Character Fill Cell

**eteaneck** · 08-25-2006, 02:06 PM

I believe there is a formula to fill a cell with a chosen character. For example, say I want the cell to be filled with the character "-"
I know there is a function REPT which will allow for a specific number of repetitions. However, I'm looking for a formula that will automatically fill the cell with this character - no matter how wide the cell may be.
Can anyone help?

**Excelenator** · 08-25-2006, 06:01 PM

I used this formula

=REPT("-",CELL("width",E7))

and change the font to MS Outlook which resulted in the cell being filled with

[][][][][][][][] <----- what looks like little boxes not the actual brackets.

Any time I changed the width of the column and recalced the sheet the cell was filled with the boxes.

**oldchippy** · 08-29-2006, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by eteaneck

I believe there is a formula to fill a cell with a chosen character. For example, say I want the cell to be filled with the character "-"
I know there is a function REPT which will allow for a specific number of repetitions. However, I'm looking for a formula that will automatically fill the cell with this character - no matter how wide the cell may be.
Can anyone help?

Hi eteaneck,

Here's another way, instead of a formula, you could format the cell - Custom format

@*-
or
*-@

this will fill the cell with the character irrespective of the width of the cell

oldchippy

**Excelenator** · 08-29-2006, 07:58 PM

Swweeeeeeeeeeeeet!! Thanks Chippy!

**Ryden** · 08-31-2006, 05:48 PM

Hi!
Format works well with only one char, but what if I want to insert some text and then fill out the remainder?
eg. [Cut here-----------------------------------------------------]
Then Format is useless.
Any ideas?

**oldchippy** · 09-01-2006, 03:48 AM

Originally Posted by Ryden

Hi!
Format works well with only one char, but what if I want to insert some text and then fill out the remainder?
eg. [Cut here-----------------------------------------------------]
Then Format is useless.
Any ideas?

Hi Ryden,

Type [Cut here in the cell, then format the cell to

@*-]

This should do what you want

oldchippy