blank data field shows quote in formula, how to delete it?

[Guest]

In a data file I just received, many blank fields show a single-quotation
mark in the formula. The <<if>> statement does not recognize these fields as
blank. I have tried to 'find and replace' the marks using a search for <<'>>
and also for <<~'>> both without success. How can I fix these fields, in
bulk, so they behave like blanks?

 

[Don Guillett]

try
=if(or(a1="",a1=" "),1,2)

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

Those cells may have contained empty strings ( "" ), that were copied,
and pasted as values. This leaves a remnant in the cell, that is
displayed as a apostrophe, when you turn on Tools>Options, Transition
tab, Transition Navigation.

To clear the cells, you can try the Edit/Replace technique that Dave
Peterson describes here:

http://groups.google.ca/groups?&[email protected]