Help ! formatting data to text

  • Thread starter Thread starter WxMachine
  • Start date Start date
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WxMachine

I am creating data in an Excel spreadsheet. I then want to get that data
into a simple text email. I have some problems and questions...

1) how do I get the columns of data to line up evenly when I copy the data
to email text ? Keep in mind I need to be in simple text format, not HTML
or rich text.

Every time I do this, all columns become chaos and are unreadable.

2) Is there a simple way to automate the creation of an email from an excel
file ? this is less important to me.

Thanks in advance

WxMachine
 
#1. I think it may have to do with what email client you use, too.

I copy and paste from Excel to Netscape messenger (composing in plain text) and
each "cell" is still separated by a tab character.

If I do the same thing and paste into Outlook Express, the separator becomes a
space character (still composing in plain text).

When I really, really want the plain text email to line up nicely, I sometimes
use a helper column and build my string to copy and format it the way I want:

For example, if I want column A to be 20 characters, column B to be 10 and
column C to be formatted nicely as a number, I'd use this formula:

=LEFT(A1&REPT(" ",20),20) & LEFT(B1&REPT(" ",10),10) & TEXT(C1,"000,000.00")

(and format that column with a Courier New font--it'll be easier to check.

Then you could copy that helper column and paste into your email program.

Here's a link that discusses the same technique and has a macro that can
automate part of it.

http://google.com/[email protected]

#2: If you use Outlook, you may want to look here for some help:

http://www.rondebruin.nl/sendmail.htm
http://www.dicks-clicks.com

The first is Ron de Bruin's; the second is Dick Kusleika's.

(If I recall correctly, Ron has some examples of Sendmail--which will use your
default email program.)
 
Thanks Dave. This is a big help. I will go over this when I get a block of
time and see if I can get it to work better.
 
If you set your Outlook mail format (assuming you are using Outlook) to Rich
Text, rather than Plain Text, you will find that when you paste a range in
from Excel the spacing will be retained.

Of course you may not wany to use Rich Text.

Regards

David
 
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