zerodstring.m

function zstring = zerodstring(zstring, zlength)
% zerodstring  - fill a string with zero chars and fix length
%
% FORMAT:       zstring = zerodstring(zstring, zlength)
%
% Input fields:
%
%       zstring     string to be zero-char filled
%       zlength     fixed string length
%
% Output fields:
%
%       zstring     zero-char filled string

% Version:  v0.9a
% Build:    10051716
% Date:     May-17 2010, 10:48 AM EST
% Author:   Jochen Weber, SCAN Unit, Columbia University, NYC, NY, USA
% URL/Info: http://neuroelf.net/

% Copyright (c) 2010, Jochen Weber
% All rights reserved.
%
% Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
% modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
%     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
%       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
%     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
%       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
%       documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
%     * Neither the name of Columbia University nor the
%       names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
%       derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
%
% THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND
% ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
% WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
% DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY
% DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
% (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
% LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
% ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
% (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
% SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

% argument check
if nargin < 2 || ...
   ~ischar(zstring) || ...
    numel(zstring) ~= size(zstring, 2) || ...
   ~isa(zlength, 'double') || ...
    numel(zlength) ~= 1 || ...
    isnan(zlength) || ...
    isinf(zlength) || ...
    zlength < 0
    error( ...
        'neuroelf:BadArgument', ...
        'Invalid argument given to %s.', ...
        mfilename ...
    );
end

% fix arguments
zlength = floor(zlength);
zstring = [zstring(:)', char(zeros(1, zlength))];
zstring = zstring(1:zlength);