Matlab Merge Array with Offset Values -

say have 2 arrays of double precision in matlab, how can merge them unknown offsets?

for example:

a =  1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5  b =  2 6 3 5 4 4 5 3 6 2 

is there way create these 2 arrays single array 3 columns below when don't know offset/overlap between , b in terms of values in first column?

c = 1 1 nan 2 2 6 3 3 5 4 4 4 5 5 3 6 nan 2 

is there efficient way this?

the solution i've come right piece first columns of , b, , proceed use loop iterate through.

a combination of union unique elements ismember find corresponding locations trick.

as note, allow a , b have number of columns 2 or greater.

a = [1 1;2 2;3 3;4 4;5 5]; b = [2 6;3 5;4 4;5 3;6 2];  %get elements first columns of , b c = union(a(:,1), b(:, 1)); %prepopulate c correct size nan's c = [c, nan(size(c,1), size(a,2) + size(b,2) - 2)];  %find rows of c column 1 of ended [~, i] = ismember(a(:,1), c(:,1)); %stick rest of in rows in first set of free columns c(i, 2:size(a,2)) = a(:,2:end);  %now same b in second set of free columns [~, i] = ismember(b(:,1), c(:,1)); c(i, size(a,2) + 1:end) = b(:,2:end);  c  c =       1     1   nan      2     2     6      3     3     5      4     4     4      5     5     3      6   nan     2