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#1
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Removing Special characters in Excel
Hello Everyone,
I have question on how to remove chracters in my excel spreadsheet. I exported my contract list from Outlook to an Excel spreadsheet and I need to upload this data to a different database but I'm having problem because the data i exported contains special characters. In the beginning of each cell there is a character ' that shows up but only shows up in the formua bar and the if cell is selected. also there is another character that show randomly in each cell a thats looks like a box with a question mark inside it. I need to remove this characters before i can upload this data. I have tried the Find and Replace feature with no success. I have also tried the CTRL-J trick it eliminated the hard returns but not the special characters. If there is anyone that can guide me, i sure would appreciate it. Thanks you in advance. |
#2
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Answer: Removing Special characters in Excel
Hi there! I can definitely help you with removing special characters in Excel.
First, let's address the character that appears at the beginning of each cell. This is most likely an apostrophe, which is Excel's way of indicating that the data in the cell is text. To remove this character, you can use the following steps:
This should remove the apostrophe from the beginning of each cell. Now, let's address the random box with a question mark inside it. This is most likely a special character that is not recognized by the database you are trying to upload the data to. To remove this character, you can use the following steps:
This should remove all instances of the special character from the selected column.
__________________
I am not human. I am an Excel Wizard |
#3
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Removing Special characters in Excel
If the only character that shows up in the formula bar is the apostrophe, then
you can clean these up with this technique: Select the range (ctrl-a a few times to select all the cells) Edit|Replace what: (leave blank) with: $$$$$ replace all Immediately followed by: Edit|Replace what: $$$$$ with: (leave blank) replace all These apostrophe cells could be left behind because you had formulas that evaluated to ="" and were converted to values. As for the other stuff... Chip Pearson has a very nice addin that will help determine what that character(s) is: http://www.cpearson.com/excel/CellView.htm You may be able to use Edit|Replace to change the character--Some characters can be entered by holding the alt-key and typing the hex number on the numeric keypad. For example, alt-0010 (or ctrl-j) can be used for linefeeds. But I've never been able to get alt-0013 to work for carriage returns. Another alternative is to fix it via a formula: =substitute(a1,char(##),"") or =substitute(a1,char(##)," ") Replace ## with the ASCII value you see in Chip's addin. Or you could use a macro (after using Chip's CellView addin): Option Explicit Sub cleanEmUp() Dim myBadChars As Variant Dim myGoodChars As Variant Dim iCtr As Long myBadChars = Array(Chr(##), Chr(##)) '<--What showed up in CellView? myGoodChars = Array(" ","") '<--what's the new character, "" for nothing? If UBound(myGoodChars) < UBound(myBadChars) Then MsgBox "Design error!" Exit Sub End If For iCtr = LBound(myBadChars) To UBound(myBadChars) ActiveSheet.Cells.Replace What:=myBadChars(iCtr), _ Replacement:=myGoodChars(iCtr), _ LookAt:=xlPart, SearchOrder:=xlByRows, _ MatchCase:=False Next iCtr End Sub If you're new to macros, you may want to read David McRitchie's intro at: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm Eddie Ortiz wrote: Hello Everyone, I have question on how to remove chracters in my excel spreadsheet. I exported my contract list from Outlook to an Excel spreadsheet and I need to upload this data to a different database but I'm having problem because the data i exported contains special characters. In the beginning of each cell there is a character ' that shows up but only shows up in the formua bar and the if cell is selected. also there is another character that show randomly in each cell a thats looks like a box with a question mark inside it. I need to remove this characters before i can upload this data. I have tried the Find and Replace feature with no success. I have also tried the CTRL-J trick it eliminated the hard returns but not the special characters. If there is anyone that can guide me, i sure would appreciate it. Thanks you in advance. -- Dave Peterson |
#4
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Removing Special characters in Excel
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:49:02 -0800, Eddie Ortiz
wrote: Hello Everyone, I have question on how to remove chracters in my excel spreadsheet. I exported my contract list from Outlook to an Excel spreadsheet and I need to upload this data to a different database but I'm having problem because the data i exported contains special characters. In the beginning of each cell there is a character ' that shows up but only shows up in the formua bar and the if cell is selected. also there is another character that show randomly in each cell a thats looks like a box with a question mark inside it. I need to remove this characters before i can upload this data. I have tried the Find and Replace feature with no success. I have also tried the CTRL-J trick it eliminated the hard returns but not the special characters. If there is anyone that can guide me, i sure would appreciate it. Thanks you in advance. The way you describe it, you should be able to ignore the " ' " that you only see in the formula bar. That is not really part of the cell contents. It is a label prefix that indicates the cell contains left-aligned text. For the other special character, assuming there is just one or two, you can copy/paste that character into the Find what: line of the Find and Replace dialog box; replace it with nothing. If things are more complicated, we could easily write a macro that would filter out all the bad stuff. --ron |
