Improvements for text finding functions

[yarp]

1. The functions SEARCH(), SEARCHB(), FIND() and FINDB() return a #value
error if they didn't find the "find_text" string within the "within_text"
string. This forces the user to use long formulas such as
=IF(ISERROR(SEARCH(A1, A2)), 0, SEARCH(A1, A2)) in order to avoid errors.
Since in case of success, these functions return the serial number of the
first matching character, starting from 1, I suggest that these functions
return either 0 or -1 if they can't find that text.
2. I suggest to add functions that count the number of times that one text
exists within another, for example:
FINDNUM(find_text, within_text), SEARCHNUM(find_text, within_text)
FINDNUM is case-sensitive, SEARCHNUM is not.
Find_text is the text you want to find.
Within_text is the text containing the text you want to find.
Example: FINDNUM("ma", "Mamma mia!") returns 1, SEARCHNUM("ma", "Mamma
mia!") returns 2.

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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...9-6d9e20a60f9d&dg=microsoft.public.excel.misc

 

[Biff]

Example: FINDNUM("ma", "Mamma mia!") returns 1, SEARCHNUM("ma", "Mamma

mia!") returns 2.

These are already easy enough:

=(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"ma","")))/2

=(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(LOWER(A1),"ma","")))/2

Substitute being case sensitive.

Biff

 

[yarp]

Biff,
That's very creative!
I'd even generalize your answer a little:
=(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,A2,"")))/LEN(A2)
=(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(LOWER(A1),LOWER(A2),"")))/LEN(A2)
I think I may use this in the future, until Microsoft decide there's enough
potential for the functions I've offered to be used.
Thank you for your help!
yarp.