How to compare two strings in excel

[med2062]

I have two cells in excel. They are exactly the same. (TN28 01\1 & TN28 01\1) (I have just got them from two different spreadsheets). I have used EXACT function, IF function to compare the strings in the cells. I have also used Text function to convert these cells to text and then used EXACT and IF functions. while these functions must show that the cells have the same strings, I get false answers.(meaning the strings are not the same)
What is the problem? why I don't get a true answer?
Thank's.

 

[Rick Rothstein]

Check the fifth character of those two cells... I suspect one of those "spaces" is a normal space (ASCII 32) and the other is a non-breaking space (ASCII 160) which is something you sometimes get when copying text from the web.

 

[med2062]

Check the fifth character of those two cells... I suspect one of those "spaces" is a normal space (ASCII 32) and the other is a non-breaking space (ASCII 160) which is something you sometimes get when copying text from the web.

Thank's for your response.

Actually these spreadsheets are result from another software. the problem is not only the space i think all the letters have different formats. How can i change their format to the same one?

 

[Rick Rothstein]

Actually these spreadsheets are result from another software. the problem is not only the space i think all the letters have different formats. How can i change their format to the same one?

What exactly do you mean by "different formats"?