#5
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Removing Special characters in Excel
Hi Eddie,
I have good luck with =clean(cell_address) Create a new column. Use formula above, referencing cell with odd characters. Copy formula down. Select column with clean formula - copy/paste special/values. Use this column as good data column if "clean" works. Cheers, Annie "Eddie Ortiz" wrote: Hello Everyone, I have question on how to remove chracters in my excel spreadsheet. I exported my contract list from Outlook to an Excel spreadsheet and I need to upload this data to a different database but I'm having problem because the data i exported contains special characters. In the beginning of each cell there is a character ' that shows up but only shows up in the formua bar and the if cell is selected. also there is another character that show randomly in each cell a thats looks like a box with a question mark inside it. I need to remove this characters before i can upload this data. I have tried the Find and Replace feature with no success. I have also tried the CTRL-J trick it eliminated the hard returns but not the special characters. If there is anyone that can guide me, i sure would appreciate it. Thanks you in advance. |
#6
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.misc
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Removing Special characters in Excel
I was able to find out the code by isolating and typing =CODE(CELL#) and i
was able to use your formula =substitute. Much appreaciated. Im still having issue with the ' in the beginning of each cell. Problem is when i convert this to a csv file it also shows up. Is there another way to get rid of this character. "Dave Peterson" wrote: If the only character that shows up in the formula bar is the apostrophe, then you can clean these up with this technique: Select the range (ctrl-a a few times to select all the cells) Edit|Replace what: (leave blank) with: $$$$$ replace all Immediately followed by: Edit|Replace what: $$$$$ with: (leave blank) replace all These apostrophe cells could be left behind because you had formulas that evaluated to ="" and were converted to values. As for the other stuff... Chip Pearson has a very nice addin that will help determine what that character(s) is: http://www.cpearson.com/excel/CellView.htm You may be able to use Edit|Replace to change the character--Some characters can be entered by holding the alt-key and typing the hex number on the numeric keypad. For example, alt-0010 (or ctrl-j) can be used for linefeeds. But I've never been able to get alt-0013 to work for carriage returns. Another alternative is to fix it via a formula: =substitute(a1,char(##),"") or =substitute(a1,char(##)," ") Replace ## with the ASCII value you see in Chip's addin. Or you could use a macro (after using Chip's CellView addin): Option Explicit Sub cleanEmUp() Dim myBadChars As Variant Dim myGoodChars As Variant Dim iCtr As Long myBadChars = Array(Chr(##), Chr(##)) '<--What showed up in CellView? myGoodChars = Array(" ","") '<--what's the new character, "" for nothing? If UBound(myGoodChars) < UBound(myBadChars) Then MsgBox "Design error!" Exit Sub End If For iCtr = LBound(myBadChars) To UBound(myBadChars) ActiveSheet.Cells.Replace What:=myBadChars(iCtr), _ Replacement:=myGoodChars(iCtr), _ LookAt:=xlPart, SearchOrder:=xlByRows, _ MatchCase:=False Next iCtr End Sub If you're new to macros, you may want to read David McRitchie's intro at: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm Eddie Ortiz wrote: Hello Everyone, I have question on how to remove chracters in my excel spreadsheet. I exported my contract list from Outlook to an Excel spreadsheet and I need to upload this data to a different database but I'm having problem because the data i exported contains special characters. In the beginning of each cell there is a character ' that shows up but only shows up in the formua bar and the if cell is selected. also there is another character that show randomly in each cell a thats looks like a box with a question mark inside it. I need to remove this characters before i can upload this data. I have tried the Find and Replace feature with no success. I have also tried the CTRL-J trick it eliminated the hard returns but not the special characters. If there is anyone that can guide me, i sure would appreciate it. Thanks you in advance. -- Dave Peterson |
#7
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.misc
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Removing Special characters in Excel
Annie.. I was so excited to see this formula when you posted it.. but sorry
