How do I change uppercase to proper case in entire worksheet?

[Guest]

I have an existing worksheet with over 50,000 rows and 15 columns. Several
columns have information in all uppercase. I need to convert these words
into proper case. The information given in Excel Help only gives information
about changing individual cells. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Guest]

I would suggest using a helper column

if one of the columns with all capitals were column C
in a helper column row 1 enter
=proper(c1)
copy down to the end of your data.
copy the helper column and paste special values over your column C
do this for each of the columns with all caps.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Check out

http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/proper.htm#proper

 

[Paul D. Simon]

If you want to manually select the cells to change, then you can run
this macro on the selected cells:

For Each c In Selection.Cells
c.Value = StrConv(c.Value, vbProperCase)
Next c

If you want to automatically have the entire database changed then,
with your cell pointer anywhere within the database, use this instead:

Selection.CurrentRegion.Select
For Each c In Selection.Cells
c.Value = StrConv(c.Value, vbProperCase)
Next c

 

[Paul D. Simon]

Actually, you can simplify that 2nd macro I gave you as follows:

For Each c In Selection.CurrentRegion.Cells
c.Value = StrConv(c.Value, vbProperCase)
Next c

 

[Guest]

I appreciate all the helpful information, but I hate to say I am an Excel
novice and unfamiliar with simple things such as "helper column" and "macro".
What I need is a very simple step by step direction in how to complete this
task. Sorry I am such a klutz, but thanks ahead of time for your help.

 

[Paul D. Simon]

For anyone who may have read my responses above, David Ritchie was kind
enough to point out to me a very dangerous and potentially disastrous
result of my solutions in that my code would inadvertantly (and
unknowingly to the user) change formulas to values.

David's web site shows the proper code for Upper Case, Lower Case and
Proper case. As noted by JE McGimpsey above, go to
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/proper.htm#proper

To Karen - in Excel, a macro is the implementation of VBA code which
one creates in the VB Editor, usually within a Module (but also within
Sheet or ThisWorkbook). Giving you proper instructions on how to do
that here would be quite lengthy. Perhaps doing a search in the Excel
news group or getting a beginner's book (such as "VBA for Dummies")
might be helpful.

 

[Paul D. Simon]

Karen,

I just found an excellent introduction to macros on David Ritchie's web
site that I believe will be very helpful to you. Go to
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm