Excel Question

How to keep it from autodating

[hannamyluv]

I have a tab delimited file I am working on in excel where I need to put a number like 1-5 in a cell. Excel keeps auto changing it to Jan-05.

I tried adding a ' to the begining, which works while I am working on the file, but when I open it later, it returns to making it Jan-05.

I have also tried changing the format of the cells. No good there either.

Does any body know how to keep excel from being so d@mn helpful? I don't want to put a date in, I just want to put a number range in.

Dear Microsoft: It's not help if it's not asked for.

[iamlost]

Bet you just love that darling little paperclip too :-)

I only know two methods:
* One: format cell as text.
* Two: delimit the number like "1-5" or (1-5).

If anyone knows a better way I liked to know too.

[grandpa]

>> but when I open it later

How are you saving the file? I believe CSV will strip out any cell formatting.

[Mardi_Gras]

Can you save it as a tab-delimited text file? That will give you the option to determine formatting when you open the file.

[Milamber]

just put a single quote ' in front of what you want to enter. Then excel wont auto-format it, works with everything.

[Lilliabeth]

Select the cell or range or whatever and say Edit ¦ Clear Formats.

[ToneLeMoan]

Format the cell as text before you enter the data.

That paperclip what a character eh? Have you seen this video?

[2atoms.com...]

"It looks like you're writing a letter".

<lawman edit> Warning, video contains coarse language </lawman edit>

[edited by: lawman at 9:21 am (utc) on April 30, 2005]