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#1
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Cells That Appear Empty?
Hi
I run Windows 2000 with Excell 2000. I have recently downloaded a large amouth of data from an Access Database and put in to an Excel spreadsheet. There are numerous blank cells scattered throughout the data. I discovered that when doing some formuals that referenced these cells I was getting errors. I soon discovered that ifI deleted the contents of the blank cell this would fix the problem, so obviously there is something in the cells that I cannot see. At first I thought it was probably a "space" that was in the cell but this was not the case. I also thought maybe it was white formatted text but this was also not the case. When the curser in in the cell there is nothing showing in the edit bar. What I did notice was that if I just "placed" the curser on the cell and placed the curser in the edit bar and selected ok then it would remove the contents of the cell (whatever they were) As anyone any ideas on "what" and how I can remove these "invisible" entries easily without doing it indiviually. I could just sort each column of the database then delete everthing below the data but as there are many columns this would take a long time. Thanks |
#3
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Thanks for the quick response
I tried puting the formula you suggested in an empty cell [ =CODE(D10) ] but it returns a #VALUE! value. Any other ideas? "RagDyer" wrote: You can try and use "Edit & Replace", *AFTER* you identify the invisible character. Say one of these cells was D10. Enter this in an unused cell: =CODE(D10) The value that's returned (32, 10, 160, ... whatever), is what you need to remove (replace). Check another of these cells to make sure that they're the same. NOW, select your range, and: <Edit <Replace In the "Find What" box, Hold down <Alt, and using the num keypad, *NOT* the numbers under the function keys, enter the *4* digit code that your formula returned: 0032 0010 0160 Of course, nothing will display in the "Find What" box, since these *are invisible* codes! Don't put anything in the "Replace With" box. Then click <Replace All. This should convert your empty "looking" cells to be truly empty. -- HTH, RD ============================================== Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit! ============================================== "Joohn Calder" <Joohn wrote in message ... Hi I run Windows 2000 with Excell 2000. I have recently downloaded a large amouth of data from an Access Database and put in to an Excel spreadsheet. There are numerous blank cells scattered throughout the data. I discovered that when doing some formuals that referenced these cells I was getting errors. I soon discovered that ifI deleted the contents of the blank cell this would fix the problem, so obviously there is something in the cells that I cannot see. At first I thought it was probably a "space" that was in the cell but this was not the case. I also thought maybe it was white formatted text but this was also not the case. When the curser in in the cell there is nothing showing in the edit bar. What I did notice was that if I just "placed" the curser on the cell and placed the curser in the edit bar and selected ok then it would remove the contents of the cell (whatever they were) As anyone any ideas on "what" and how I can remove these "invisible" entries easily without doing it indiviually. I could just sort each column of the database then delete everthing below the data but as there are many columns this would take a long time. Thanks |
#4
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Is cell D10 one of your problem cells?
I just used it as an example. It would be one *very big* coincidence if it *was* one of your problem cells! A #VALUE! error means the cell of reference is *empty*. -- Regards, RD --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit ! