Converting user-name to 'random' number

[Alex \(YMG\)]

Hi guys,

I wondered if you could help out a friend of mine - I'm just passing on his
message:

--------------------------

I'm trying to automate some coursework tasks for the new course and would
like to
randomise the data sets used by each student.

Ideally I'd like them to type their name into a pre-set cell, and then for
this to be converted to a long-ish number. I can then use the number to add
different deliberate errors to the data. I don't want to use RANNOR (random
number generator) as this would make marking a nightmare.

Does anyone know how to convert a cell containing a name into one
containing a number derived from the text - or something else that would
perform a similar function?

------------------------

Many thanks for any advice that you can give me so I can pass it on to him.

Best wishes

Alex

 

[Jim Cone]

This formula uses the first and last character in the name plus
the length of the name. (the name is in cell E2)...

=CODE(E2) & CODE(RIGHT(E2,1))&CODE(LEN(E2))
"Alex" = 6512052

Jim Cone
San Francisco, USA


"Alex (YMG)"
<[email protected]>
wrote in message
Hi guys,
I wondered if you could help out a friend of mine -
I'm just passing on his message:
--------------------------
I'm trying to automate some coursework tasks for the new course and would
like to
randomise the data sets used by each student.
Ideally I'd like them to type their name into a pre-set cell, and then for
this to be converted to a long-ish number. I can then use the number to add
different deliberate errors to the data. I don't want to use RANNOR (random
number generator) as this would make marking a nightmare.

Does anyone know how to convert a cell containing a name into one
containing a number derived from the text - or something else that would
perform a similar function?
Many thanks for any advice that you can give me so I can pass it on to him.
Best wishes
Alex

 

[Alex \(YMG\)]

This formula uses the first and last character in the name plus
the length of the name. (the name is in cell E2)...

=CODE(E2) & CODE(RIGHT(E2,1))&CODE(LEN(E2))
"Alex" = 6512052

Jim Cone
San Francisco, USA

Many thanks Jim, I shall pass this info on to him.

Alex