Switch case on an array

Given the following code

TA = 0
TB = 0
TC = 0
x = [12 64 24];
s = num2str(x);
n = length(s)

for k=1:n
switch s(k)
    case 12
       TA = TA + 1;
    case 24
       TB = TB + 1;
    case 64
       TC = TC + 1;
end
end

I would like to create a switch case depending on the value on x.

Following the code, the final result should be

TA = 1
TB = 1
TC = 1

But I don't know how to write x in the right character array, and the code give me a wrong result.

Which is the most clever way to solve this problem?

[Geoff Hayes]

Luca - part of the problem is that s is an array of strings, so if you are determined to use a switch statement, then you will need to loop over each element in that array so that each element is considered. Then, since each element in the array is a string, you need to realize that your cases are assuming numbers. Perhaps there is no need to convert each number to a string?

[luca]

Ok, I modified it to create a loop. but then it doesn't work

[Guillaume]

<pedantic> s is a char array not an array of strings which is a different thing since R2016b. </pedantic>

It's difficult to answer the question without an explanation of why s is char array instead of the more useful numeric vector x. We need an explanation of what the whole purpose of the code is.

As it is the code presented looks very badly designed, with unnecessary number to string conversions and sequentially named variables.

[luca]

The code has the following purpose:

I have a vector

x = [12 24 64 24 12 12]

and three quantity intially equal to 0

TA = 0;
TB = 0;
TC = 0;

I want to iterate on x's columns. Everytime I find 12 I want to increment of 1 TA, everytime i find 24 I want to increment by 1 TB and everytime I find 64 I want to increment by 1 TC.

In this case we should obtain

TA = 3
TB = 2
TC = 1

I hope I have been clearer now

Answer 1

[Guillaume]

Yes, it's a lot clearer. So, the transition to a char array is a complete red herring. It's totally unnecessary.

Using sequentially named variables is a bad idea. It will force you to write complicated code. If you have 10 different numbers that you want to count would you add another 7 cases to your switch? How about 100 numbers, 10000 numbers. Will you write all these cases?

The answer is to use array indexing, T(1) the count of your first, T(2) the count of your 2nd number, etc. Then you can use a loop. For example,one (inneficient) way to then implement your code would be:

%input
x = [12 24 64 24 12 12]
lookup = [12, 24, 64];  %values to compute the histogram of

%code
count = zeros(size(lookup))
for i = 1:numel(x)
    [found, where] = ismember(x(i), lookup);
    if found
        count(where) = count(where) + 1;
    end
end

But the whole thing can be achieve without loops, if or case. You want to compute an histogram, use the histcounts function:

x = [12 24 64 12 12];
values = unique(x)';   %get unique values of
count = histcounts(x, [values; Inf])';  %inf is right edge of last bin
table(values, count)  %for pretty display

returns

ans =
  3×2 table
    values    count
    ______    _____
      12        3  
      24        1  
      64        1  

[luca]

and then I can write

T1= count(1)
T2= count(2)
T3=count(3)

to obtain the value that I want. right?

Thanks Guillaume for all the explanation and all the details.

[Guillaume]

You can but you shouldn't. Again, what if you want 1000 values, you'll be writing Txx = count(xx) a 1000 times.

Simply, continue using count(1) wherever you were going to use T1. Don't number variables, use indexing.