In the column that you wish the result to be, (say column D)

in cell D1 post the formula shown for 'to the left' - ie:

=MID(A1,1,FIND(";",MID(A1,FIND(";",MID(A1,FIND(";"
,A1),99))+1,99))+FIND(";",MID(A1,FIND(";",A1)+1,99 ))+FIND(";",A1)+1)

and formula-drag this to the end of your data

this should provide what you want.

--


jason2444 Wrote:
I need it to only grab everything to the left of the specified ;
without
setting a number of characters to grab after the ;
because I will need different amount of characters per line
V8; 5.7; GAS;CARB;4BBL;N;J; V8; 5.7; GAS
V8; 5.7; Diesel;CARB;4BBL;N;J; V8; 5.7; Die

can this be done?

"Bryan Hessey" wrote:


to the left:



=MID(A1,1,FIND(";",MID(A1,FIND(";",MID(A1,FIND(";" ,A1),99))+1,99))+FIND(";",MID(A1,FIND(";",A1)+1,99 ))+FIND(";",A1)+1)

to the right:



=MID(A1,FIND(";",MID(A1,FIND(";",MID(A1,FIND(";",A 1),99))+1,99))+FIND(";",MID(A1,FIND(";",A1)+1,99)) +FIND(";",A1)+3,99)


or you could select the column and do Data, Text to Columns,
delimited
on ; and then join the relavant cells together

--

jason2444 Wrote:
have a file in one column each cell has something like this V8;
5.4;
GAS;FI;MFI;S;3;
need to write a formula in another cell to get V8; 5.4; GAS how do
I
get it
to grab everything to the left of the 3rd ;


--
Bryan Hessey

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bryan Hessey's Profile:
http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21059
View this thread:
http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=532067




--
Bryan Hessey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bryan Hessey's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21059
View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=532067