Separating Names & Last Names

F

Fernando Gomez

I have a long list of Las Names and Names coming from a database, in this
way
Russel...Mark (the dot comes in different numbers from 2 to 6), what I am
trying to do is with a formula, separate last name and put that in a column
& name put in a different column.
A solution was given to use Text to column with delimiter as ".", but
unfortunately, about 25 % of lines is not separated why I do not know, 2
lines could have the same number of characters and same number of "."s, and
one is not separated. does somebody knows another solutionwith a formula.

Thanks
 
B

Bob Phillips

We have responded already!

--

HTH

Bob Phillips
... looking out across Poole Harbour to the Purbecks
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)
 
F

Fernando Gomez

Yes I saw, the response, but I had a new posting because the separation is
not consistent, separates 3 or 4 names then leaves 1or 2 without
separation, that's why, I posted again to see if anybody else have a
different way or perhaps a formula.

..
Thanks for your help
 
R

Ron_D

As Bob suggests, the Text to Column is the most efficient way to separate last name and first name. Perhaps, instead of a delimiter use a fixed width to separate the names because the database may be reacting the dots as a placeholder to limit the number of characters in the last name field. Place the column at the very first letter of the first name field. What you will have are two columns. The first column is the last name field with some dots after the last name, depending on the length of the name. The second column should be the first name. This column won't have dots after the name, and should be fine

Now work on the first column using the Find and Replace feature. Find all instances of "." and replace with "". This process will illiminate(sp?) the dots

Hope this clarify what Bob was invisioning

Ron_D
 
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