Re: problems with latest strread (comma delimiters)

[Philip Nienhuis]

Ben Abbott wrote:
> On Oct 19, 2011, at 5:03 AM, PhilipNienhuis wrote:
>
> > krthie wrote:
> > > Hi Philip
> > > > If you do not specify a delimiter character in strread calls, any
> > > whitespace
> > > > character is supposed to be delimiter character. (Default whitespace = "
> > > ",
> > > > "\n", "\t", "\r"&  "b".)
> > > > However, if you do specify a delimiter, only that delimiter char is
> > > actually
> > > > used and whitespace is simply ignored.
> > > >
> > > > In your case,
> > > > [a1, a2] = strread ("1,2\n3,4\n", '%f%f', 'delimiter', ",\n")
> > > > works as desired.
> > >
> > > OK. I understand this.(I'm not sure if that's how matlab works, but I
> > > cannot
> > > check it as I don't have access to a license at the moment.)
> >
> > Maybe, but if ML works otherwise, its behavior would be at variance with its
> > own docs.
> > Wouldn't surprise me, BTW.
>
>
> > From ML.
>
> [a1,a2]=strread(sprintf('1,2\n3,4\n'), '%f%f', 'delimiter',',')
>
> a1 =
>
>       1
>       3
>
> a2 =
>
>       2
>       4
>
> This is consistent with how I read ML's docs. Are you saying it is  not?

The confusing issue (for me) is: exactly what is the difference between 
delimiter and whitespace?

Reading up the ML docs, I see that TMW has recently updated their 
on-line strread docs. (www.archive.com doesn't have the previous one on 
which I have based current strread.m's behavior.)
It says: "...whitespace-separated numbers..." which leaves an ambiguity: 
are user-specified delimiters added to the whitespaces pool, or do they 
replace the default delimiter set which by default is whitespace?
I've always thought: the latter. But of course I may be wrong.
In case of the former: what then is the intention of ML's whitespace 
parameter, what exactly does that do?

BTW It is probably easy to change the behavior of Octave's strread.m. 
But some clarity is needed.

Philip