=IF(B2="*",COUNTIF($B$2:B2,"*"),"")

If there are any text entries in the range that formula will count them.

Try it with this data:

*
*
x
*

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"Tyro" wrote in message
...
One way. Put this formula in A2 and drag it through A20:
=IF(B2="*",COUNTIF($B$2:B2,"*"),"")

Tyro

"bouncebackability" wrote in
message ...

probably not a suitable title...

ok my problem should be simple to explain.

i have in column B (from cells B2 to B20) 8 asterisks randomly
placed(*)

what i want to do is in column A (A2 to A20), the first time that the
star appears to write a '1' in the relative cell next to it, the second
time it appears in the list a '2' the third time a '3' and so on...
sounds simple and i thought it was. but im stumped. and dont know what
to search for on here sorry :(

thanks for any help




--
bouncebackability