Microsoft KB Archive/106340

Microsoft Knowledge Base

XL: Tabs Appear Strange in TextWizard

Last reviewed: March 27, 1997
Article ID: Q106340

5.00 5.00c 7.00 7.00a | 5.00 5.00a

WINDOWS               | MACINTOSH

kbusage

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SUMMARY

When you use the TextWizard to import text files into Microsoft Excel, tab characters appear as blocky characters instead of empty spaces.

These characters do not affect the text: when you import the file as a tab-delimited file, your text is parsed correctly.

MORE INFORMATION

Because of the design of the TextWizard, tab characters are usually displayed as blocky characters. This effect is most noticeable in the following locations in the TextWizard:

• Step 1.
• Steps 2 and 3, if Delimited is chosen in Step 1 and if Tab is NOT a selected delimiter in Step 2.
• Steps 2 and 3, if Fixed Width is chosen in Step 1.

If you indicate in Step 1 that the file is Delimited and if you select Tab as a delimiter in Step 2, tab characters will not be displayed in Steps 2 and 3 as blocky characters. Instead, they will appear as vertical lines that separate adjacent columns from each other.

REFERENCES

"User's Guide 2," version 5.0, page 724

KBCategory: kbusage KBSubcategory: Additional reference words: 5.00 7.00 Keywords : kbusage Version : 5.00 5.00c 7.00 7.00a | 5.00 5.0 Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Last reviewed: March 27, 1997 ©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.