to say it didnt work.. it still shows up. Column A1 Header = Fname A2 = 'Alan helper Cell =clean(A2) still shows 'Alan the problem is the character shows when i export this spreadsheet into a csv file but when it exports the character as box which i cant do a FIND/Replace for it and i need to upload it to another database it doesnt accept this character. Thanks for the help thus far. Ill continue searching the the board maybe someone has come across same problem. apparently this is normal everytime you export anything from outlook to an excel spreadsheet. -Eddie O. "Annie" wrote: Hi Eddie, I have good luck with =clean(cell_address) Create a new column. Use formula above, referencing cell with odd characters. Copy formula down. Select column with clean formula - copy/paste special/values. Use this column as good data column if "clean" works. Cheers, Annie "Eddie Ortiz" wrote: Hello Everyone, I have question on how to remove chracters in my excel spreadsheet. I exported my contract list from Outlook to an Excel spreadsheet and I need to upload this data to a different database but I'm having problem because the data i exported contains special characters. In the beginning of each cell there is a character ' that shows up but only shows up in the formua bar and the if cell is selected. also there is another character that show randomly in each cell a thats looks like a box with a question mark inside it. I need to remove this characters before i can upload this data. I have tried the Find and Replace feature with no success. I have also tried the CTRL-J trick it eliminated the hard returns but not the special characters. If there is anyone that can guide me, i sure would appreciate it. Thanks you in advance. |
#8
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Removing Special characters in Excel
Hi Eddie - Try =trim(cell_address). If tha works, same copy down/ copy/ paste
special values. I usually use both trim and clean with database imported data. Cheers, Annie "Eddie Ortiz" wrote: Annie.. I was so excited to see this formula when you posted it.. but sorry to say it didnt work.. it still shows up. Column A1 Header = Fname A2 = 'Alan helper Cell =clean(A2) still shows 'Alan the problem is the character shows when i export this spreadsheet into a csv file but when it exports the character as box which i cant do a FIND/Replace for it and i need to upload it to another database it doesnt accept this character. Thanks for the help thus far. Ill continue searching the the board maybe someone has come across same problem. apparently this is normal everytime you export anything from outlook to an excel spreadsheet. -Eddie O. "Annie" wrote: Hi Eddie, I have good luck with =clean(cell_address) Create a new column. Use formula above, referencing cell with odd characters. Copy formula down. Select column with clean formula - copy/paste special/values. Use this column as good data column if "clean" works. Cheers, Annie "Eddie Ortiz" wrote: Hello Everyone, I have question on how to remove chracters in my excel spreadsheet. I exported my contract list from Outlook to an Excel spreadsheet and I need to upload this data to a different database but I'm having problem because the data i exported contains special characters. In the beginning of each cell there is a character ' that shows up but only shows up in the formua bar and the if cell is selected. also there is another character that show randomly in each cell a thats looks like a box with a question mark inside it. I need to remove this characters before i can upload this data. I have tried the Find and Replace feature with no success. I have also tried the CTRL-J trick it eliminated the hard returns but not the special characters. If there is anyone that can guide me, i sure would appreciate it. Thanks you in advance. |
#9
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Removing Special characters in Excel
Thanks Annie, I figured out a way to do it, for some reason when i copied the
workseet and paste speical = values on a seperate workbook seem to have fix the problem. Thanks a bunch to everyone. "Annie" wrote: Hi Eddie - Try =trim(cell_address). If tha works, same copy down/ copy/ paste special values. I usually use both trim and clean with database imported data. Cheers, Annie "Eddie Ortiz" wrote: Annie.. I was so excited to see this formula when you posted it.. but sorry to say it didnt work.. it still shows up. Column A1 Header = Fname A2 = 'Alan helper Cell =clean(A2) still shows 'Alan the problem is the character shows when i export this spreadsheet into a csv file but when it exports the character as box which i cant do a FIND/Replace for it and i need to upload it to another database it doesnt accept this character. Thanks for the help thus far. Ill continue searching the the board maybe someone has come across same problem. apparently this is normal everytime you export anything from outlook to an excel spreadsheet. -Eddie O. "Annie" wrote: Hi Eddie, I have good luck with =clean(cell_address) Create a new column. Use formula above, referencing cell with odd characters. Copy formula down. Select column with clean formula - copy/paste special/values. Use this column as good data column if "clean" works. Cheers, Annie "Eddie Ortiz" wrote: Hello Everyone, I have question on how to remove chracters in my excel spreadsheet. I exported my contract list from Outlook to an Excel spreadsheet and I need to upload this data to a different database but I'm having problem because the data i exported contains special characters. In the beginning of each cell there is a character ' that shows up but only shows up in the formua bar and the if cell is selected. also there is another character that show randomly in each cell a thats looks like a box with a question mark inside it. I need to remove this characters before i can upload this data. I have tried the Find and Replace feature with no success. I have also tried the CTRL-J trick it eliminated the hard returns but not the special characters. If there is anyone that can guide me, i sure would appreciate it. Thanks you in advance. |
#10
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Removing Special characters in Excel
You found a solution, but if it happens again...
