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Excel 2007 cell formats


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#1
diggeryo

diggeryo

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I hope I explain my question correctly, as I'm not even sure exactly how to word some of this. So please pardon my ignorance on this matter...


Lots of times, I need to manipulate data in Excel before saving the file and sending it out. For example, a column might contain the numbers 1 through 90. I, however, would need the single-digit numbers to have leading zeros. So I would right-click on the column, choose "Format Cells", under the "Number" tab I would click on "Custom", and then type "00" under "Type". This would put a leading zero before all numbers 1 though 9. This is something that can only be done if the cell contains data that is not in the "Text" format

Now if I have a DBF file that I open in Excel (rather than creating an Excel file anew), it will automatically make each column "Text". As a result, I can't manipulate the data the way I want to. Even right-clicking on the column and choosing "Number" or "General" under "Format Cells" doesn't help.

The only way I can figure to get it into a format which can be manipulated is by clicking on each cell individually and retyping the data. Obviously, if my column has a lot of rows, this can be very time consuming.

Does anyone know of any way I can automatically get the cells to be in a format that can be easily manipulated?

Thanks,
mike.
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#2
diggeryo

diggeryo

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To answer my own question...

All of a sudden, it just dawned on me. I open the DBF file in Excel. Then for whatever column I want to make able to be manipulated, I highlight the column. Then under the "Data" tab, choose "Text To Columns", "Fixed Width", "Next", Don't add any column breaks, "Next", "General", "Finish."

Now everything in that column is "General" and can be manipulated.
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