There are many times when writing macros that you need to convert strings to numbers. You can do this with the Val() function. This function returns the value of a string, up to the first nonnumeric character. The following are examples:
A = Val(MyString) B = Val("-12345.67") C = Val("9876") D = Val(" 4 5 2 1")
The first line converts MyString into a value, placing it in A. The second line results in B being set to —12345.67. The third places the value 9876 into C, and the final line sets D equal to 4521. Notice that spaces are ignored in the conversion; this is why the final line works the way it does. You should also note that trying to use formatted numbers in a conversion will confuse the Val() function. Thus, Val("1,234") would not return a value of 1234 (as one might hope), but a value of 1. The conversion stops at the first nonnumeric character, in this case the comma.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2295) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Converting Strings to Numbers.
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