I want first name only
 

I have a list of names in the format 'Last, First'

I want a funtion that will return the first name only. Basically, I
want to trim off everything before the comma as well as the space after
the comma.

I don't think the RIGHT() function will work because these names are
different lenghts, as you can imagine.

Can you help?


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Barrett9699
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I want first name only
 

=RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-FIND(" ",A1))


"Barrett9699" wrote:


I have a list of names in the format 'Last, First'

I want a funtion that will return the first name only. Basically, I
want to trim off everything before the comma as well as the space after
the comma.

I don't think the RIGHT() function will work because these names are
different lenghts, as you can imagine.

Can you help?


--
Barrett9699
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barrett9699's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=37573
View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=573581

I want first name only
 

Try this formula and pull down.

=RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-FIND(",",A1)-1)

Or select the list of names and Data Text to column Delimited Next
check both space and other enter a coma Finish.

HTH
Regards,
Howard

"Barrett9699"
wrote in message
...

I have a list of names in the format 'Last, First'

I want a funtion that will return the first name only. Basically, I
want to trim off everything before the comma as well as the space after
the comma.

I don't think the RIGHT() function will work because these names are
different lenghts, as you can imagine.

Can you help?


--
Barrett9699
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=37573
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I want first name only
 

Right on!

Much Thanks.


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Barrett9699
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I want first name only
 

Hi Barret,

I dont have the english name for the function but you can find it in
text.

In Dutch it is Vind.Spec(value,text_ref,starting_value)

What it does is: you search for the ',' and it will give its position,
all you have to do now is: say the tekst is is A1,
B1=vind.spec(",",A1) if the cell A1 is empty you'll get an
errromessage, so maybe a test if it's empty should be included:

The Dutch Syntax:
=ALS(A1<"",RECHTS(A1,(LENGTE(A1)-VIND.SPEC(",",A1)-1)),"")

Possible English Syntax:
= IF(A1<"";RIGTH(A1,(LEN(A12)-FIND.SPEC(",";A1)-1));"")

The -1 after FIND.SPEC depends if you have spaces after the comma, one
space is -1, two spaces is -2, etc etc.
No spaces then forget the -1

Good luck
:)


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hhalle

Male
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