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Joohn Calder" wrote in message ... Thanks for the quick response I tried puting the formula you suggested in an empty cell [ =CODE(D10) ] but it returns a #VALUE! value. Any other ideas? "RagDyer" wrote: You can try and use "Edit & Replace", *AFTER* you identify the invisible character. Say one of these cells was D10. Enter this in an unused cell: =CODE(D10) The value that's returned (32, 10, 160, ... whatever), is what you need to remove (replace). Check another of these cells to make sure that they're the same. NOW, select your range, and: <Edit <Replace In the "Find What" box, Hold down <Alt, and using the num keypad, *NOT* the numbers under the function keys, enter the *4* digit code that your formula returned: 0032 0010 0160 Of course, nothing will display in the "Find What" box, since these *are invisible* codes! Don't put anything in the "Replace With" box. Then click <Replace All. This should convert your empty "looking" cells to be truly empty. -- HTH, RD ============================================== Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit! ============================================== "Joohn Calder" <Joohn wrote in message ... Hi I run Windows 2000 with Excell 2000. I have recently downloaded a large amouth of data from an Access Database and put in to an Excel spreadsheet. There are numerous blank cells scattered throughout the data. I discovered that when doing some formuals that referenced these cells I was getting errors. I soon discovered that ifI deleted the contents of the blank cell this would fix the problem, so obviously there is something in the cells that I cannot see. At first I thought it was probably a "space" that was in the cell but this was not the case. I also thought maybe it was white formatted text but this was also not the case. When the curser in in the cell there is nothing showing in the edit bar. What I did notice was that if I just "placed" the curser on the cell and placed the curser in the edit bar and selected ok then it would remove the contents of the cell (whatever they were) As anyone any ideas on "what" and how I can remove these "invisible" entries easily without doing it indiviually. I could just sort each column of the database then delete everthing below the data but as there are many columns this would take a long time. Thanks |
#5
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Thanks again
No D10 is not one of my problems I just used that as an example. Thanks "RagDyer" wrote: Is cell D10 one of your problem cells? I just used it as an example. It would be one *very big* coincidence if it *was* one of your problem cells! A #VALUE! error means the cell of reference is *empty*. -- Regards, RD --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit ! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Joohn Calder" wrote in message ... Thanks for the quick response I tried puting the formula you suggested in an empty cell [ =CODE(D10) ] but it returns a #VALUE! value. Any other ideas? "RagDyer" wrote: You can try and use "Edit & Replace", *AFTER* you identify the invisible character. Say one of these cells was D10. Enter this in an unused cell: =CODE(D10) The value that's returned (32, 10, 160, ... whatever), is what you need to remove (replace). Check another of these cells to make sure that they're the same. NOW, select your range, and: <Edit <Replace In the "Find What" box, Hold down <Alt, and using the num keypad, *NOT* the numbers under the function keys, enter the *4* digit code that your formula returned: 0032 0010 0160 Of course, nothing will display in the "Find What" box, since these *are invisible* codes! Don't put anything in the "Replace With" box. Then click <Replace All. This should convert your empty "looking" cells to be truly empty. -- HTH, RD ============================================== Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit! ============================================== "Joohn Calder" <Joohn wrote in message ... Hi I run Windows 2000 with Excell 2000. I have recently downloaded a large amouth of data from an Access Database and put in to an Excel spreadsheet. There are numerous blank cells scattered throughout the data. I discovered that when doing some formuals that referenced these cells I was getting errors. I soon discovered that ifI deleted the contents of the blank cell this would fix the problem, so obviously there is something in the cells that I cannot see. At first I thought it was probably a "space" that was in the cell but this was not the case. I also thought maybe it was white formatted text but this was also not the case. When the curser in in the cell there is nothing showing in the edit bar. What I did notice was that if I just "placed" the curser on the cell and placed the curser in the edit bar and selected ok then it would remove the contents of the cell (whatever they were) As anyone any ideas on "what" and how I can remove these "invisible" entries easily without doing it indiviually. I could just sort each column of the database then delete everthing below the data but as there are many columns this would take a long time. Thanks |
#6
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Right now, I don't know if you solved your problem , or not!?!?
