setfield (MATLAB Function Reference)

Set field of structure array

s = setfield(s,'field',v)
s = setfield(s,{i,j},'field',{k},v)

Description

s = setfield(s,'field',v),

where s is a 1-by-1 structure, sets the contents of the specified field to the value v. This is equivalent to the syntax
s.field = v.

s = setfield(s,{i,j},'field',{k},v)

sets the contents of the specified field to the value v. This is equivalent to the syntax s(i,j).field(k) = v. All subscripts must be passed as cell arrays--that is, they must be enclosed in curly braces (similar to{i,j} and {k} above). Pass field references as strings.

Examples

Given the structure:

mystr(1,1).name = 'alice';
mystr(1,1).ID = 0;
mystr(2,1).name = 'gertrude';
mystr(2,1).ID = 1

Then the command mystr = setfield(mystr,{2,1},'name','ted') yields

mystr = 

2x1 struct array with fields:
    name
    ID