code for conditional statement

If I have

a = [1:5], b = [1:5], c =[1:5], d =[1:5], e = zeros(1,4);

How can I write a code for the following condition?

I want to pick the first entries from a,b,c,d and put in 'e', that will be 1 1 1 1. I want the conition were no two entries are the same. If two entries a same, I want to replace it with another value from the array. So I want 'e' to be 1 2 3 4

Answer 1

[Rik]

You can use code similar to that below. It is easier to put the input data in a cell arrray than to have different names for them. The code below does not check if it is possible to form a unique combination, nor is it guaranteed to find a combination if it is possible.

input_data=repmat({1:5},1,4);

output=zeros(size(input_data));
output(1)=input_data{1}(1);
for n=2:numel(input_data)
    k=1;
    while any(ismember(output(1:(n-1)),input_data{n}(k)))
        k=k+1;
    end
    output(n)=input_data{n}(k);
end
disp(output)

[Esegboria Osarhemen]

Thanks, the actual data i want to apply the code to is in a cell