Is it possible to replace only specific characters/text within a cell? For
example I have several cells that need to have one word in italtics, but when
I use find and replace, all words in the cell are changed to italics.

That's true.

You will need to reapply the formatting after the replace.

--
Wigi
http://www.wimgielis.be = Excel/VBA, soccer and music


"Stephanie M" wrote:

Is it possible to replace only specific characters/text within a cell? For
example I have several cells that need to have one word in italtics, but when
I use find and replace, all words in the cell are changed to italics.

Reapply the formatting - not sure I follow. Can I change only one word in the
cell without them all changing?

"Wigi" wrote:

That's true.

You will need to reapply the formatting after the replace.

--
Wigi
http://www.wimgielis.be = Excel/VBA, soccer and music


"Stephanie M" wrote:

Is it possible to replace only specific characters/text within a cell? For
example I have several cells that need to have one word in italtics, but when
I use find and replace, all words in the cell are changed to italics.

On Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:24:01 -0700, Stephanie M
wrote:

Is it possible to replace only specific characters/text within a cell? For
example I have several cells that need to have one word in italtics, but when
I use find and replace, all words in the cell are changed to italics.

If you have entered the text in the cell directly,
select the cell
select the particular characters within the cell (highlight them)
right-click and select the font changes

Note that the data MUST be TEXT.

If the text string is the result of a formula, you cannot do this.

This can also be done with a VBA Macro.
--ron

Thanks. I have a lot of cells to change. The only way I how to create a Macro
is to have it copy the actions.

"Ron Rosenfeld" wrote:

On Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:24:01 -0700, Stephanie M
wrote:

Is it possible to replace only specific characters/text within a cell? For
example I have several cells that need to have one word in italtics, but when
I use find and replace, all words in the cell are changed to italics.

If you have entered the text in the cell directly,
select the cell
select the particular characters within the cell (highlight them)
right-click and select the font changes

Note that the data MUST be TEXT.

If the text string is the result of a formula, you cannot do this.

This can also be done with a VBA Macro.
--ron

hi
to accomplish this....
in the formula bar, highlight the word you wish to reformat.
with the word highlighted, right click the formula bar, select format cells.
you will notice that only part of the normal format dialog is available,
only that which pertains to text. apply whatever format you wish.
you now have multiply formats in 1 cell.
this applys to text only. you can not have multiple formats for numbers.

regards
FSt1

"Stephanie M" wrote:

Reapply the formatting - not sure I follow. Can I change only one word in the
cell without them all changing?

"Wigi" wrote:

That's true.

You will need to reapply the formatting after the replace.

--
Wigi
http://www.wimgielis.be = Excel/VBA, soccer and music


"Stephanie M" wrote:

Is it possible to replace only specific characters/text within a cell? For
example I have several cells that need to have one word in italtics, but when
I use find and replace, all words in the cell are changed to italics.

On Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:17:01 -0700, Stephanie M
wrote:

Thanks. I have a lot of cells to change. The only way I how to create a Macro
is to have it copy the actions.

Is there some characteristic of the letters that need to be changed that we
could test for?

1. Range to search:
2. How to determine which letters to change:
3. What to change them to:
4. What are the baseline characteristics of the font before any changes:
--ron

You could use a macro that finds the cell with the word and then italices the
characters in that word in that cell.

If you want to try:

Option Explicit
Sub testme()

Dim myRng As Range
Dim FoundCell As Range
Dim FirstAddress As String
Dim myWords As Variant
Dim wCtr As Long
Dim wks As Worksheet
Dim StartPos As Long

Set wks = Worksheets("sheet1")

'change this to the list of words to find
myWords = Array("qwer", "asdf")

With wks
'change this to the range that should be inspected
Set myRng = .Range("L:L")

With myRng
For wCtr = LBound(myWords) To UBound(myWords)
FirstAddress = ""

With .Cells
Set FoundCell = .Find(What:=myWords(wCtr), _
after:=.Cells(.Cells.Count), _
LookIn:=xlFormulas, _
LookAt:=xlPart, _
SearchOrder:=xlByRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlNext, _
MatchCase:=False)

If FoundCell Is Nothing Then
'do nothing, it wasn't found
MsgBox myWords(wCtr) & " wasn't found!"
Else
FirstAddress = FoundCell.Address
Do
StartPos = InStr(1, FoundCell.Value, _
myWords(wCtr), vbTextCompare)
If StartPos = 0 Then
'this shouldn't happen,
'since the .find worked ok
Else
With FoundCell.Characters _
(Start:=StartPos, _
Length:=Len(myWords(wCtr))).Font
.FontStyle = "Italic"
End With

'look for the next one
Set FoundCell = .FindNext(after:=FoundCell)

If FirstAddress = FoundCell.Address Then
'at the first address
Exit Do
End If
End If
Loop
End If
End With
Next wCtr
End With
End With

End Sub

If you're new to macros:

Debra Dalgleish has some notes how to implement macros he
http://www.contextures.com/xlvba01.html

David McRitchie has an intro to macros:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm

Ron de Bruin's intro to macros:
http://www.rondebruin.nl/code.htm

(General, Regular and Standard modules all describe the same thing.)

Stephanie M wrote:

Is it possible to replace only specific characters/text within a cell? For
example I have several cells that need to have one word in italtics, but when
I use find and replace, all words in the cell are changed to italics.

--

Dave Peterson