How to trim cell information

[Guest]

I have information in a column with a file path. I would like it to only
display the file name. Can this be done?

For example:

C:\test excel\PROPS\abcdefg.xls
C:\test excel\PROPS\dfsdagg.xls
C:\test excel\PROPS\12324vcs.xls

I would like it to display only the file name without the extension or path

abcdefg
dfsdagg
12324vcs

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

I have information in a column with a file path. I would like it to only
display the file name. Can this be done?

For example:

C:\test excel\PROPS\abcdefg.xls
C:\test excel\PROPS\dfsdagg.xls
C:\test excel\PROPS\12324vcs.xls

I would like it to display only the file name without the extension or path

abcdefg
dfsdagg
12324vcs

For a formula, assuming the file types have three characters, try:

=MID(A1,FIND(CHAR(1),SUBSTITUTE(A1,"\",CHAR(1),
LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"\",""))))+1,LEN(A1)-
FIND(CHAR(1),SUBSTITUTE(A1,"\",CHAR(1),LEN(A1)-
LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"\",""))))-4)

For a UDF, which allows for file types of three or four characters, you could
try this:

===============================
Option Explicit
Function reFilename(str As String) As String
Dim re As Object
Dim mc As Object
Const sPat As String = "\\([^\\\,]+)\..{3,4}$"

Set re = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
re.Pattern = sPat
If re.test(str) = True Then
Set mc = re.Execute(str)
reFilename = mc(0).submatches(0)
End If
End Function
==================================
--ron

 

[Rick Rothstein \(MVP - VB\)]

For a UDF, which allows for file types of three or four characters, you

could
try this:

===============================
Option Explicit
Function reFilename(str As String) As String
Dim re As Object
Dim mc As Object
Const sPat As String = "\\([^\\\,]+)\..{3,4}$"

Set re = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
re.Pattern = sPat
If re.test(str) = True Then
Set mc = re.Execute(str)
reFilename = mc(0).submatches(0)
End If
End Function
==================================

Here is a UDF which works for any extension (even for a file with no
extension)...

Function GetFileName(FN As String) As String
If Len(FN) Then GetFileName = Split(Split(FN, "\") _
(UBound(Split(FN, "\"))), ".")(0)
End Function

Rick

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

For a UDF, which allows for file types of three or four characters, you
could
try this:

===============================
Option Explicit
Function reFilename(str As String) As String
Dim re As Object
Dim mc As Object
Const sPat As String = "\\([^\\\,]+)\..{3,4}$"

Set re = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
re.Pattern = sPat
If re.test(str) = True Then
Set mc = re.Execute(str)
reFilename = mc(0).submatches(0)
End If
End Function
==================================

Here is a UDF which works for any extension (even for a file with no
extension)...

Function GetFileName(FN As String) As String
If Len(FN) Then GetFileName = Split(Split(FN, "\") _
(UBound(Split(FN, "\"))), ".")(0)
End Function

Rick

That'll work, and is shorter and probably faster.

I could modify mine to handle the absence of a file type extension.
--ron

 

[Rick Rothstein \(MVP - VB\)]

For a UDF, which allows for file types of three or four characters, you

could
try this:

===============================
Option Explicit
Function reFilename(str As String) As String
Dim re As Object
Dim mc As Object
Const sPat As String = "\\([^\\\,]+)\..{3,4}$"

Set re = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
re.Pattern = sPat
If re.test(str) = True Then
Set mc = re.Execute(str)
reFilename = mc(0).submatches(0)
End If
End Function
==================================

Here is a UDF which works for any extension (even for a file with no
extension)...

Function GetFileName(FN As String) As String
If Len(FN) Then GetFileName = Split(Split(FN, "\") _
(UBound(Split(FN, "\"))), ".")(0)
End Function

Rick

That'll work, and is shorter and probably faster.

I don't really have a feel for the speed difference myself. Split is not the
fastest function in the VB arsenol, but the of course, neither are calls to
scripting engines. The String values either of our functions will have to
deal are quite small, so any Split/Scripting speed differences may well be
nil. It is even possible that the VBA-to-spreadsheet interface time penalty
may be such as to make the Split and/or Scripting speeds appear negligiable.

I could modify mine to handle the absence of a file type extension.

