Is there a way to set the cell format options prior to importing a comma
delimeted file. I'm opening a .csv file extension and all of the columns are
being formatted as 'general'. I want to format either one of the columns as
text or all of the columns as text.

Thanks,
Tom

If you open Excel first, then select new to make a blank document, then open
the csv from within excel (using Data/import external data) then you get a
text file import wizard. On the third page of this you will have the option
to specify which format which columns should be.

This is useful if you are having problems with excel deciding to cut short
phone numbers etc - just format everything as text using this method and
Excel should behave itself.

Hope that help,

Oli

"t_coop" wrote:

> Is there a way to set the cell format options prior to importing a comma
> delimeted file. I'm opening a .csv file extension and all of the columns are
> being formatted as 'general'. I want to format either one of the columns as
> text or all of the columns as text.
>
> Thanks,
> Tom

I don't think so.

You could rename the .csv file to .txt, then open the file.

You'll be able to specify the delimiter and the format of each field.

If you have lots of fields to mark as text, you can select the leftmost field
and then shift-click on the rightmost field. Then specify text.

t_coop wrote:
>
> Is there a way to set the cell format options prior to importing a comma
> delimeted file. I'm opening a .csv file extension and all of the columns are
> being formatted as 'general'. I want to format either one of the columns as
> text or all of the columns as text.
>
> Thanks,
> Tom

--

Dave Peterson