-- Regards, RD --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit ! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Joohn Calder" wrote in message ... Thanks again No D10 is not one of my problems I just used that as an example. Thanks "RagDyer" wrote: Is cell D10 one of your problem cells? I just used it as an example. It would be one *very big* coincidence if it *was* one of your problem cells! A #VALUE! error means the cell of reference is *empty*. -- Regards, RD -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit ! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - "Joohn Calder" wrote in message ... Thanks for the quick response I tried puting the formula you suggested in an empty cell [ =CODE(D10) ] but it returns a #VALUE! value. Any other ideas? "RagDyer" wrote: You can try and use "Edit & Replace", *AFTER* you identify the invisible character. Say one of these cells was D10. Enter this in an unused cell: =CODE(D10) The value that's returned (32, 10, 160, ... whatever), is what you need to remove (replace). Check another of these cells to make sure that they're the same. NOW, select your range, and: <Edit <Replace In the "Find What" box, Hold down <Alt, and using the num keypad, *NOT* the numbers under the function keys, enter the *4* digit code that your formula returned: 0032 0010 0160 Of course, nothing will display in the "Find What" box, since these *are invisible* codes! Don't put anything in the "Replace With" box. Then click <Replace All. This should convert your empty "looking" cells to be truly empty. -- HTH, RD ============================================== Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit! ============================================== "Joohn Calder" <Joohn wrote in message ... Hi I run Windows 2000 with Excell 2000. I have recently downloaded a large amouth of data from an Access Database and put in to an Excel spreadsheet. There are numerous blank cells scattered throughout the data. I discovered that when doing some formuals that referenced these cells I was getting errors. I soon discovered that ifI deleted the contents of the blank cell this would fix the problem, so obviously there is something in the cells that I cannot see. At first I thought it was probably a "space" that was in the cell but this was not the case. I also thought maybe it was white formatted text but this was also not the case. When the curser in in the cell there is nothing showing in the edit bar. What I did notice was that if I just "placed" the curser on the cell and placed the curser in the edit bar and selected ok then it would remove the contents of the cell (whatever they were) As anyone any ideas on "what" and how I can remove these "invisible" entries easily without doing it indiviually. I could just sort each column of the database then delete everthing below the data but as there are many columns this would take a long time. Thanks |
#7
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If you go to edit a 'blank' cell you may find ' in the cell already. This
is used at the start of the cell to indicate left alignment and in that position it is a non-printable character. (A second instance would be printable). These are imported as a filler when importing data (I know not why) and can cause some confusion. One way (?the best way) to eliminate these is to sort each column (for ease of bringing them all together) and pasting a true blank cell over them. The problem with this is that when sorted back, you will have discontinuous columns and rows and thing like <Shift<Page<Down will take you to the boundary of a blank / used cell not the extreme of the column or row. Sorting and other functions may also be affected. Regards. Bill Ridgeway Computer Solutions "Joohn Calder" <Joohn wrote in message ... Hi I run Windows 2000 with Excell 2000. I have recently downloaded a large amouth of data from an Access Database and put in to an Excel spreadsheet. There are numerous blank cells scattered throughout the data. I discovered that when doing some formuals that referenced these cells I was getting errors. I soon discovered that ifI deleted the contents of the blank cell this would fix the problem, so obviously there is something in the cells that I cannot see. At first I thought it was probably a "space" that was in the cell but this was not the case. I also thought maybe it was white formatted text but this was also not the case. When the curser in in the cell there is nothing showing in the edit bar. What I did notice was that if I just "placed" the curser on the cell and placed the curser in the edit bar and selected ok then it would remove the contents of the cell (whatever they were) As anyone any ideas on "what" and how I can remove these "invisible" entries easily without doing it indiviually. I could just sort each column of the database then delete everthing below the data but as there are many columns this would take a long time. Thanks |
#8
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Use Dave McRitchie's Trimall macro anytime you import data externally and it
will clear out all the garbage that can often come with it. Takes a second or so at the most, and it's one I just wouldn't be without now. http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall -- Regards Ken....................... Microsoft MVP - Excel Sys Spec - Win XP Pro / XL 97/00/02/03 ------------------------------*------------------------------*---------------- It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission :-) ------------------------------*------------------------------*---------------- "Joohn Calder" <Joohn wrote in message ... Hi I run Windows 2000 with Excell 2000. I have recently downloaded a large amouth of data from an Access Database and put in to an Excel spreadsheet. There are numerous blank cells scattered throughout the data. I discovered that when doing some formuals that referenced these cells I was getting errors. I soon discovered that ifI deleted the contents of the blank cell this would fix the problem, so obviously there is something in the cells that I cannot see. At first I thought it was probably a "space" that was in the cell but this was not the case. I also thought maybe it was white formatted text but this was also not the case. When the curser in in the cell there is nothing showing in the edit bar. What I did notice was that if I just "placed" the curser on the cell and placed the curser in the edit bar and selected ok then it would remove the contents of the cell (whatever they were) As anyone any ideas on "what" and how I can remove these "invisible" entries easily without doing it indiviually. I could just sort each column of the database then delete everthing below the data but as there are many columns this would take a long time. Thanks |
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