I think you should do so. That way the OP (or others following the thread)
will have a choice. Besides, if the OP (or others readers) come from a
Regular Expression background, they will more than likely find your solution
far more appealing than mine.

Rick

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

I think you should do so. That way the OP (or others following the thread)
will have a choice. Besides, if the OP (or others readers) come from a
Regular Expression background, they will more than likely find your solution
far more appealing than mine.

Rick

To include filenames that might not include a type extension, a starting point
is to modify sPat (pattern) so that the characters after the last dot "." are
optional:

=====================================
Option Explicit
Function reFilename(str As String) As String
Dim re As Object
Dim mc As Object
Const sPat As String = "\\([^\\\,.]+)(\.[^.]+)?$"

Set re = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
re.Pattern = sPat
If re.test(str) = True Then
Set mc = re.Execute(str)
reFilename = mc(0).submatches(0)
End If
End Function
======================================

HOWEVER, this may no longer give accurate matches. Windows long file names may
include the dot "." So really you'd need to exclude all possible file type
extensions, but not other endings that are not.

I'm no expert on allowable file type extensions in Windows.

What I did below was assume that a final "." followed by three or four
characters that are letters, numbers or underscore would represent a file type
extension. But that other lengths or including other characters would not.

It may well be that other characters should be added to the allowable list.
This can be easily done.

In any event, it does become a lot more complex with long filenames that might
or might not include an extension:

=====================================
Option Explicit
Function reFilename(str As String) As String
Dim re As Object
Dim mc As Object
Const sPat As String = "\\([^\\]+)((\.\w{3,4})|(\.[^.]*))$"

Set re = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
re.Pattern = sPat
If re.test(str) = True Then
Set mc = re.Execute(str)
reFilename = mc(0).submatches(0) & mc(0).submatches(3)
End If
End Function
=========================================

It'd become even more complicated if we allowed other file systems!

Best,
--ron

 

[Rick Rothstein \(MVP - VB\)]

It's been over 20 years since I touched a Regular Expression (on a true Unix
box), so I really don't remember anything; hence, I don't know how to do
this any more. However, you really only have to look at text after the last
backslash, then if it has a dot in it, take only the part before it. If you
can't do that in one regular expression, can't you "chain" two regular
expressions together to do this?

Rick

I think you should do so. That way the OP (or others following the thread)
will have a choice. Besides, if the OP (or others readers) come from a
Regular Expression background, they will more than likely find your
solution
far more appealing than mine.

Rick

To include filenames that might not include a type extension, a starting
point
is to modify sPat (pattern) so that the characters after the last dot "."
are
optional:

=====================================
Option Explicit
Function reFilename(str As String) As String
Dim re As Object
Dim mc As Object
Const sPat As String = "\\([^\\\,.]+)(\.[^.]+)?$"

Set re = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
re.Pattern = sPat
If re.test(str) = True Then
Set mc = re.Execute(str)
reFilename = mc(0).submatches(0)
End If
End Function
======================================

HOWEVER, this may no longer give accurate matches. Windows long file
names may
include the dot "." So really you'd need to exclude all possible file
type
extensions, but not other endings that are not.

I'm no expert on allowable file type extensions in Windows.

What I did below was assume that a final "." followed by three or four
characters that are letters, numbers or underscore would represent a file
type
extension. But that other lengths or including other characters would
not.

It may well be that other characters should be added to the allowable
list.
This can be easily done.

In any event, it does become a lot more complex with long filenames that
might
or might not include an extension:

=====================================
Option Explicit
Function reFilename(str As String) As String
Dim re As Object
Dim mc As Object
Const sPat As String = "\\([^\\]+)((\.\w{3,4})|(\.[^.]*))$"

Set re = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
re.Pattern = sPat
If re.test(str) = True Then
Set mc = re.Execute(str)
reFilename = mc(0).submatches(0) & mc(0).submatches(3)
End If
End Function
=========================================

It'd become even more complicated if we allowed other file systems!

Best,
--ron

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

It's been over 20 years since I touched a Regular Expression (on a true Unix
box), so I really don't remember anything; hence, I don't know how to do
this any more. However, you really only have to look at text after the last
backslash, then if it has a dot in it, take only the part before it. If you
can't do that in one regular expression, can't you "chain" two regular
expressions together to do this?

That is what I did in the first pass of trying to extract file names that might
or might not have a file type extension.

