How do I display numbers as simple (non-numeric) text?

**Bastette** · 10-16-2012, 08:01 PM

Hello,

I am trying to paste a list of number pairs, which I copied from a notepad file, into a single column in Excel. Each entry in the list consists of a pair of 4-digit hexadecimal numbers, separated by a comma. Most of the pairs use only numeric characters. A minority of the entries have values that require the use of digits A-F.

I highlight column A and paste the list into the column. The numbers that do not contain A-F digits are interpreted by Excel as having numerical value. So first of all, they are automatically pasted in without any leading zeros. Then the remaining digits are interpreted as an n-digit number (n = 8 minus the number of leading zeros). Comma placement is then corrected to conform to the standard representation of large numbers (ie, with a comma every 3 digits).

Number pairs that happen to have an alpha (A-F) digit are formatted in exactly the way that I would like all of them to be formatted! Like so:

0021,1340
0021,1341
0021,1342
etc

Instead, I'm seeing:

211,340
211,341
211,342

I understand what's happening, but I don't know how to prevent it. How do I tell it, "Please leave the numbers alone, just display them as is"?

Thanks!
Bastette

**vlady** · 10-16-2012, 08:23 PM

Click ->Data->Import External Data-> Import Data -> choose your notepad text file -> In the Text Import wizard choose ->Delimeted ->Next ->choose "TEXT" - Finish.

**Bastette** · 10-16-2012, 08:38 PM

Thank you, that did it!

Bastette

**vlady** · 10-16-2012, 08:43 PM

Your very much welcome.

Regards,
Vladimir

**vlady** · 10-16-2012, 09:05 PM

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