Hello, does anyone know how I can look at a cell without seeing a special
character? I need to determine a length by subtracting one cell from another
but the numbers in the cell are engineering stationing in the format
xxx+xx.xx (300+45.10). I need to use this data to get the number 30045.10 to
then subtract from another cell of the same type.

With your sample entry in cell A1...
Try this:

B1: =--SUBSTITUTE(A1,"+","")

If A1 contains 300+45.10
that formula returns 30045.1

Does that help?
Post back if you have more questions.
--------------------------

Regards,

Ron
Microsoft MVP (Excel)
(XL2003, Win XP)


"johnrb7865" <johnrb7865@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B812E164-E52B-445A-966B-462762E7B729@microsoft.com...
> Hello, does anyone know how I can look at a cell without seeing a special
> character? I need to determine a length by subtracting one cell from
> another
> but the numbers in the cell are engineering stationing in the format
> xxx+xx.xx (300+45.10). I need to use this data to get the number 30045.10
> to
> then subtract from another cell of the same type.

Another thought, using the same approach to calculate differences.

With
A1: 300+45.10
A2: 200+29.40

This formula removes the plus signs and returns A1 minus A2.
A3: =SUBSTITUTE(A1,"+","")-SUBSTITUTE(A2,"+","")

In the above example,
A3 returns: 10015.7

Does that help?
--------------------------

Regards,

Ron
Microsoft MVP (Excel)
(XL2003, Win XP)


"Ron Coderre" <ronREMOVETHIScoderre@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:55877B44-17CB-4CB6-8B96-EF49FFF1E414@microsoft.com...
> With your sample entry in cell A1...
> Try this:
>
> B1: =--SUBSTITUTE(A1,"+","")
>
> If A1 contains 300+45.10
> that formula returns 30045.1
>
> Does that help?
> Post back if you have more questions.
> --------------------------
>
> Regards,
>
> Ron
> Microsoft MVP (Excel)
> (XL2003, Win XP)
>
>
> "johnrb7865" <johnrb7865@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:B812E164-E52B-445A-966B-462762E7B729@microsoft.com...
>> Hello, does anyone know how I can look at a cell without seeing a special
>> character? I need to determine a length by subtracting one cell from
>> another
>> but the numbers in the cell are engineering stationing in the format
>> xxx+xx.xx (300+45.10). I need to use this data to get the number 30045.10
>> to
>> then subtract from another cell of the same type.
>
>

That worked perfect. Thanks, John

"Ron Coderre" wrote:

> Another thought, using the same approach to calculate differences.
>
> With
> A1: 300+45.10
> A2: 200+29.40
>
> This formula removes the plus signs and returns A1 minus A2.
> A3: =SUBSTITUTE(A1,"+","")-SUBSTITUTE(A2,"+","")
>
> In the above example,
> A3 returns: 10015.7
>
> Does that help?
> --------------------------
>
> Regards,
>
> Ron
> Microsoft MVP (Excel)
> (XL2003, Win XP)
>
>
> "Ron Coderre" <ronREMOVETHIScoderre@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
> news:55877B44-17CB-4CB6-8B96-EF49FFF1E414@microsoft.com...
> > With your sample entry in cell A1...
> > Try this:
> >
> > B1: =--SUBSTITUTE(A1,"+","")
> >
> > If A1 contains 300+45.10
> > that formula returns 30045.1
> >
> > Does that help?
> > Post back if you have more questions.
> > --------------------------
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Ron
> > Microsoft MVP (Excel)
> > (XL2003, Win XP)
> >
> >
> > "johnrb7865" <johnrb7865@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:B812E164-E52B-445A-966B-462762E7B729@microsoft.com...
> >> Hello, does anyone know how I can look at a cell without seeing a special
> >> character? I need to determine a length by subtracting one cell from
> >> another
> >> but the numbers in the cell are engineering stationing in the format
> >> xxx+xx.xx (300+45.10). I need to use this data to get the number 30045.10
> >> to
> >> then subtract from another cell of the same type.
> >
> >
>

You're welcome.....I'm glad I could help.

Regards,

Ron
Microsoft MVP (Excel)

"johnrb7865" <johnrb7865@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4BB55F6F-3FAC-4439-B0EE-93942C5302F1@microsoft.com...
> That worked perfect. Thanks, John
>
> "Ron Coderre" wrote:
>
>> Another thought, using the same approach to calculate differences.
>>
>> With
>> A1: 300+45.10
>> A2: 200+29.40
>>
>> This formula removes the plus signs and returns A1 minus A2.
>> A3: =SUBSTITUTE(A1,"+","")-SUBSTITUTE(A2,"+","")
>>
>> In the above example,
>> A3 returns: 10015.7
>>
>> Does that help?
>> --------------------------
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Ron
>> Microsoft MVP (Excel)
>> (XL2003, Win XP)
>>
>>
>> "Ron Coderre" <ronREMOVETHIScoderre@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
>> news:55877B44-17CB-4CB6-8B96-EF49FFF1E414@microsoft.com...
>> > With your sample entry in cell A1...
>> > Try this:
>> >
>> > B1: =--SUBSTITUTE(A1,"+","")
>> >
>> > If A1 contains 300+45.10
>> > that formula returns 30045.1
>> >
>> > Does that help?
>> > Post back if you have more questions.
>> > --------------------------
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > Ron
>> > Microsoft MVP (Excel)
>> > (XL2003, Win XP)
>> >
>> >
>> > "johnrb7865" <johnrb7865@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> > news:B812E164-E52B-445A-966B-462762E7B729@microsoft.com...
>> >> Hello, does anyone know how I can look at a cell without seeing a
>> >> special
>> >> character? I need to determine a length by subtracting one cell from
>> >> another
>> >> but the numbers in the cell are engineering stationing in the format
>> >> xxx+xx.xx (300+45.10). I need to use this data to get the number
>> >> 30045.10
>> >> to
>> >> then subtract from another cell of the same type.
>> >
>> >
>>