of checkboxes? If there are a large number of files perhaps a CheckBoxTree (uitree) or a ListBox (uilistbox) might be a better solution.

[Stephen]

The number of checkboxes is at most 12, Thanks!

Answer 3

[Stephen]

This seems the best solution, thanks!