Counting Charaters

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Coccoleggs - 21 Sep 2007 13:44 GMT

How can I count the number of characters in a cell?

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Ron Coderre - 21 Sep 2007 13:48 GMT

With
A1: (a text value)

Try this
B1: =LEN(A1)

Does that help?
--------------------------

Regards,

Ron (XL2003, Win XP)
Microsoft MVP (Excel)

> How can I count the number of characters in a cell?

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Coccoleggs - 21 Sep 2007 14:08 GMT

That did not work. But thats for the suggestion. When I put the formula in
is showed 28 for a cell that has 10 characters.

> With
> A1: (a text value)
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> > How can I count the number of characters in a cell?

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Sandy - 21 Sep 2007 14:18 GMT

What is in cell A1?

> That did not work. But thats for the suggestion. When I put the formula in
> is showed 28 for a cell that has 10 characters.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> >
> > > How can I count the number of characters in a cell?

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Coccoleggs - 21 Sep 2007 14:36 GMT

In the a column there are descriptions of materials that I need to cut down
to only 60 characters.

I did find a way around it. I put 61 characters in a cell, highlighted the
whole column, then went to text to column, then i put the cursor between the
60 and 61 characters. I filtered out all the cells with more than 60
characters. Its not a formula but it works

> What is in cell A1?
>
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> > >
> > > > How can I count the number of characters in a cell?

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Ron Coderre - 21 Sep 2007 14:20 GMT

I hate to disagree, but if the LEN function says you have 28
characters....then you HAVE 28 characters. What are the actual contents of
that cell?

Try this to test.....
Select the cell in question
Press [F2]...to engage Edit Mode

If that cell contains a formula
Press [F9]...to convert the formula to its calculated value.

Now count the characters displayed in the formula bar.
Are there blanks that you hadn't considered?

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2003, WinXP

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Coccoleggs - 21 Sep 2007 15:28 GMT

the content of the cell was "plexiglass"
the second cell said "tape, cables, AV tape, misc. cables" and it said both
cells had 28 characters in it.

But the text to column thing worked it separated the 60 characters out .

> I hate to disagree, but if the LEN function says you have 28
> characters....then you HAVE 28 characters. What are the actual contents of
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> > >
> > > > How can I count the number of characters in a cell?

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MartinW - 21 Sep 2007 15:51 GMT

Sounds like the non-breaking space problem which
Text to Columns will overcome.

What happens to the original data if you do Edit>Replace
Find what: Alt+0160
Replace with: leave this box blank
Click Replace All

Will the LEN function now give results that you would expect to see.

Regards
Martin

> the content of the cell was "plexiglass"
> the second cell said "tape, cables, AV tape, misc. cables" and it said
[quoted text clipped - 44 lines]
>> > >
>> > > > How can I count the number of characters in a cell?

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Ron Coderre - 21 Sep 2007 17:06 GMT

"Plexiglass" is 10 characters
"tape, cables, AV tape, misc. cables" is 35 characters

So a returned value of 28 is incorrect in both cases.

What you're describing suggests that you may have Calculation set to MANUAL.
If that's the case...when you copy a formula to another cell, it will retain
it's previous value.

If you press [F9] and the formulas change to correct values...
fix it this way:
From the Excel main menu:
<tools><options><calculation tab>
Check: Automatic.......Click [OK]

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2003, WinXP

> the content of the cell was "plexiglass"
> the second cell said "tape, cables, AV tape, misc. cables" and it said both
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
> > > >
> > > > > How can I count the number of characters in a cell?

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