Assuming you want the padding on the right, try using this instead...

=LEFT(A1&REPT(" ",12),12)

If you want the padding on the left (as maybe for numbers), then you would
use this formula...

=RIGHT(REPT(" ",12)&A1,12)

Rick


"santaviga" wrote in message
...
Hi Rick,

Sorry for the misunderstanding. The formula i'm using is the following:

=LEFT(Sheet1!A1,12)

This returns the text in that cell to a max of 12, but I need this to pan
out to 12 characters if this cell only contains 5 characters so it will be
placed in a text file as if in colums.

Regards

"Rick Rothstein (MVP - VB)" wrote:

I figured you were using a macro because you said you have "code" (a
formula, assuming that is what you meant, is not code) and you posted
your
question in a programming newsgroup. Anyway, referencing my last
paragraph
for emphasis... how are you now returning your maximum of 12 characters
(that is, what is the "code" or formula being used)?

Rick


"santaviga" wrote in message
...
I am not using a macro, my company doesn't allow them, is there any
other
way
to do this??

"Rick Rothstein (MVP - VB)" wrote:

In the macro code (you are using a macro, right?) that is now
returning
your
max of 12 characters, replace whatever is doing the truncating (it
should
be
using the Left function) with the code line Lazzzx gave you
(substituting
the variable name or cell value reference used in your current formula
for
the myString example variable Lazzzx gave you; assigning it to
whatever
variable you are currently assigning it to).

Usually if you are going to refer to code (or a formula on the
spreadsheet
side of things), it is a good idea to post that code (or formula)
rather
than make an off-hand reference to it; that way, we can post the
modification to it instead of giving a general example for you to try
and
implement.

Rick


"santaviga" wrote in message
...
How do I input this into a cell to operate???

Thanks

"Lazzzx" wrote:

myString = Left(myString & Space(12), 12)

"santaviga" skrev i
meddelelsen
...
Hi to all.

I need some help with exporting excel data to text file, I have
data
in
cells, I have a code for only returning max of 12 characters,
this
is
fine
and working, but the cells that have below 12 characters I need
these
cells
to padded out with spaces so that when I export to a text file it
looks
like
columns in the text file.

Can anyone help me with this

Regards