Is there a way to "Find" or search for a string of characters contained not
just in a single workbook but across multiple workbooks?

As an aside, I've written a macro that can read multiple closed files and
extract data from any cell. Not sure if this is the route I eventually must
take.

Ed

Nothing built into excel.

But you could write a macro that would do the Find against all the open
workbooks (and worksheets within those workbooks???)--or even open all the files
in a folder to look through them.



Ed K wrote:

Is there a way to "Find" or search for a string of characters contained not
just in a single workbook but across multiple workbooks?

As an aside, I've written a macro that can read multiple closed files and
extract data from any cell. Not sure if this is the route I eventually must
take.

Ed

--

Dave Peterson

Nothing built into excel.

But you could try this [deprecated] function from the VBA immediate window:
(or assign it to a toolbar button.)

application.Dialogs(xlDialogWorkgroup).Show

Press OK to select all workbooks then use Crtl+F and Find ALL.

*DON'T use Find Next if the search string is not in the current workbook, it
can cause instability in XL2003*