Replace null string with blank cell

[gjcase]

I have a large table which was created via lookups from other tables. Many of the entries are (or should be) blank. After the table was created, I converted everything to values (Paste Special/Values) in order to save memory. However, the table now contains a null string or other unprintable character in each of the "blank" cells. Thus, if I use END-DN or END-UP to find the next value in the table, the cursor goes to the end of the table, as it sees something in each cell. If I edit a "Blank" cell, I see no characters, and if I select the formula bar & hit ENTER, the cell becomes truly blank.

I realize this is similar to the issue MJ had a few weeks ago, in fact I found this forum via a Google search which turned up that thread. None of the methods proposed there appear to address the issue of making a blank cell truly blank. I'm hoping some of you have a method to do this short of selecting the cells & deleting the null strings manually, as the spreadsheet is much too large to do this way.

GJCase

[Dave Peterson]

Saved from a previous post:

After you convert to values, you can see that those "empty" cells aren't really
empty.

Tools|Options|Transition tab|check Transition navigation keys
(remember to toggle it off later!)

Now look at the formula bar for one of those empty cells--you'll see a single
quote.

I usually use a formula like:

=if(a1=0,"ok",na())

(change your formula to return #n/a! instead of "".)

convert to values and then do that Edit|replace on the #n/a! string.

gjcase wrote:
>
> I have a large table which was created via lookups from other tables.
> Many of the entries are (or should be) blank. After the table was
> created, I converted everything to values (Paste Special/Values) in
> order to save memory. However, the table now contains a null string or
> other unprintable character in each of the "blank" cells. Thus, if I
> use END-DN or END-UP to find the next value in the table, the cursor
> goes to the end of the table, as it sees something in each cell. If I
> edit a "Blank" cell, I see no characters, and if I select the formula
> bar & hit ENTER, the cell becomes truly blank.
>
> I realize this is similar to the issue MJ had a few weeks ago, in fact
> I found this forum via a Google search which turned up that thread.
> None of the methods proposed there appear to address the issue of
> making a blank cell truly blank. I'm hoping some of you have a method
> to do this short of selecting the cells & deleting the null strings
> manually, as the spreadsheet is much too large to do this way.
>
> GJCase
>
> --
> gjcase
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> gjcase's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=26061
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=394016

--

Dave Peterson

[gjcase]

Thanks, Dave. The use of N/A is a good trick to remember.