Extract text from middle of string using character count

[rythmic_flow]

Hello,

I would like to extract the name only from a cell that comes through in the following format:

abc123456789 JOE BLOGGS abc123456789

The name can very in length, but the number of characters from the far left and far right of the string always stay the same amount.

Is there a formula that can count characters both from the right and from the left and extract what is in the middle?

Or are any different ways to do this?

 

[AlphaFrog]

Try this...

=MID(A1,14,LEN(A1)-26)

 

[sandy666]

if the name is always in upper case and the rest is in lower case

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Table9"]}[Content],
    Result = Table.RemoveColumns(Table.TransformColumns(Table.AddColumn(Source, "Name", each Text.Select([raw], {"A".."Z", " "})),{{"Name", Text.Trim, type text}}),{"raw"})
in
    Result

raw		Name
abc123456789 JOE BLOGGS abc123456789		JOE BLOGGS

 

[rythmic_flow]

Hi Alpha,

This works for the above sample, but doesn't cover the varying lengths of names.

If the number of characters before and after the name are always a consistent amount, is there a formula that can trim both the first 13 and last 13 characters from a cell?

 

[rythmic_flow]

if the name is always in upper case and the rest is in lower case

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Table9"]}[Content],
    Result = Table.RemoveColumns(Table.TransformColumns(Table.AddColumn(Source, "Name", each Text.Select([raw], {"A".."Z", " "})),{{"Name", Text.Trim, type text}}),{"raw"})
in
    Result

raw		Name
abc123456789 JOE BLOGGS abc123456789		JOE BLOGGS

That's a good suggestion, but unfortunately there are variables here too

 

[sandy666]

but unfortunately there are variables here too

you didn't say that in post#1 and it seems your example is not representative

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Table9"]}[Content],
    TBD = Table.AddColumn(Source, "Result", each Text.BetweenDelimiters([raw], " ", " ", 0, 1), type text),
    TSC = Table.SelectColumns(TBD,{"Result"})
in
    TSC

result is the same as above

 

[rythmic_flow]

you didn't say that in post#1 and it seems your example is not representative

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Table9"]}[Content],
    TBD = Table.AddColumn(Source, "Result", each Text.BetweenDelimiters([raw], " ", " ", 0, 1), type text),
    TSC = Table.SelectColumns(TBD,{"Result"})
in
    TSC

result is the same as above

Thanks for pointing it out. I can't seem to find an edit function to change my original post, but will bear in mind next time.

Regarding your latest formula, is this something that needs to be done within powerquery? I don't have experience with this. Is there a more simple formula using TRIM/MID/LEN function?

A more accurate example would be:

abC-123456789 JOE BLOGGS aBC123456789

Variables: Length of name can change

Consistencies: Number of characters before and after name will be the same each time

 

[rythmic_flow]

Sandy, looking back at your posts, i'm seeing both your formulas in power query coding now. I don't know what has changed or why i am seeing like this?

 

[sandy666]

first code extracting upper case letter and spaces then trim which is wrong because of post#5
second code extracting string between space before name and space after name
it doesn't count anything
both are M (Power Query)

 

[AlphaFrog]

Hi Alpha,

This works for the above sample, but doesn't cover the varying lengths of names.

If the number of characters before and after the name are always a consistent amount, is there a formula that can trim both the first 13 and last 13 characters from a cell?

=MID(A1,14,LEN(A1)-26)

The formula trims both the first 13 and last 13 characters from a cell regardless of the length of name in between.

What am I missing? Did you try it?