convert text to number for a range of data in a column

I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
(only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?

Thanks

In an un-used cell enter 1. Copy the cell and then paste/special with
multiply checked over all the cells you want to convert.
--
Gary's Student


"Tom" wrote:

> I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
> green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
> data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
> are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
> shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
> green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
> (only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?
>
> Thanks

Haha, thx for the reply. However, I must correct myself... for a very long
list, is there a shortcut that doesn't require highlighting all the cells? or
maybe is there a shortcut to highlighting a range of cells without having to
drag the mouse? I'm asking this because i always scroll past the end of the
range. Very annoying trying to select long lists. It's like my scroll is on
hyperdrive.

Tom

"Gary''s Student" wrote:

> In an un-used cell enter 1. Copy the cell and then paste/special with
> multiply checked over all the cells you want to convert.
> --
> Gary's Student
>
>
> "Tom" wrote:
>
> > I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
> > green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
> > data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
> > are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
> > shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
> > green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
> > (only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?
> >
> > Thanks

Hi Tom. Select the first cell in your list and then scroll down to the last
cell, hold the shift key and click on the last cell. This will select all
the inbetween cells.
--
Sincerely, Michael Colvin


"Tom" wrote:

> Haha, thx for the reply. However, I must correct myself... for a very long
> list, is there a shortcut that doesn't require highlighting all the cells? or
> maybe is there a shortcut to highlighting a range of cells without having to
> drag the mouse? I'm asking this because i always scroll past the end of the
> range. Very annoying trying to select long lists. It's like my scroll is on
> hyperdrive.
>
> Tom
>
> "Gary''s Student" wrote:
>
> > In an un-used cell enter 1. Copy the cell and then paste/special with
> > multiply checked over all the cells you want to convert.
> > --
> > Gary's Student
> >
> >
> > "Tom" wrote:
> >
> > > I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
> > > green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
> > > data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
> > > are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
> > > shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
> > > green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
> > > (only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?
> > >
> > > Thanks

If you are lucky and all the cells are in a column or row, then you can
select the column or row to do the pasting, if its just a random collection
of cell, ???
--
Gary's Student


"Tom" wrote:

> Haha, thx for the reply. However, I must correct myself... for a very long
> list, is there a shortcut that doesn't require highlighting all the cells? or
> maybe is there a shortcut to highlighting a range of cells without having to
> drag the mouse? I'm asking this because i always scroll past the end of the
> range. Very annoying trying to select long lists. It's like my scroll is on
> hyperdrive.
>
> Tom
>
> "Gary''s Student" wrote:
>
> > In an un-used cell enter 1. Copy the cell and then paste/special with
> > multiply checked over all the cells you want to convert.
> > --
> > Gary's Student
> >
> >
> > "Tom" wrote:
> >
> > > I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
> > > green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
> > > data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
> > > are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
> > > shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
> > > green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
> > > (only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?
> > >
> > > Thanks

Two alternatives I use with some frequency:
1) click the first cell, then ctrl-shift-down arrow. That will select a
continuous set of cells until finding an empty cell (or a continuous set of
empty cells until finding a non-empty, if your starting cell is empty)
2) if you have to do a lot of work with a huge list, split the screen a few
rows before the end. Get to the end of your table (just once), then go up a
few rows. Window > Split. Click above the split and ctrl-home to get back
to the top. Then you can select an entire row by clicking on the first cell,
visible above the split and shift-clickink on the last cell, visible below
the split.
--Bruce

"Tom" wrote:

> Haha, thx for the reply. However, I must correct myself... for a very long
> list, is there a shortcut that doesn't require highlighting all the cells? or
> maybe is there a shortcut to highlighting a range of cells without having to
> drag the mouse? I'm asking this because i always scroll past the end of the
> range. Very annoying trying to select long lists. It's like my scroll is on
> hyperdrive.
>
> Tom
>
> "Gary''s Student" wrote:
>
> > In an un-used cell enter 1. Copy the cell and then paste/special with
> > multiply checked over all the cells you want to convert.
> > --
> > Gary's Student
> >
> >
> > "Tom" wrote:
> >
> > > I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
> > > green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
> > > data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
> > > are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
> > > shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
> > > green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
> > > (only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?
> > >
> > > Thanks

Tom

CTRL + a selects all cells.

SHIFT + End + Downarrow(or rightarrow) selects to first blank cell down or
across in active columns or rows.

See Help on "shortcut keys" for more selecting shortcuts.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP


On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:05:04 -0800, Tom <[email protected]> wrote:

>Haha, thx for the reply. However, I must correct myself... for a very long
>list, is there a shortcut that doesn't require highlighting all the cells? or
>maybe is there a shortcut to highlighting a range of cells without having to
>drag the mouse? I'm asking this because i always scroll past the end of the
>range. Very annoying trying to select long lists. It's like my scroll is on
>hyperdrive.
>
>Tom
>
>"Gary''s Student" wrote:
>
>> In an un-used cell enter 1. Copy the cell and then paste/special with
>> multiply checked over all the cells you want to convert.
>> --
>> Gary's Student
>>
>>
>> "Tom" wrote:
>>
>> > I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
>> > green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
>> > data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
>> > are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
>> > shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
>> > green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
>> > (only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?
>> >
>> > Thanks

wow, thanks guys. Shift + end +downarrow is what i was looking for. In all my
lists, the first few rows are always headers of some sort. so i can't just
select the column.
thx

