The Formula is Too Long

[Guest]

I am trying to do a find and replace and am getting "formula is too long"
error message. I'm confused because the column I'm searching doesn't contain
formulas - just text. Also, the text I'm using in the find and replace box
isn't very long - I'm using phrases such as ", and managers" and trying to
replace it with ", and manages". There are 800 lines I'd like to edit so
being able to do a "replace all" makes it much less time-consuming! Does
anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks!

 

[news-server.insight.rr.com]

I am trying to do a find and replace and am getting "formula is too long"

error message. I'm confused because the column I'm searching doesn't contain
formulas - just text. Also, the text I'm using in the find and replace box
isn't very long - I'm using phrases such as ", and managers" and trying to
replace it with ", and manages". There are 800 lines I'd like to edit so
being able to do a "replace all" makes it much less time-consuming! Does
anyone know how to fix this?

very tough to tell, it could be lots of things. It sounds like you need to
go through the troubleshooting process to narrow it down.

Did you try search/replace on values instead of formulas?

Does it tell you which cell is too long?

Does 'search' without 'replace' work?

I've seen the error before but not for any single reason. As long as this
is not a known bug, or common problem, you'll have to provide more info.

cliff

 

[Guest]

Thanks Cliff. In response to your questions:

1. When I am doing a find only, I can search by values, formulas, or
comments. However, when I try to do find and replace, the only option it
gives me is to search by formulas - there are only blank lines below that
option.

2. All cells with the desired text are too long. If I am replacing text on a
cell-by-cell basis, it gives me the error message after I hit the Replace
button. If I try to use Replace All, it gives me the message after I hit the
Replace All button.

3. Yes, Search without Replace works fine.

Thanks!

Brook

3.

 

[news-server.insight.rr.com]

Thanks Cliff. In response to your questions:

1. When I am doing a find only, I can search by values, formulas, or
comments. However, when I try to do find and replace, the only option it
gives me is to search by formulas - there are only blank lines below that
option.

2. All cells with the desired text are too long. If I am replacing text on a
cell-by-cell basis, it gives me the error message after I hit the Replace
button. If I try to use Replace All, it gives me the message after I hit the
Replace All button.

If you manually go into the cell and do your edit, do you get the 'too long'
error? or just with 'search/replace'?
If you get it even manually you may have to split the text into two cells.
How long is the text?

Cliff

 

[Guest]

I can go into any of the cells and edit the text (adding to it or taking away
from it) with normal results. The number of characters in the cells range
from 850 to ???

 

[Dave Peterson]

I think I saw a post by Jan Karel Pieterse that his newest FlexFind will avoid
this problem:

http://www.oaltd.co.uk/MVP/

If you want to mess around with your own macro:
http://groups.google.co.uk/[email protected]

If you're new to macros, you may want to read David McRitchie's intro at:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks to both of you!

I think I saw a post by Jan Karel Pieterse that his newest FlexFind will avoid
this problem:

http://www.oaltd.co.uk/MVP/

If you want to mess around with your own macro:
http://groups.google.co.uk/[email protected]

If you're new to macros, you may want to read David McRitchie's intro at:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm