[mso] Re: Fractions and Excel 2000, how to force to *my* format?

Linda-

Get ready to pat yourself on the back. Heck, treat yourself to a glass 
of Sherry!

I told my college instructor your suggestion. She (yes, she is a lady) 
said, that advice had to come from a girl. Only a girl would give a 
wrong answer. (Don't get mad, I stuck up for you. I won't go into the 
name calling, but let's just say it was profanity filled that a girl I 
had not seen would know enough to be able to give a right answer.

Wellllll, she was looking over my shoulder as I tried your answer, 
repeatingly telling me it would not work. It worked. I had to work to 
keep a smirk off my face, I really wanted to gloat. Oh, I am so tempted 
to pick the most expensive place in town. Her explanation? "Your version 
of Excel is corrupted. It has to be."

My point is you were nice, prompt, clear on the answer, and easy to 
understand. I am going to enjoy this dinner. Now where to go..?

Robert

Linda F. Johnson wrote:
> Format> Cells > Custom
>
> Type this:
>
> # ?/12
>
> Then type 8/12 in the cell
>
> *******************************
> Linda F. Johnson
> Linda's Computer Stop
> http://personal-computer-tutor.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
> Of Robert Carneal
> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 6:14 PM
> To: mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [mso] Fractions and Excel 2000, how to force to *my* format?
>
> Hello everyone. In Excel 2000, I would like to enter some fractions. 
> These are fractions of years, and census takers entered them in a way 
> that is strange to most non-genealogists.
>
> Suppose a person is eight months old at the time a census was taken. The 
> enumerator would enter 8 / 12, meaning the person was less than a year 
> old, but eight months old.  If I enter 8/12 in Excel, depending on the 
> format, one of two things happens: Either it is translated as a date 
> (Aug 12), or the operation is mathematically carried out resulting in 
> 0.6666666666. This isn't what I want to enter.
>
> Say I want to enter 3/4. I enter a zero space 3/4, and "3/4" shows up. 
> Great, that is wonderful.
> Now suppose I want to enter 8/12. I enter zero space 8/12, and "2/3" 
> comes up, which is mathematically correct, but I would rather it not 
> automatically reduce the fraction. Possible to do without entering as 
> text or using VBA?  I can use text just fine, just more time and typing.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Robert
>
>
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