Is it possible to transform a string to a variable code name in MATLAB?

This might be a very bizarre question (and probably I might be advised against doing such a weird thing) but if I have a string as in `v_str ='var_name'` and I want to transform the contents of that code into the actual code, is that possible in MATLAB? As in:

    v_str = 'var_name'
    x = make_string_to_code(v_str)

translates to the functioning code:

    x = var_name

which simply transforms the string to actual code.

The only way I thought of doing this is by writing a file with that code and then on the next line executing that fine, but I wanted to avoid writing files every time that I want to do this

[Brando Miranda]

I've been pointed to read:

http://blogs.mathworks.com/loren/2005/12/28/evading-eval/

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/16099398/create-variables-with-names-from-strings

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/36137322/is-it-possible-to-transform-a-string-to-a-variable-code-name-in-matlab

[Walter Roberson]

http://matlab.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#How_can_I_create_variables_A1.2C_A2.2C....2CA10_in_a_loop.3F

[Stephen23]

See also:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/304528-tutorial-why-variables-should-not-be-named-dynamically-eval

Answer 1

[Adam]

You are correct that this is something you will be strongly advised against even trying to do. Someone will probably post a relevant set of links to places that tell you why not, but as to an alternative solution, use a struct and a dynamic string to access its fields if you want to do something like this. e.g.

myStruct.var_name = 6;

v_str = 'var_name';

x = myStruct.( v_str );

would be equivalent to just

x = 6;

This can be especially useful if you are loading data from a mat file since the 'load' function allows you to load all the variables into the workspace as fields of a struct rather than just depositing them all into the workspace.

Answer 2

[Renato Agurto]

 x = eval(v_str);

It is normal to advice against it, but normally when the left side of the equation is a string