Joel,

When....:

ParseChar : "-" : String
String1 : "'Summary 3-22-2007 " : Variant/String (note space 2007 ")
String2 : "'Summary 3-22-2007 " : Variant/String (note space 2007 ")

.... the following Loop does not terminate:

Do While Mid(String1, CharCount, 1) < "'"
CharCount = CharCount + 1
Loop

EagleOne

Joel wrote:

I like these type problems


Sub main()

Dim StringA As String
Dim StringB As String

StringA = "+123456789+'Summary 2-22-2007'!H8+'Summary 3-22-2007
'!H22-A1+(144/6)*'Summary 4-22-2007'!H23-B1+9876"
StringB = ""
Call Parse("+", StringA, StringB)
StringA = StringB
Call Parse("+", StringA, StringB)
StringA = StringB
Call Parse("-", StringA, StringB)
StringA = StringB
Call Parse("+", StringA, StringB)
StringA = StringB
Call Parse("*", StringA, StringB)
StringA = StringB
Call Parse("-", StringA, StringB)
StringA = StringB
Call Parse("+", StringA, StringB)
End Sub
Sub Parse(ParseChar As String, ByRef String1, ByRef String2)

If StrComp(Left(String1, 1), ParseChar) = 0 Then
String1 = Mid(String1, 2)
End If

CharCount = 1
Do While StrComp(Mid(String1, CharCount, 1), ParseChar) < 0

If StrComp(Mid(String1, CharCount, 1), "'") = 0 Then
CharCount = CharCount + 1
Do While Mid(String1, CharCount, 1) < "'"
CharCount = CharCount + 1

Loop
End If
CharCount = CharCount + 1

Loop
String2 = Mid(String1, CharCount + 1)
String1 = Left(String1, CharCount - 1)
End Sub


" wrote:

Thanks for the time.

The dashes in dates are not being skipped but intentionally avoided by skipping over anything
between " ' " and " '! ".

Frankly it is a VBA issue if one has to program this parsing challenge, in VBA.

Joel wrote:

This isn't a VBA problem, it is a linear algebra problem with no real answer.
To get a unique answer your grammar must be defined better. Dashes are in
dates and are being skipped because of the single quotes. Rules like these
need to be defined.
2003/2007

Trying to consistently parse formula strings (Delimiter = any Opr sign) into i.e.

OprSigns = Array("+", "-", "*", "/", "^", "", "<", "<", "=", "<=")
FormulaStr = "+123456789+'Summary 2-22-2007'!H8+'Summary 3-22-2007 '!H22- _
A1+(144/6)*'Summary 4-22-2007'!H23-B1+9876"

All formulas will begin (stuffed) with "+" sign if not already a "-" [if this makes parsing easier]
Goal:
Operator
Parsed(1) = 123456789 +
Parsed(2) = 'Summary 2-22-2007'!H8 +
Parsed(3) = 'Summary 3-22-2007'!H22 -
Parsed(4) = A1 +
Parsed(5) = (144/6) *
Parsed(6) = Summary 4-22-2007'H23 -
Parsed(7) = B1 +
Parsed(8) = 9876 end of FormulaStr

It is important to isolate, for later retrieval, each operator AFTER each Parsed(x)

Attempted (looooose VBA) Split(FormulaStr, OprSigns,1,1)

Another challenge, avoiding sign-look-a-like characters between each " ' " followed by " ' ! " or
in the Path to other workbooks (still within " ' " followed by " ' ! " I believe) Eg., would be
the "-" in dates like above.

The approach I tried was to avoid parsing between " ' " followed by " ' ! " as Gap(1), Gap(2), etc.

I can get very close but I need someone with much better VBA skills to get the gold ring.

Thanks for any thoughts, approaches or cuss words.

EagleOne