Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 23, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365
If you have used BASIC before, you will be right at home with the string functions provided by VBA. The following table details the most common string functions and what they return.
Function | Comments | |
---|---|---|
Left(Source, Count) | Returns the left Count characters of Source text. | |
Mid(Source, Start [, Count]) | Returns the portion of Source text beginning with the Start character. If Count is supplied, then the result is limited to that many characters. | |
Right(Source, Count) | Returns the right Count characters of Source text. |
Remember that these are VBA functions, not worksheet functions. Excel provides worksheet functions that do largely the same things, but those functions place different requirements on which parameters are required and which are optional.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12574) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Dissecting a String.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2013 For Dummies today!
Need to select a cell using a macro? Need that selection to be relative to the cell you currently have selected? Here are ...
Discover MoreWhen you record a macro, make sure that you know how Excel is recording your cell movements. This tip explains the ...
Discover MoreGot a workbook cluttered with all sorts of macros? Delete them and you'll make your workbook easier to manage.
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2018-03-10 10:43:26
Brian L.
One of my favorites is the SPLIT function -- very useful for break up strings into component parts, based on a specified delimiter. See https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/6x627e5f(v=vs.90).aspx ("archived" article, but has good examples).
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2023 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments