Can I dynamically change a structure name

I have a function which takes in multiple .mat files, reads part of them and consolidates them into a cell array.

Currently my code looks like this:

myData = cell(numel(files),numel(headers)); %preallocate
for i=1:numel(files) %loop through the total number of files
  currPath = [filepath files{i}]; %get the current file path
  load(currPath);
  myData(i,:) = (varName).database(headers) %grab the data
end

In this code, headers are indices of the columns I need data from. The issue lies in the myData(i,:) = ... line where I need to dynamically change (varName). I originally had it hard coded in because I thought the .mat files had consistent file names for the structure array I'm trying to read from, but it turns out that each folder has a different variable name consistent with the name of the folder.

I tried:

%find what the variable name is
varName = strtok(folderName,'_');

But the issue I'm running into is that (varName) doesn't work to substitute in a variable name the same way it works when substituting for a field name when accessing a structure. While I'm able to find the correct imported variable name and store it as a string, it doesn't let me use it as a variable.

I've also tried:

eval(sprintf('%s', varName));

But it just turns out I have no idea how to use eval().

Is there any workaround? I hope I don't have to use a list of try/catch statements...

[Stephen23]

Adam's answer is the correct (and best) solution.

Here is why using eval would have been the wrong solution:

http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/196952-how-to-create-new-variables-in-batches-with-strcat

Answer 1

[Adam]

Use the version of load with an output argument - i.e.

loadedStruct = load( currPath );

Then you will get the contents of your file as fields of a struct and you can use dynamic strings for the field name then:

myData(i,:) = loadedStruct.(varName).database(headers)

[TastyPastry]

Oh wow didn't even think about that. Thanks!