Countif text not recognized

[pleeseemailme]

Howdy,

I have a report that spits out batches of information into a csv file. Before each batch, the report inserts the text: ">>>". I need to count the number of batches in each report, so I tried: =COUNTIF(A:A,">>>"). For whatever reason, this actually counts each cell with a value in it and not just the cells with ">>>". I've gotten around it by using the array formula: =SUM(IF(A:A=">>>",1,0)). However, I was curious if anyone could shed some light as to why the COUNTIF formula doesn't work; I'd like to learn why. Thank once again to you all.

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

Howdy,

I have a report that spits out batches of information into a csv file. Before each batch, the report inserts the text: ">>>". I need to count the number of batches in each report, so I tried: =COUNTIF(A:A,">>>"). For whatever reason, this actually counts each cell with a value in it and not just the cells with ">>>". I've gotten around it by using the array formula: =SUM(IF(A:A=">>>",1,0)). However, I was curious if anyone could shed some light as to why the COUNTIF formula doesn't work; I'd like to learn why. Thank once again to you all.

Consider:

	FALSE	FALSE
<	FALSE	FALSE
>>>	FALSE	TRUE
s	TRUE	TRUE
x	TRUE	TRUE
3	FALSE	FALSE

<TBODY>
</TBODY>

[1] B1, copied down:

=A1 > ">>>"

[2] C1, copied down:

=A1 > "="&">>>"

[3]

=COUNTIF(A:A, ">>>")

===> 3

[4]

=COUNTIF(A:A,"="&">>>")

===> 1

COUNTIF behaves the same as D-functions...

If you want eliminate the effect of the > comparison operator, you need to invoke the COUNTIF formula with an = operator.

The behavior in [3] is copmparable with:

=COUNTIF(A:A, ">>")

or

=COUNTIF(A:A,">"&">")

or

=COUNTIF(A:A,">"&">>")

Conclusion: You need to neutralize the effect of the > operator.

 

[AlphaFrog]

This is a guess.

The > is the operator greater than.

I think the COUNTIF function is interpreting this ">>>" as counting all cells as greater than ">>"
The first > is interpreted as an operator.

Try this instead
=COUNTIF(A:A,"=>>>")

 

[pleeseemailme]

That did it. I just needed the "=" sign. It makes sense now that it was looking for cells greater than ">>". Thanks so much!