Try:-

=FIND("^^",SUBSTITUTE(" "&A1," ","^^",LEN(" "&A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(" "&A1,"
",""))))-1

Mike

"delmac" wrote:

Hi all, how do I find the first space from the right or the last space from
the left in a string of 30 chars e.g. "the rainfall is very heavy thi"

Thanks as always
PS Ishould have added that the string is only one of several hundred, i.e
its a column of cells c1:c800. and they are all different

thanks again.
--
delmac