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MATLAB MAT Format

Read MATLAB .mat variables as one record per array row (or element for 1D arrays).

Overview​

PropertyValue
Format idmat (alias matlab)
ClassMATIterable
Extensions.mat
ReadYes
WriteNo
Extramat (scipy / numpy; v7.3 also needs h5py)
Maturityexperimental

Record shape​

Array rankRecord
1D{"value": scalar} per element
2D{"col0": ..., "col1": ..., ...} per row
0D{"value": scalar}

Only 1D/2D arrays are iterated. Use list_tables() for variable names. When multiple variables exist, pass variable or table.

Parameters​

ParameterDescription
variable / tableMAT variable name (required when multiple variables)

Requires a filename path.

Usage​

from iterable import open_iterable

with open_iterable("data.mat", format="mat", iterableargs={"variable": "data"}) as source:
    for row in source:
        print(row)  # e.g. {"col0": 1.0, "col1": 2.0}

Install with pip install iterabledata[mat].

Error Handling​

  • Missing dependency: optional libraries raise ImportError with an install hint (pip install 'iterabledata[<extra>]' when an extra exists).
  • Read-only: opening with mode="w" raises WriteNotSupportedError or ValueError.
  • Bad or unsupported input: may raise ValueError, OSError, or library-specific errors.
  • See Troubleshooting for decoding, detection, and engine issues.

See also​