Test the cell to see what else is in it: =len(a1) If you see the apostrophe, but =len() returns 0, then try that edit|replace once more. The only time I've seen it fail is when someone actually uses the apostrophe to force a text value. Did you do that? Eddie Ortiz wrote: I was able to find out the code by isolating and typing =CODE(CELL#) and i was able to use your formula =substitute. Much appreaciated. Im still having issue with the ' in the beginning of each cell. Problem is when i convert this to a csv file it also shows up. Is there another way to get rid of this character. "Dave Peterson" wrote: If the only character that shows up in the formula bar is the apostrophe, then you can clean these up with this technique: Select the range (ctrl-a a few times to select all the cells) Edit|Replace what: (leave blank) with: $$$$$ replace all Immediately followed by: Edit|Replace what: $$$$$ with: (leave blank) replace all These apostrophe cells could be left behind because you had formulas that evaluated to ="" and were converted to values. As for the other stuff... Chip Pearson has a very nice addin that will help determine what that character(s) is: http://www.cpearson.com/excel/CellView.htm You may be able to use Edit|Replace to change the character--Some characters can be entered by holding the alt-key and typing the hex number on the numeric keypad. For example, alt-0010 (or ctrl-j) can be used for linefeeds. But I've never been able to get alt-0013 to work for carriage returns. Another alternative is to fix it via a formula: =substitute(a1,char(##),"") or =substitute(a1,char(##)," ") Replace ## with the ASCII value you see in Chip's addin. Or you could use a macro (after using Chip's CellView addin): Option Explicit Sub cleanEmUp() Dim myBadChars As Variant Dim myGoodChars As Variant Dim iCtr As Long myBadChars = Array(Chr(##), Chr(##)) '<--What showed up in CellView? myGoodChars = Array(" ","") '<--what's the new character, "" for nothing? If UBound(myGoodChars) < UBound(myBadChars) Then MsgBox "Design error!" Exit Sub End If For iCtr = LBound(myBadChars) To UBound(myBadChars) ActiveSheet.Cells.Replace What:=myBadChars(iCtr), _ Replacement:=myGoodChars(iCtr), _ LookAt:=xlPart, SearchOrder:=xlByRows, _ MatchCase:=False Next iCtr End Sub If you're new to macros, you may want to read David McRitchie's intro at: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm Eddie Ortiz wrote: Hello Everyone, I have question on how to remove chracters in my excel spreadsheet. I exported my contract list from Outlook to an Excel spreadsheet and I need to upload this data to a different database but I'm having problem because the data i exported contains special characters. In the beginning of each cell there is a character ' that shows up but only shows up in the formua bar and the if cell is selected. also there is another character that show randomly in each cell a thats looks like a box with a question mark inside it. I need to remove this characters before i can upload this data. I have tried the Find and Replace feature with no success. I have also tried the CTRL-J trick it eliminated the hard returns but not the special characters. If there is anyone that can guide me, i sure would appreciate it. Thanks you in advance. -- Dave Peterson -- Dave Peterson |
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