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I have a list of files all indexed as filename1,filename2,filename3,... up to 50, all in the same directory, and I wanted an AppendTo them to a list and ToExpression in index order 1,2,...,50.

Does anyone know of a good method to do this? Thanks!

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  • $\begingroup$ You can obtain a list of filenames, e.g., by list = FileNames[FileNameJoin[dir, "filename*"]] where dir is a string specifying the directory. Afterwards you can Map anything over that list, for example, Import... $\endgroup$
    – Henrik Schumacher
    Commented Feb 4, 2019 at 18:08
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks. will it do so indexed numerically? the order it is stored is crucial $\endgroup$
    – MKF
    Commented Feb 4, 2019 at 18:11
  • $\begingroup$ Or will it do something like store filename10,11,12,...,19,1,20,21,...,29,2? This is the index order if you consider FileNames and I fear therefore it will not order my index correctly $\endgroup$
    – MKF
    Commented Feb 4, 2019 at 18:12
  • $\begingroup$ The order is the typical lexicographical order of strings. So, yes, that may happen. That's why one should enumerate file names with leading zeroes. $\endgroup$
    – Henrik Schumacher
    Commented Feb 4, 2019 at 18:12
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks @Henrik How could this be avoided therefore? $\endgroup$
    – MKF
    Commented Feb 4, 2019 at 18:14

1 Answer 1

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You may generate the list of files with

Table[FileNameJoin[{dir,"filename" <> IntegerString[i]}], {i, 1, 50}]

where dir is a string containing the path to said directory.

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  • $\begingroup$ So I tried Do[AppendTo[ ToExpression[Import["filename" <> IntegerString[i], "List"]], completelist], {i, 1, 50}] but to no avail $\endgroup$
    – MKF
    Commented Feb 4, 2019 at 18:33
  • $\begingroup$ You have reverse the syntax of AppendTo Try completelist = {}; Do[ AppendTo[completelist, ToExpression[Import["filename" <> IntegerString[i], "List"]]], {i, 1, 50}] or something similar... $\endgroup$
    – Henrik Schumacher
    Commented Feb 4, 2019 at 18:40
  • $\begingroup$ Oh my goodness of course, thanks $\endgroup$
    – MKF
    Commented Feb 4, 2019 at 18:41
  • $\begingroup$ You're welcome. $\endgroup$
    – Henrik Schumacher
    Commented Feb 4, 2019 at 18:43

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