If (the first 3 letters of a variable's value) = (the first 3 letters in a given cell)

I'm using the s.autECLPS.GetText command to grab text out of the Terminal program.

Once I grab data from that, I put it into a variable. I want to check that variable against A1, A2, A3, A4, etc., to see if that value already exists in the sheet I have.

My problem comes from the fact that the text that I grab can vary in lengths - sometimes it's 5 digits, sometimes it's 20, so I've had to build the s.autECLPS.GetText to grab the max length each time - so on SHORTER items, the end result may include 5 digits, and 15 blank spaces, like this:

Example 1: ASDF1234_________________
Example 2: ASDFJSODAFJ2394827349293JS

Prior to this function running, I have another piece of code that runs "text to columns" on column A and delete multiple blanks, so all of my data in column A has NO additional spaces at the end.

This was working fine until I tried to do this last part. I cannot compare the data taken into the variable via s.autECLPS.GetText with the data in a cell, because the additional spaces make them always not equal.

dCheck = s.autECLPS.GetText(1, 8, 3)  'This grabs the first 3 digits of the selection in Terminal and puts it into the variable dCheck

The cell I am comparing it to is held in:

Cells(tRow, 1).Offset(ttRow, 0).Value

How do I say:

If dCheck = the first the characters in Cells(tRow, 1).Offset(ttRow, 0).Value then

Thanks!

Not sure I totally follow you. Would this work:

dCheck = Application.Trim(dCheck)
If dCheck = Left(Application.Trim(Cells(tRow, 1).Offset(ttRow, 0).Value), Len(dCheck)) Then

Hmmm - this does not work.

I will try to explain a bit better what i want to do here:

A2 = D12345

When I type in dCheck = s.autECLPS.GetText(1, 8, 3) , it loads the Terminal, then goes to Row 1, Cell 8, and grabs the first 3 letters after that. The text that it grabs is "D12"

I then want to go back into Excel and ask "Is the value of dCheck equal to the first 3 letters in cell A2?"

Excel should then look and say "Yes, D12 = D12"

When I used your code, (and added msg boxes to see what was was being captured), I found that:

            dCheck = s.autECLPS.GetText(1, 8, 3)
            dCheck = Application.Trim(debitCheck)
            MsgBox Cells(tRow, 1).Offset(ttRow, 0).Value & " at " & Cells(tRow, 1).Offset(ttRow, 0).Address
            MsgBox Left(Application.Trim(Cells(tRow, 1).Offset(ttRow, 0).Value), Len(dCheck))
            If dCheck = Left(Application.Trim(Cells(tRow, 1).Offset(ttRow, 0).Value), Len(dCheck)) Then
                MsgBox Left(Application.Trim(Cells(tRow, 1).Offset(ttRow, 0).Value), Len(dCheck))
            End If

            MsgBox Left(Application.Trim(Cells(tRow, 1).Offset(ttRow, 0).Value), Len(dCheck))

Is just giving me null value, instead of the first 3 characters from the left.

I'd try to help fix the code, but I'm not familiar with the Application.Trim command at all

The trim function trims all the blank spaces. You could also use the built-in clean function if that would be an issue.

Would something like this work?

Sub test()
    Dim ws As Worksheet: Set ws = ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet        'may need to change
    Dim i As Long, dCheck As String
    dCheck = s.autECLPS.GetText(1, 8, 3)

    With ws
        For i = 1 To .Range("A1", .Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp)).Rows.Count
            If dCheck = Left(Trim(Application.Clean(.Cells(i, 1).Value)), Len(dCheck)) Then
                MsgBox Left(Trim(Application.Clean(.Cells(i, 1).Value)), Len(dCheck)) & _
                       " at " & .Cells(i, 1).Address        'change
                Exit For
            End If
        Next i
    End With

End Sub

I messed around with the code, so I can't go back and paste that in - but I did test out doing:

dCheck = s.autECLPS.GetText(1, 8, 11)
Msgbox dCheck & "."
dCheck = Application.Trim(debitCheck)
Msgbox dCheck & "."

and it trimmed all the extra spaces out of the variable dCheck - this is EXACTLY what I needed. thank you so much!