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If I create a table of this kind:

(m1 = Table[{RandomInteger[], RandomInteger[{1, 5}, {3}]}, {i, 1, 
 5}]) // MatrixForm

which looks like

enter image description here

I know how to pick the first column of the second column:

m1[[All, 2, 1]] // MatrixForm

which looks like

enter image description here

But if I first export and then again import the matrix m1

Export["data.dat", m1, "Data"]
m2 = Import["data.dat", "Data"]

I do not get the same result as previously

m2[[All, 2, 1]] // MatrixForm

which looks like

enter image description here

What is wrong?

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    $\begingroup$ If you just want to save/retrive the data use "m" or "mx" format, eq Export["data.m",m1] these are "native" mathematica formats and will safely preserve whatever expression you export. If you really want to use the "Data" format for some reason that will take a bit of work to read it back in (clarify if that's what you need.. ) $\endgroup$
    – george2079
    Dec 3, 2014 at 17:09
  • $\begingroup$ @george2079 Seems I somehow misinterpreted the docs ("Data": give data in a generic form (list, string, etc.)), I thought this was the one I had to add. I did not want to export as "Data" format, so actually your comment contains the solution to my problem. Could you please put it here as answer? I will mark it then. $\endgroup$
    – wondering
    Dec 3, 2014 at 21:42
  • $\begingroup$ Ok, anyway, +1. $\endgroup$
    – wondering
    Dec 3, 2014 at 22:28

2 Answers 2

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When you export a Table, then the array cannot be arbitrarily nested. What you should do is to export your data (which is not a matrix!) in a different format. Try:

Export["data.dat", m1, "Package"]
Import["data.dat", "Package"][[All, 2, 1]] // MatrixForm

or

Export["data.dat", m1, "MX"]
Import["data.dat", "MX"][[All, 2, 1]] // MatrixForm

and read the documentation of these formats.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you, this works, too +1, but the solution suggested by george2079 is sufficient for me (it's shorter). $\endgroup$
    – wondering
    Dec 3, 2014 at 21:44
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Because you are exporting as text, and when you import back into Mathematica, it will see extra commas. To get the desired default, either export as csv

Export["data.csv", m1]

or WDF

Export["data.wdx", m1, "WDX"]
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  • $\begingroup$ 'Export["data.wdf", m1, "WDF"]' gives in the case of my matrix m1 'Export::infer: Cannot infer format of file data.wdf. >>' $\endgroup$
    – wondering
    Dec 3, 2014 at 21:46
  • $\begingroup$ My bad, I meant WDX. It's Wolfram's proprietary file format. Try 'Export["data.wdx", m1, "WDX"]'. Works for me. $\endgroup$
    – nqduy
    Dec 4, 2014 at 1:51
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, it works, not the 'Export["data.csv", m1]', however. $\endgroup$
    – wondering
    Dec 4, 2014 at 6:38
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    $\begingroup$ Ah, I see what the problem is. At a glance, it looks correct, but Mathematica actually exported the inner list as a string (without added commas, so it's not too bad). You can still use this format if you do just one extra process after import: m2 = Import["data.csv", "Data"]; m2[[1, 2]] // FullForm m2[[All, 2]] = Map[ToExpression, m2[[All, 2]]] m1 == m2 m2[[1, 2]] // FullForm $\endgroup$
    – nqduy
    Dec 4, 2014 at 16:24
  • $\begingroup$ Ok, thank you for the effort! $\endgroup$
    – wondering
    Dec 4, 2014 at 17:34

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