order using first column in array cell

newList=sortrows(newList,1);
Error using matlab.internal.math.cellstrpad
Cell elements must be character arrays.

Error in sortrows>sortBackToFrontCell (line 137)
            tmp = matlab.internal.math.cellstrpad(A(I,ack));

Error in sortrows (line 77)
        I = sortBackToFrontCell(A, col);

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

The basic problem is that you are storing scalar strings in a cell array. This should be avoided: "If you create variables that have the string data type, store them in string arrays, not cell arrays"

source: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/cell-arrays-of-strings.html

"Avoid using cell arrays of strings. When you use cell arrays, you give up the performance advantages that come from using string arrays. And in fact, most functions do not accept cell arrays of strings as input arguments, options, or values of name-value pairs."

source: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/frequently-asked-questions-about-string-arrays.html

Lets simply convert those strings into character vectors using the (for historical-reasons rather badly named) CELLSTR function (which actually converts into a cell array of character vectors):

C = load('matlab_cell.mat').newList;
C(:,1) = cellstr(C(:,1));
C = sortrows(C,1)

C = 8x15 cell array
  Columns 1 through 13

    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2024/05/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2024/05/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2024/05/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2008/01/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[6]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2008/01/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[6]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2023/12/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Multiday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2023/12/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Multiday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2023/12/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Multiday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}

  Columns 14 through 15

    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

sort_order = sort(newList(:,1));
newList = newList(sort_order,:);

[shamal]

K>> sort_order = sort(newList(:,1));

Error using sort

Input argument must be a cell array of character vectors.

Answer 3

[Image Analyst]

Fixed code below. Read comments for explanation.

s = load('matlab_cell.mat');
originalList = s.newList

originalList = 8x15 cell array
  Columns 1 through 13

    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2023/12/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Multiday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2024/05/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2008/01/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[6]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {["ES_Live_MPV ..."]}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2023/12/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Multiday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {["ES_Live_MPV ..."]}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2024/05/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {["ES_Live_MPV ..."]}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2023/12/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Multiday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {["ES_Live_MPV ..."]}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2024/05/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {["ES_Live_MPV ..."]}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2008/01/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[6]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}

  Columns 14 through 15

    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}

% The problem with sorting is that some cells in column 1 contain strings
% while other cells contain character arrays -- they different!
% Convert strings in column 1 into character arrays so that sortrows will work.
for row = 1 : height(originalList)
    % Copy the other columns as is.
    newList(row, :) = originalList(row, :);
    thisCellContents = originalList{row, 1};
    if isstring(thisCellContents)
        % If it's a string (double quotes) turn it into a character array (single quotes).
        thisCellContents = char(thisCellContents);
        newList{row, 1} = thisCellContents;
    end
end
% Sort the new list, not the original list.
sortedCellArray = sortrows(newList, 1)

sortedCellArray = 8x15 cell array
  Columns 1 through 13

    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2024/05/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2024/05/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2024/05/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2008/01/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[6]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2008/01/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[6]}    {'Trend'}    {'Intraday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2023/12/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Multiday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2023/12/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Multiday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {'ES_Live_MPV Es...'}    {[1]}    {'ES'}    {'On Micro'}    {'2023/12/01'}    {'From instrument'}    {[0]}    {'Trend'}    {'Multiday'}    {'No'}    {[1]}    {[0]}    {[0]}

  Columns 14 through 15

    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}
    {[0]}    {[0]}