Value Error

[JimS]

I copied some data from a web page and pasted it into a spread sheet.
It looks like the following:

10/12/2008 BALTIMORE RAVENS 39 39
13:00 EST INDIANAPOLIS COLTS -6 -4.5

Simple enough. when I try to subtract (or add) -6 and -4.5 into a new
cell I get a value error. If I retype the -4.5 to -4.5 (I can't see
why there is any difference) it works. (I don't have to retype the
-6???, just the -4.5)

I don't want to manually change all of the numbers so I can do simple
subtraction and addition.

This is frustrating.

 

[Pete_UK]

You may well have imported non-breaking space characters (code 160)
with that data. One easy way to get rid of them is to highlight the
two number columns, then CTRL-H:

Find what: alt-0160
Replace with: leave blank
Click Replace All

where alt-0160 means to hold down the Alt key and type 0160 on the
numeric keypad.

Hope this helps.

Pete

 

[JimS]

Hey that worked, thanks. The only tricky part (on my laptop) is that
when you type in alt-0160 nothing shows up in the insert area--it just
looks blank. I went ahead and did it anyway, and it worked.

 

[Pete_UK]

I'm glad to hear that, Jim - you often get those characters if you
copy data from an HTML source.

The character is a space, so you won't be able to see it !!

However, if you look carefully when you do it you will see the cursor
move slightly in the Find What box.

Pete