Forum Discussion
Solved
Using cell reference with text in cell
Hello,
I am trying to capture a simple cell reference to capture the contents of one cell into another cell. For example on a summary worksheet, I would pull the goals captured from another cell in another worksheet:
=sheetname!$C$204
Cell C204 does contain quite a bit of text (e.g., 450 characters or less). I noticed that once I hit approx. 141 characters, that the formula doesn't work and I can't see any text from C204 at all. There's no error message, it's just blank.
I'm wondering if there is a limit to text that can be pulled in the reference and (more importantly) if there is a work around.
Thank you for your help!!
In general and as far as i know, there is no limit to the amount of text that can be pulled using a cell reference in Excel. However, there are a few potential issues that could be causing the problem you're experiencing:
- Cell Formatting: Ensure that the formatting of the destination cell is set to accommodate the length of the text. If the cell is not wide enough or the text is formatted as hidden or white, it may appear as if there is no text.
- Hidden Characters: Check if there are any hidden characters, spaces, or line breaks in the source cell (C204) that could affect the display in the destination cell. You can use the CLEAN function to remove non-printable characters from the text.
- Data Type: Confirm that the data type of the destination cell is set to "General" or "Text." If it is set as a numeric or date format, it may not display the text correctly.
If none of the above solutions resolve the issue, it is possible that there may be an underlying problem with the file or software. In that case, you can try the following troubleshooting steps:
- Copy and Paste Special: Copy the text from the source cell (C204), then use "Paste Special" and choose "Values" to paste it into the destination cell. This will remove any formulas or formatting that could be causing the issue.
- Repair or Reinstall Excel: If the problem persists, you can try repairing or reinstalling Excel to ensure that the software is functioning properly.
It is worth noting that Excel has a limit of 32,767 characters in a single cell. If the text in the source cell exceeds this limit, it may not be fully displayed in the destination cell.
If you were still experiencing issues after trying these steps, it would be helpful to provide more details or share a sample file for further investigation.
Thank you so much for the responses!
NikolinoDE your comment about using the clear function helped me to realize that there was a conditional formatting rule that was active on the cell and impacted how the content was being displayed in the cell with the cell reference. I deleted the rule and now it is working perfectly! Phew.
Thanks again- I am pleased that your project has progressed.
I wish you continued success with Excel!
It shall work. Assuming your formula =sheetname!$C$204 is in A1, what =LEN(A1) returns?
In general and as far as i know, there is no limit to the amount of text that can be pulled using a cell reference in Excel. However, there are a few potential issues that could be causing the problem you're experiencing:
- Cell Formatting: Ensure that the formatting of the destination cell is set to accommodate the length of the text. If the cell is not wide enough or the text is formatted as hidden or white, it may appear as if there is no text.
- Hidden Characters: Check if there are any hidden characters, spaces, or line breaks in the source cell (C204) that could affect the display in the destination cell. You can use the CLEAN function to remove non-printable characters from the text.
- Data Type: Confirm that the data type of the destination cell is set to "General" or "Text." If it is set as a numeric or date format, it may not display the text correctly.
If none of the above solutions resolve the issue, it is possible that there may be an underlying problem with the file or software. In that case, you can try the following troubleshooting steps:
- Copy and Paste Special: Copy the text from the source cell (C204), then use "Paste Special" and choose "Values" to paste it into the destination cell. This will remove any formulas or formatting that could be causing the issue.
- Repair or Reinstall Excel: If the problem persists, you can try repairing or reinstalling Excel to ensure that the software is functioning properly.
It is worth noting that Excel has a limit of 32,767 characters in a single cell. If the text in the source cell exceeds this limit, it may not be fully displayed in the destination cell.
If you were still experiencing issues after trying these steps, it would be helpful to provide more details or share a sample file for further investigation.
