MATHEMATICA IMPORT/EXPORT FORMAT

MAT (.mat)

MATLAB MAT-files.
Matrix data format.
Native data format of the MATLAB numerical computation software.
Stores numerical matrices, Boolean values, or strings.
Binary format.
MAT Level 4 files are compatible with MATLAB Version 4 and lower, while MAT 5 files are compatible with MATLAB Version 5 and higher versions.

Import fully supports Versions 4 and 5 of the MAT format.
When appropriate, numerical data is imported as SparseArray objects.
Export generates MAT 4 files.

Import and Export Import and Export

Import["file.mat"] imports a MAT-file, returning an array.
Export["file.mat", expr] exports any numeric array to a MAT-file.
Import["file.mat"] returns a multidimensional array containing numbers, strings, or Boolean values.
Export["file.mat", expr] creates a MAT-file from an array of integers or doubles.
Import["file.mat", elem] imports the specified element from a MAT-file.
Import["file.mat", {elem, sub_a, sub_b, ...}] imports a subelement.
Import["file.mat", {{elem₁, elem₂, ...}}] imports multiple elements.
The import format can be specified with Import["file", "MAT"] or Import["file", {"MAT", elem, ...}].
Export["file.mat", expr, elem] creates a MAT-file by treating expr as specifying element elem.
Export["file.mat", {expr₁, expr₂, ...}, {{elem₁, elem₂, ...}}] treats each as specifying the corresponding .
Export["file.mat", expr, opt₁->val₁, ...] exports expr with the specified option elements taken to have the specified values.
Export["file.mat", {elem₁->expr₁, elem₂->expr₂, ...}, "Rules"] uses rules to specify the elements to be exported.
See the reference pages for full general information on Import and Export.
ImportString and ExportString support the MAT format.

Elements Elements

General Import elements:

	"Elements"	list of elements and options available in this file
	"Rules"	full list of rules for each element and option
	"Options"	list of rules for options, properties, and settings

Data representation element:
"Data" numerical or textual data given as a multidimensional array

"LabeledData" data given as a list of rules
Import and Export use the element by default.
Meta-information element:
"Comments" user comments stored in the file

"Labels" dataset names given as a list of strings