RE: pasting data from a website changes text to date

[Vince]

stebro

find "option to prevent Excel changing 1-2-3 to a date" and agree with the
suggestion.

--
Vince


"stebro" wrote:

> I did a google usenet search and found several instances similar to this
> problem going back to 1999 with no real answers so there may not be, but here
> goes.
>
> I'm copying a table from a website and pasting into an Excel 2003
> spreadsheet. One of the columns contains "3-0", and when I paste it, as soon
> as xl sees this data it stores it as a date. I want it to stay as 3-0.
> Here's what I have tried and have learned doesn't work...
>
> * I have preset the cells, columns, and even the entire worksheet in
> different attempts to text and to "custom" with "@" - no help. Data still
> gets displayed as a date. when I try to change from a date format to a text
> format I get the number 36586; "3-0" is lost forever.
>
> * I have seen suggestions to do a paste special using only "values"; no
> good. Since the paste is from a website the only paste special options are
> "html, unicode text, & text".
>
> * I have even seen attempts at viewing & tweaking the web site's html code,
> but it's beyond me what you could do there to make the paste work differently.
>
> Is anyone aware of any other methods to defeat Excel's insistent desire to
> cheat me out of my desired cell format?
>
> Thanks,
> Steve

[jetted]

Hi Vince

Did you try?
To stop Excel converting text to dates type in a single quote before the text
as you enter it.

example in cell a1 type '3-1 hit enter

Thanks
Denis

[jetted]

Another solution:
Format the cell(s) as Text prior to entering data into them and
Excel will leave them alone.

Thanks
Denis

[sprior]

I had the same issue but sorted it today.
rather than cut and paste the web data, I created a web query, and there is
an option that works.

from excel
>data>import external data>new web query
there is an button marked options in the top right of the dialogue window
that provides an option to disable date recognition.
The web query thing is good too.

wahoo!


S.

"jetted" wrote:

>
> Another solution:
> Format the cell(s) as Text prior to entering data into them and
> Excel will leave them alone.
>
> Thanks
> Denis
>
>
> --
> jetted
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