True/False for finding text in cells

Is there a simple formula for checking if a cell contains a text string,
which returns a TRUE/FALSE? It is possible to combine "ISERROR" and "FIND",
but this becomes a pain when you have to do it all the time. Instead of
using the reverse logic of:

=if(iserror(find("text",A1))=FALSE,...

it would be so much easier to write:

=if(contains("text",A1),...

This is a very basic thing you can do with an autofilter, so it seems like
there would be a function that does this without returning error values. Any
suggestions? Thank you.

Joel
Sun May 11 21:00:00 CDT 2008

Find doesn't return an error, it will return zero if not found or the
character position where the string starts

=if(find("text",A1)=0,False,True)


"pdi805" wrote:

> Is there a simple formula for checking if a cell contains a text string,
> which returns a TRUE/FALSE? It is possible to combine "ISERROR" and "FIND",
> but this becomes a pain when you have to do it all the time. Instead of
> using the reverse logic of:
>
> =if(iserror(find("text",A1))=FALSE,...
>
> it would be so much easier to write:
>
> =if(contains("text",A1),...
>
> This is a very basic thing you can do with an autofilter, so it seems like
> there would be a function that does this without returning error values. Any
> suggestions? Thank you.

David
Mon May 12 02:31:59 CDT 2008

Which version of Excel is that, Joel?
With Excel 2003, FIND returns #VALUE! if the text is not found.
--
David Biddulph

"Joel" <Joel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E12CC842-3847-4CB9-8BFB-B47EF03FC801@microsoft.com...
> Find doesn't return an error, it will return zero if not found or the
> character position where the string starts
>
> =if(find("text",A1)=0,False,True)
>
>
> "pdi805" wrote:
>
>> Is there a simple formula for checking if a cell contains a text string,
>> which returns a TRUE/FALSE? It is possible to combine "ISERROR" and
>> "FIND",
>> but this becomes a pain when you have to do it all the time. Instead of
>> using the reverse logic of:
>>
>> =if(iserror(find("text",A1))=FALSE,...
>>
>> it would be so much easier to write:
>>
>> =if(contains("text",A1),...
>>
>> This is a very basic thing you can do with an autofilter, so it seems
>> like
>> there would be a function that does this without returning error values.
>> Any
>> suggestions? Thank you.

Joel
Mon May 12 03:33:00 CDT 2008

Your right, I was thinking of the INSTR in VBA.

"David Biddulph" wrote:

> Which version of Excel is that, Joel?
> With Excel 2003, FIND returns #VALUE! if the text is not found.
> --
> David Biddulph
>
> "Joel" <Joel@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:E12CC842-3847-4CB9-8BFB-B47EF03FC801@microsoft.com...
> > Find doesn't return an error, it will return zero if not found or the
> > character position where the string starts
> >
> > =if(find("text",A1)=0,False,True)
> >
> >
> > "pdi805" wrote:
> >
> >> Is there a simple formula for checking if a cell contains a text string,
> >> which returns a TRUE/FALSE? It is possible to combine "ISERROR" and
> >> "FIND",
> >> but this becomes a pain when you have to do it all the time. Instead of
> >> using the reverse logic of:
> >>
> >> =if(iserror(find("text",A1))=FALSE,...
> >>
> >> it would be so much easier to write:
> >>
> >> =if(contains("text",A1),...
> >>
> >> This is a very basic thing you can do with an autofilter, so it seems
> >> like
> >> there would be a function that does this without returning error values.
> >> Any
> >> suggestions? Thank you.
>
>
>