Obtaining the nastan node table

I have a cell of nastran file.

node= 'grid node number coordinate'

how do I split it so I can convert into multiple column format (considering spaces)

Answer 1

[V San]

You would just have to open and then read the node data file line by line using the standard matlab functions, define a condition with a keyword such as "GRID" so the code identifies the line that contains the information you wish to read. Then specify the character location range (column number) to assign it as a string to a variables. You may have to convert the format if you wish to do calculations, etc with these strings. Code should look something like the one below. This is just a sample. It would generally require some tweeking to fit your file. Cheers!

Note:

1. Nastran files have standard "CARD" format and character allocations to make this type of read/write tasks pretty general
2. Column numbers of characters are displayed in Notepad/Notepad++ in the lower right

fid=fopen(filename);
status=fseek(fid111,0,'eof');
EOF=ftell(fid111);
currentFPI=fseek(fid111,0,'bof');

while currentFPI<EOF
    
    linestr=fgetl(fid111);currentFPI=ftell(fid111);
    
    str=findstr(linestr(1:4),'GRID'); % (1:4) is just an example. Specify correct character location (column number)
    XX=77 % max line length 
    if length(linef06)>=XX && isempty(str)==0 % you may need to specify different conditions here to make sure ONLY the required lines are being read 
        
        linef06=fgetl(fid111);currentFPI=ftell(fid111);
        % linef06=fgetl(fid111);currentFPI=ftell(fid111); 
        % each fgetl command takes you to next line. Make sure you use the required number of "fgetl" 
        % (i.e. no lines with required data are missed or lines with wrong data is read)
        
        gridnum=str2num(linestr(1:4));
        % similarly other data columns
    end
end
        
fclose(fid);