But the following is a legitimate path name with an extension:

c:\folder\book.1.xls

And the following is a legitimate path name without an extension:

c:\folder\book.1

And even the following, also without a file-type extension.

c:\folder\book.1.part6.479001

The problem is that without some rule (3 or 4 characters) or an all-inclusive
list, you really can't tell whether the characters after the last dot are a
file type extension, or part of the file name.
--ron

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

The problem is that without some rule (3 or 4 characters) or an all-inclusive
list, you really can't tell whether the characters after the last dot are a
file type extension, or part of the file name.

For clarity, I should have added to that sentence:

"...or part of the file name, if you make the file type extension optional"
--ron

 

[Rick Rothstein \(MVP - VB\)]

c:\folder\book.1.xls

For clarity, I should have added to that sentence:

"...or part of the file name, if you make the file type extension
optional"

Okay, I understand what you are saying... because a filename can have a dot
in it, you can't be sure if the part after a dot is part of the filename
that does not have an extension or if it is the extension itself. Good
point! And because of that, the function I posted earlier won't work
correctly on path/filenames where the filename has a dot and an extension
too (the sample filename above being an example.. my previously posted
function returns "book", not "book.1"). Here is a revised function to handle
that part correctly (that being, if there is a dot, the text after it is an
extension which seems to be consistent with the OP's examples).

Function GetFileName(FN As String) As String
If Len(FN) Then
GetFileName = Split(FN, "\")(UBound(Split(FN, "\")))
If InStr(GetFileName, ".") Then _
GetFileName = Left(GetFileName, InStrRev(GetFileName, ".") - 1)
End If
End Function

Rick

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

Okay, I understand what you are saying... because a filename can have a dot
in it, you can't be sure if the part after a dot is part of the filename
that does not have an extension or if it is the extension itself. Good
point! And because of that, the function I posted earlier won't work
correctly on path/filenames where the filename has a dot and an extension
too (the sample filename above being an example.. my previously posted
function returns "book", not "book.1"). Here is a revised function to handle
that part correctly (that being, if there is a dot, the text after it is an
extension which seems to be consistent with the OP's examples).

Function GetFileName(FN As String) As String
If Len(FN) Then
GetFileName = Split(FN, "\")(UBound(Split(FN, "\")))
If InStr(GetFileName, ".") Then _
GetFileName = Left(GetFileName, InStrRev(GetFileName, ".") - 1)
End If
End Function

Rick

The problem now, of course, goes back to your original response, where you were
trying to devise a routine that would return a file name properly, even if it
had no extension.

For example:

C:\test.excel\PROPS\abc.defgxyz.xlsx

Your routine, and mine, properly return abc.defgxyz

but consider:

C:\test.excel\PROPS\abc.defgxyz

your routine returns "abc"

Mine returns "abc.defgxyz"

But mine will incorrectly truncate three or four character terminations whether
or not they are truly file-type extensions.

I could get around that with a list of extensions to be removed in the regex.

But now we are getting into an area where we need more information about the
data source. A lot of this would be unnecessary if ALL of the file names have
extensions.
--ron

 

[Rick Rothstein \(MVP - VB\)]

But now we are getting into an area where we need more information about

the
data source. A lot of this would be unnecessary if ALL of the file names
have
extensions.

You know, I was just thinking... the default in Windows XP and later
versions is for Windows Explorer to "Hide extensions for known file types"
unless the logged in user deliberately unchecks that option in

Windows Explorer/Tools/Folder Options/View (tab)/Advanced settings (listbox)

.... depending on one's level of computer sophistication, the user of your
spreadsheet may not even realize that the path/filename he or she is
inputting to your program even has an extension.

