deleting spaces

[Continental Translations]

In a column of cells, tha majority of cells have spaces before the text. As
there are over 500 cells, is there any easy way to delete these spaces? As
there are spaces in between words within these cells, I don't want to delete
all spaces, but just the first one which comes in front of the text.

 

[David McRitchie]

Hi Continental............,
Suggest using the TRIMALL macro
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall

And if you got the material from an HTML page then they
probably are CHAR(160) nonbreaking space (&nbsp
rather than actual spaces Char(32), both of which are covered
in the macro.

 

[Ragdyer]

You could try using a "helper" column with a formula to eliminate leading
and trailing spaces.
Then, you delete the formula, and leave the revised data behind.

With data starting in A1, enter this in B1:

=TRIM(A1)

Now, select B1, and double click on the "fill handle" (little black square)
in the lower right corner of the selected cell.

This will copy the formula down column B, as far as there is data in column
A.

Now, while column B is *still* selected, right click in the selection and
choose "Copy".
Right click *again* in the selection, and choose "PasteSpecial".
Choose "Values", then <OK>.

You now have column B with your revised data, where you may delete the
original column if desired.