Serach/Replace with wildcards

bluto

New Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Messages
43
Given these cels in col A:

IAD:a10-1
IAD:a10-10
IAD:a10-11
IAD:a10-12
IAD:a10-13
IAD:a10-14
IAD:a10-15
IAD:a10-16
IAD:a10-17
IAD:a10-18
IAD:a10-19
IAD:a10-2
IAD:a10-20
IAD:a10-21
IAD:a10-22
IAD:a10-23
IAD:a10-24
IAD:a10-25
IAD:a10-3
IAD:a10-4
IAD:a10-5
IAD:a10-6
IAD:a10-7
IAD:a10-8
IAD:a10-9
IAD:a1-1
IAD:a1-10
IAD:a1-11
IAD:a11-1
IAD:a11-10
IAD:a11-11

When sorted, notice that IAD:a10-1 comes before IAD:a1-1, and IAD:a10-2 comes well after

IAD:a10-1. I need to successfully sort with results:

IAD:a1-1
(thru)
IAD:a1-25
(then)
IAD:a2-1 (thru IAD:a2-25)
(up to)
IAD:a18-1 (thru IAD:a18-25)

I tried to search/replace IAD:a1-1 to IAD:a01-01 (assuming excel expects "01" to be smaller

than "1") with:
search IAD:?1-?1 replace IAD:?01-?01
but the results were "IAD:?01-?01" (with question mark)

How do I accomplish this? I'm a novice, so please be gentle... :)
 

Excel Facts

Quick Sum
Select a range of cells. The total appears in bottom right of Excel screen. Right-click total to add Max, Min, Count, Average.
Assuming all your data should have 10 characters, as your posted data shows, here is one way to do it, in four steps:

Assuming your data is in column C, starting in row 2:

1. Insert two new temporary columns D and E. Enter this formula in cell D2:
=IF(MID(C2,7,1)="-", LEFT(C2,5)&"0"&MID(C2,6,LEN(C2)-5),C2)
and copy down. This will change the first a1, a2, etc. into a01, a02, etc.

2. Enter this formula in E2:
=IF(LEN(D2)=9, LEFT(D2,8)&"0"&MID(D2,9,1),D2)
and copy down. This will change the part after the dash, from -1, -2, etc to -01, -02, etc.

3. Highlight column E, do a Copy, click on C2, then on Edit, Paste Special, then on the option button for Values, and, finally, on OK.

4. You may now safely delete the temporary columns D and E, and proceed with your sorting.

P.S. As to how Excel sorts... Excel sorts in the way computers have sorted since their inception, according to the ASCII code. The ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) system, created for use in telegraph, was adapted to represent the various characters and actions that take place with computers and printers. If interested, send me a PM with your email, and I will send you my ASCII2.EXE file that shows the 127 ASCII symbols, 0-127, plus the standard IBM Extended Characters, 128-255.
 
Upvote 0
Thanks, RalphA! That did the trick! I figured it would take some VB or such to fix this, and this worked like a charm! I appreciate it!
 
Upvote 0

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