Rick

 

[Dana DeLouis]

Here's just another idea. One has to add a little error checking though
because it will return the original string if it's not a valid path. There
are a few ways to check.
For here, I set a vba reference to "Microsoft Scripting Runtime"


Sub Demo()
Dim fn1, fn2, fn3, fn4, fn5, fn6
Dim FSO As FileSystemObject
Set FSO = New FileSystemObject

fn1 = "c:\folder\book.1.xls"
fn2 = "c:\folder\book.1"
fn3 = "c:\folder\book.1.part6.479001"
fn4 = "C:\test excel\PROPS\abcdefg.xls"
fn5 = "C:\test.excel\PROPS\abc.defgxyz"
fn6 = "Just a String"

Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn1)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn2)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn3)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn4)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn5)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn6)

'fn6 returned the original string!
'One Possible Error Check:
If FSO.GetDriveName(fn6) = vbNullString Then
MsgBox fn6 & vbLf & "is not valid"
End If
End Sub

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

Here's just another idea. One has to add a little error checking though
because it will return the original string if it's not a valid path. There
are a few ways to check.
For here, I set a vba reference to "Microsoft Scripting Runtime"


Sub Demo()
Dim fn1, fn2, fn3, fn4, fn5, fn6
Dim FSO As FileSystemObject
Set FSO = New FileSystemObject

fn1 = "c:\folder\book.1.xls"
fn2 = "c:\folder\book.1"
fn3 = "c:\folder\book.1.part6.479001"
fn4 = "C:\test excel\PROPS\abcdefg.xls"
fn5 = "C:\test.excel\PROPS\abc.defgxyz"
fn6 = "Just a String"

Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn1)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn2)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn3)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn4)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn5)
Debug.Print FSO.GetFileName(fn6)

'fn6 returned the original string!
'One Possible Error Check:
If FSO.GetDriveName(fn6) = vbNullString Then
MsgBox fn6 & vbLf & "is not valid"
End If
End Sub

The OP did NOT want the file type extension to be returned. At least when I
run your routine on my machine, it does return the file type extension.
--ron

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

You know, I was just thinking... the default in Windows XP and later
versions is for Windows Explorer to "Hide extensions for known file types"
unless the logged in user deliberately unchecks that option in

Windows Explorer/Tools/Folder Options/View (tab)/Advanced settings (listbox)

... depending on one's level of computer sophistication, the user of your
spreadsheet may not even realize that the path/filename he or she is
inputting to your program even has an extension.

Rick

Well, the OP included extensions in his example.

Just thinking about the idea of filtering out the file extensions, it would be
difficult to do automatically. There is a list of *registered* file types in
the Registry (over 300 in a basic windows XP installation, so I've read). But
there is no requirement that all file types be registered. And I have at least
one program that has unregistered file types.

So I think the user would have to decide what extensions he wants to ignore;
and then we could just filter those out.
--ron

 

[Rick Rothstein \(MVP - VB\)]

You know, I was just thinking... the default in Windows XP and later

Well, the OP included extensions in his example.

True, but what if the OP were writing this macros for use by others and
those others only knew what Windows Explorer showed them?

Just thinking about the idea of filtering out the file extensions, it
would be
difficult to do automatically. There is a list of *registered* file types
in
the Registry (over 300 in a basic windows XP installation, so I've read).
But
there is no requirement that all file types be registered. And I have at
least
one program that has unregistered file types.

So I think the user would have to decide what extensions he wants to
ignore;
and then we could just filter those out.

Agreed. Otherwise, if the OP (and his/her possible user base) knew that the
filenames that would be submitted to the macro always contained extensions,
then the solutions we have provided should work then.


Rick

 

[Dana DeLouis]

The OP did NOT want the file type extension to be returned.

Oops! I messed that up. You're right.
As an alternative, perhaps "GetBaseName" instead ???

Sub Demo()
Dim f1, f2
f1 = "c:\folder\book.1.part6.479001"
f2 = "c:\folder\book.1.xls"

With New FileSystemObject
Debug.Print .GetBaseName(f1)
Debug.Print .GetBaseName(f2)
End With
End Sub

Returns:
book.1.part6
book.1

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

Oops! I messed that up. You're right.
As an alternative, perhaps "GetBaseName" instead ???

Sub Demo()
Dim f1, f2
f1 = "c:\folder\book.1.part6.479001"
f2 = "c:\folder\book.1.xls"

With New FileSystemObject
Debug.Print .GetBaseName(f1)
Debug.Print .GetBaseName(f2)
End With
End Sub

Returns:
book.1.part6
book.1

The problem now is that I don't believe that 479001 is necessarily a file type
extension. So it should be included in the output.

I think that if one is going to allow file names with and without extensions,
the only way to exclude only extensions is to either have a list of all the
extensions to be excluded, or to include some rule such as "anything with three
characters; or anything with three or four characters".
--ron