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

> Tom
>
> CTRL + a selects all cells.
>
> SHIFT + End + Downarrow(or rightarrow) selects to first blank cell down or
> across in active columns or rows.
>
> See Help on "shortcut keys" for more selecting shortcuts.
>
>
> Gord Dibben Excel MVP
>
>
> On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:05:04 -0800, Tom <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Haha, thx for the reply. However, I must correct myself... for a very long
> >list, is there a shortcut that doesn't require highlighting all the cells? or
> >maybe is there a shortcut to highlighting a range of cells without having to
> >drag the mouse? I'm asking this because i always scroll past the end of the
> >range. Very annoying trying to select long lists. It's like my scroll is on
> >hyperdrive.
> >
> >Tom
> >
> >"Gary''s Student" wrote:
> >
> >> In an un-used cell enter 1. Copy the cell and then paste/special with
> >> multiply checked over all the cells you want to convert.
> >> --
> >> Gary's Student
> >>
> >>
> >> "Tom" wrote:
> >>
> >> > I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
> >> > green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
> >> > data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
> >> > are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
> >> > shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
> >> > green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
> >> > (only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?
> >> >
> >> > Thanks
>
>

is there a difference between ctrl-shift-down arrow and SHIFT + End +
Downarrow?

"bpeltzer" wrote:

> Two alternatives I use with some frequency:
> 1) click the first cell, then ctrl-shift-down arrow. That will select a
> continuous set of cells until finding an empty cell (or a continuous set of
> empty cells until finding a non-empty, if your starting cell is empty)
> 2) if you have to do a lot of work with a huge list, split the screen a few
> rows before the end. Get to the end of your table (just once), then go up a
> few rows. Window > Split. Click above the split and ctrl-home to get back
> to the top. Then you can select an entire row by clicking on the first cell,
> visible above the split and shift-clickink on the last cell, visible below
> the split.
> --Bruce
>
> "Tom" wrote:
>
> > Haha, thx for the reply. However, I must correct myself... for a very long
> > list, is there a shortcut that doesn't require highlighting all the cells? or
> > maybe is there a shortcut to highlighting a range of cells without having to
> > drag the mouse? I'm asking this because i always scroll past the end of the
> > range. Very annoying trying to select long lists. It's like my scroll is on
> > hyperdrive.
> >
> > Tom
> >
> > "Gary''s Student" wrote:
> >
> > > In an un-used cell enter 1. Copy the cell and then paste/special with
> > > multiply checked over all the cells you want to convert.
> > > --
> > > Gary's Student
> > >
> > >
> > > "Tom" wrote:
> > >
> > > > I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
> > > > green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
> > > > data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
> > > > are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
> > > > shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
> > > > green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
> > > > (only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks

Hi Tom,
Not sure exactly what you want and why or how you want to the
restrict the selection.

I see you got your answer -- so just treat these as additional things
to look at. Also look at macros in toolbars.htm that start at the
bottom of the column to find the limit rather than down from the top
where you stop on an empty cell.

Some pages you might check:
for shortcuts: i.e. Ctrl+A, Ctrl+Space bar, Shift+SpaceBar, Ctrl+Shift+*
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/shortx2k.htm
some macros for your menus or toolbar buttons.
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/toolbars.htm
writing macros so that you can select an entire column, or entire sheet
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/proper.htm
---
HTH,
David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP - Excel [site changed Nov. 2001]
My Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm
Search Page: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/search.htm

"Gord Dibben" <gorddibbATshawDOTca> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Tom
>
> CTRL + a selects all cells.
>
> SHIFT + End + Downarrow(or rightarrow) selects to first blank cell down or
> across in active columns or rows.
>
> See Help on "shortcut keys" for more selecting shortcuts.
>
>
> Gord Dibben Excel MVP
>
>
> On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:05:04 -0800, Tom <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Haha, thx for the reply. However, I must correct myself... for a very long
> >list, is there a shortcut that doesn't require highlighting all the cells? or
> >maybe is there a shortcut to highlighting a range of cells without having to
> >drag the mouse? I'm asking this because i always scroll past the end of the
> >range. Very annoying trying to select long lists. It's like my scroll is on
> >hyperdrive.
> >
> >Tom
> >
> >"Gary''s Student" wrote:
> >
> >> In an un-used cell enter 1. Copy the cell and then paste/special with
> >> multiply checked over all the cells you want to convert.
> >> --
> >> Gary's Student
> >>
> >>
> >> "Tom" wrote:
> >>
> >> > I have a set of data that are numbers stored as text. CLicking on the little
> >> > green tab enables me to convert the text in the cell into a number. All The
> >> > data in the column starting from a certain row and ending at a certain row
> >> > are numbers stored as text. Also, it's a very long long long list. Is there a
> >> > shortcut to converting all the data to numbers without having to click the
> >> > green tab for each cell or having to highlight all the cells in the column
> >> > (only to zip past the last row) and go through cell properties?
> >> >
> >> > Thanks
>