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acknak
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Joined: 13 Aug 2004
Posts: 4295
Location: ~ 40°N,75°W
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 Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 7:48 am Post subject: convert cells to a text list? |
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Does anyone have a good way to convert a range of cells to a comma-separated text list of the values?
I'm creating a link with the form url?id=comma-separated-id-list...
E.g. http://www.example.com/articles?id=123,332,724,910
I have the article ids (as text values) in a named range--how do I convert them into the comma-separated list?
Here's what I have now, which frankly sucks:
| Code: | | =IF(ISBLANK(A4);"";A4) & IF(ISBLANK(A5);"";","&A5) ... & IF(A29="";"";"," & A29) |
The list item there picks up a second group of ten ids.
I must be missing something obvious; this is trivial in any modern language. Ideally, there would be a simple function, like this: JOIN( Separator ; Range )
Even better would be something that would take the current selection, but I'm fairly sure that has to be done with a macro, which I would like to avoid if possible. |
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Villeroy
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Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 10065
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:02 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | this is trivial in any modern language |
Spreadsheets did not change very much since late 80s.
Most simple solution I can think of (sorry, it's stupid Basic code):
| Code: |
Function JOINCOLUMN(values, sep$)
on error goto exitErr
dim aRow(lBound(values, 1) to uBound(values, 1))
for i = lBound(aRow()) to uBound(aRow())
aRow(i) = values(i, 1)
next
JOINCOLUMN = Join(aRow(), sep)
exit function
exitErr:
REM #VALUE
JOINCOLUMN = Null
End Function
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Usage:
=JOINCOLUMN(A1:A9;",") [blanks are "0"]
{=JOINCOLUMN(IF(ISBLANK(A1:A9);"";A1:A9);",")} [blanks are ""]
Joining a horizontal range:
=JOINCOLUMN(TRANSPOSE(A1:X1);",")
Surprisingly, the last one treats blanks as "". THis is due to TRANSPOSE, so we can change the second example (including clause IF(ISBLANK() in array context):
=JOINCOLUMN(TRANSPOSE(TRANSPOSE(A1:A9));",") |
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RickRandom
Super User
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Posts: 1082
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:25 am Post subject: |
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I'd do this by putting the formula in for just 2 cells, then copying/filling as necessary:
Text in cells A5, A6, etc:
In B5:
=A5
In B6:
=B5&","&A6
then fill down as necessary, 3 cells, 30 cells, whatever. The list "grows".
You can add the IF(ISBLANK(... stuff as necessary. |
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acknak
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Joined: 13 Aug 2004
Posts: 4295
Location: ~ 40°N,75°W
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| Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks a lot, those are both very helpful suggestions.
I'll see how they work out. |
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