PROPER function

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cschiller1

Hi all -

Stupid me, maybe, but I can't get this function to work. The help file says:

"PROPER (text)
Text is text enclosed in quotation marks, a formula that returns text,
or a reference to a cell containing the text you want to partially
capitalize."

So the text I want to convert is in cell, say, I370. In helper cell J130
I enter
=PROPER(I370)

But all I get in cell J130 after hitting enter is =PROPER(I370). In
other words, it doesn't seem to be acting as a formula --- it is just
appearing literally.

This is an inherited spreadsheet, so it's possible something is set
screwy, but I have no idea what it is. Using Excel 2000.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Craig
 
Format J130 as General - it's currently formatted as Text, which means
that XL's parser won't interpret it as a formula.
 
Hi Craig,

Your cell is formatted as text. Format as General *and* re-enter the formula (F2, ENTER)

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel

"cschiller1<at>earthlink.net earthlink.net >" <"cschiller1<at> wrote in message | Hi all -
|
| Stupid me, maybe, but I can't get this function to work. The help file says:
|
| "PROPER (text)
| Text is text enclosed in quotation marks, a formula that returns text,
| or a reference to a cell containing the text you want to partially
| capitalize."
|
| So the text I want to convert is in cell, say, I370. In helper cell J130
| I enter
| =PROPER(I370)
|
| But all I get in cell J130 after hitting enter is =PROPER(I370). In
| other words, it doesn't seem to be acting as a formula --- it is just
| appearing literally.
|
| This is an inherited spreadsheet, so it's possible something is set
| screwy, but I have no idea what it is. Using Excel 2000.
|
| Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
|
| Craig
|
 
Good chance that the cell with the formula showing was pre-formatted as text.

Format to General and hit F2 then ENTER.

If all formulas are showing then try hitting the toggle key for "show formulas"

CTRL + ` backquote above Tab key


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
 
Sorry, that didn't change it.

JE said:
Format J130 as General - it's currently formatted as Text, which means
that XL's parser won't interpret it as a formula.
Click to expand...
 
Ah, THAT did it. It was the re-entering the formula that I was missing
before. Thanks a bunch, Nick!
 
Thanks to you too, Gord. All fixed.

Gord said:
Good chance that the cell with the formula showing was pre-formatted as text.

Format to General and hit F2 then ENTER.

If all formulas are showing then try hitting the toggle key for "show formulas"

CTRL + ` backquote above Tab key


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
Click to expand...
 
Ah, THAT did it. It was the re-entering the formula that I was missing
before. Thanks a bunch, Nick!
Click to expand...

Tip for the future - you don't have to re-enter it. Just
reformat, then press F2 and then Enter.
--
__________________________________________________________________________________
Ed Hansberry (Please do *NOT* email me. Post here for the benefit of all)
What is on my Pocket PC? http://www.ehansberry.com/
Microsoft MVP - Mobile Devices www.pocketpc.com
What is an MVP? -
 
Hi all -

Stupid me, maybe, but I can't get this function to work. The help file says:

"PROPER (text)
Text is text enclosed in quotation marks, a formula that returns text,
or a reference to a cell containing the text you want to partially
capitalize."

So the text I want to convert is in cell, say, I370. In helper cell J130
I enter
=PROPER(I370)

But all I get in cell J130 after hitting enter is =PROPER(I370). In
other words, it doesn't seem to be acting as a formula --- it is just
appearing literally.

This is an inherited spreadsheet, so it's possible something is set
screwy, but I have no idea what it is. Using Excel 2000.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Craig
Click to expand...

Craig,

Do NOT format the cell as "Text"; instead format as "General". After
you've changed the formatting, select the cell with the formula and
click on the formula in the formula bar and hit enter (to re-run the
formula). This should fix your problem.

Regards,

Dustin
 
Hi all -

Stupid me, maybe, but I can't get this function to work. The help file says:

"PROPER (text)
Text is text enclosed in quotation marks, a formula that returns text,
or a reference to a cell containing the text you want to partially
capitalize."

So the text I want to convert is in cell, say, I370. In helper cell J130
I enter
=PROPER(I370)

But all I get in cell J130 after hitting enter is =PROPER(I370). In
other words, it doesn't seem to be acting as a formula --- it is just
appearing literally.

This is an inherited spreadsheet, so it's possible something is set
screwy, but I have no idea what it is. Using Excel 2000.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Craig
Click to expand...

Hi, so is it appearing literally in the cell? If yes, this is to be
expected.

Is it appearing literally in the formula bar? If yes, this is not to
be expected. I am assuming that the formula bar shows the formula in
the cell.

Hope this helps.

J~
 
Or if there are multiple formulas, format as general then just select the
column and do data>text to column and click finish or if there are multiple
columns select them and replace = with = using edit>replace


--


Regards,


Peo Sjoblom



"Ed Hansberry, MS-MVP/Mobile Devices"
 
The cell (J130) is probably formatted as text - format it as General
and then re-enter the formula (or double-click as if to edit and then
press <enter>)

Hope this helps.

Pete
 
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