Pasted HTML Table Data Won't Convert From Text

[Guest]

When copying a table from a webpage, the numeric data pastes into Excel as
text. Normally, I can easily convert "text digits" by simply clicking in each
cell (as if to edit) or doing a search/replace, looking for one character (a
common digit, decimal point) and replacing it with the same. That method
isn't working with the HTML-originated data, which refuses to convert itself
unless it's re-typed.

What is it about this data type that makes it so stubborn?

TIA

 

[Guest]

It's common for ranges pasted from web pages to contain HTML non-breaking
spaces.

Try this to remove them:
Select the range of "numbers"
<Edit><Replace>
Find What: [Alt]+0160 <-Hold down [Alt]…type 0160…release [Alt]
Replace with: (leave this blank)
Click [Replace All]

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP

 

[Guest]

I just discovered the spaces before seeing your answer, and wondered why they
were invulnerable to automatic deletion with a find/replace command.
Thanks,works like a charm!

It's common for ranges pasted from web pages to contain HTML non-breaking
spaces.

Try this to remove them:
Select the range of "numbers"
<Edit><Replace>
Find What: [Alt]+0160 <-Hold down [Alt]…type 0160…release [Alt]
Replace with: (leave this blank)
Click [Replace All]

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP

When copying a table from a webpage, the numeric data pastes into Excel as
text. Normally, I can easily convert "text digits" by simply clicking in each
cell (as if to edit) or doing a search/replace, looking for one character (a
common digit, decimal point) and replacing it with the same. That method
isn't working with the HTML-originated data, which refuses to convert itself
unless it's re-typed.

What is it about this data type that makes it so stubborn?

TIA