Arranging an alphanumeric string in alphabetical then chronological order

**emanon132501** · 10-23-2009, 07:20 PM

In Cell A1 i have a text string of "ABS9E8C2D" i want something is cell B1that will arrange the string in Alphabetical order for Letters, then increasing order for numbers "ABCDES289".

This is just for fun and to exercise our excel minds.

**shg** · 10-23-2009, 07:39 PM

How much exercise will you get by having someone else provide the answer?

**martindwilson** · 10-24-2009, 06:05 AM

well if you really wanted text then "chronological order"
the answer would probably be
ABCDE982
since the number 2 was probably the last digit entered in the cell lol

**emanon132501** · 10-27-2009, 06:18 AM

yup that's correct martin. Been trying to solve this for a week now. I guess it's just not possible.

**DonkeyOte** · 10-27-2009, 06:28 AM

You can certainly do it but it would IMO warrant a UDF.

I still don't understand whether the result should be

ABCDES289

or

ABSECD982

**JBeaucaire** · 10-27-2009, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by DonkeyOte

You can certainly do it but it would IMO warrant a UDF.

I agree, UDF may be the ticket.

I still don't understand whether the result should be
ABCDES289
or
ABSECD982

In the original question, he indicated the first option...all letters are ordered and all the numbers are ordered.

**DonkeyOte** · 10-27-2009, 02:16 PM

Yes but in OP's last post he/she agreed with Martin's point re: listing in order of appearance, hence the question

The UDF itself will be pretty straightforward regardless... if order of sequence simple case of either regex or iteration, if alphabetical etc then I would be inclined to split the string into an Array an pass the Array to Chip Pearson's array sorter function.