Stopping Excel from interpreting hypen

**Bob Summers** · 12-25-2009, 11:42 PM

I'm using an Excel worksheet as a way of creating a CSV data text file. This file will later be processed by a clip program in the NoteTab editor to produce a series of HTML files.

I have varied Text (actually abbreviations for Square Dance moves) in the Excel cells (eg, H Pass Thru). Each cell produces a new line in the HTML file. To signify the need for a horizontal line above a line in my HTML file, I prefix the cell's value with a hyphen/minus sign (-).

If I type it directly into a cell, (eg, -H Pass Thru), everything is fine.
However, if I try to add the hyphen later to a cell and then click in another cell, Excel treats it as some form of function and puts the Cell Address where I last clicked after my hyphen (eg, -G76 H Pass Thru).

What is Excel doing and how can I stop it from trying to help me?

Thanks

Bob Summers
Kemptville, Ontario, Canada

**protonLeah** · 12-26-2009, 02:33 AM

...if I try to add the hyphen later to a cell and then click in another cell, Excel treats it as some form of function

Going back to modify data in a cell puts Excel in Edit mode. When you are in Edit mode in one cell and click on any other cell, Excel will put the address of the clicked cell in the cell being edited. It has nothing to do with the hyphen. When finished editing a cell, press Enter or Tab to end the edit session. (I think...)