Adding Symbols to Cell Format

**Mark@Work** · 11-22-2006, 02:14 PM

A few days ago there was a post regarding formatting a chart with pi.
I replied with a way to add the 2 characters "pi" to the displayed number by using the custom value formating facility.
This has been playing on my mind since, what if I wanted to use the Greek symbol rather than the text "pi".

Several symbols can be added by holding down Alt and typing in a number on the numeric keypad
(for example ° is Alt 248 and ± is Alt 241 etc.) but pi is not one of the symbols available by this route.

I can't find any (other) way to include a symbol in the custom format.
Can anyone else?

Mark.

**iasiddiqui** · 11-22-2006, 02:20 PM

try alt+0182

**Carim** · 11-22-2006, 02:28 PM

Hi Mark,

It is an excellent question ... I never the time to search about it ...

I remember cheating ... by opening Word, inserting symbols with mathematical operators I could access pi and sygma ...
and copy paste them ...

HTH
Carim

**VBA Noob** · 11-22-2006, 02:31 PM

In excel Go to Insert Symbol. Change font to Symbol and it's half way down on the left

Or format cell as Symbol and enter a lower case p

VBA Noob

**Carim** · 11-22-2006, 02:36 PM

Hi VBA Noob,

Which XL version are you running ?

Carim

**VBA Noob** · 11-22-2006, 02:38 PM

2002

Guess your not

VBA Noob

**Carim** · 11-22-2006, 02:40 PM

Your highly sophisticated feature is not available in XL 2000 ...

Cheers
Carim

**VBA Noob** · 11-22-2006, 02:41 PM

I have all the pi's

VBA Noob

**MrShorty** · 11-22-2006, 05:38 PM

when I can't remember the alt + code for a character (which is most of the time) or otherwise can't find another way, I've been known to copy from the character map utility that comes with Windows and paste where I need it.

**Mark@Work** · 11-23-2006, 06:42 AM

I'm using Excel 2003.

On my machine Alt 182 gives a capital A with a ^ hat.
Do different versions of Windows give different symbols?
I'm using Windows XP.

The trouble with trying to get symbols into the custom format is that all the usual ways (insert symbol, cut & paste) can't be applied in the custom format box.

Mark.

**Bryan Hessey** · 11-23-2006, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by Mark@Work

I'm using Excel 2003.

On my machine Alt 182 gives a capital A with a ^ hat.
Do different versions of Windows give different symbols?
I'm using Windows XP.

The trouble with trying to get symbols into the custom format is that all the usual ways (insert symbol, cut & paste) can't be applied in the custom format box.

Mark.

Hi,

Many moons ago I made up this sheet, using named range Fonttest to select a new font, and the values are displayed.

It's only the same as the CharMap is now, but was useful for comparing '97 with 2000 etc. The figure from column A plus the number indicated for the column gives the Alt-value required.

hth
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