MID returns a specific number of characters from a text string, starting at the position you specify, based on the number of characters you specify.
Syntax
MID(text,start_num,num_chars)
Text is the text string containing the characters you want to extract.
Start_num is the position of the first character you want to extract in text. The first character in text has start_num 1, and so on.
Num_chars specifies the number of characters you want MID to return from text.
Remarks
- If start_num is greater than the length of text, MID returns "" (empty text).
- If start_num is less than the length of text, but start_num plus num_chars exceeds the length of text, MID returns the characters up to the end of text.
- If start_num is less than 1, MID returns the #VALUE! error value.
-
If num_chars is negative, MID returns the #VALUE! error value.
Example
The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank spreadsheet.
How?- Create a blank spreadsheet.
- Select the example in the Help topic.
Selecting an example from Help
- Press CTRL+C.
- In the spreadsheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
- To switch between viewing the formula that returns the result and the result in the cell, select the cell and press F2 and then ENTER, or click Commands and Options on the spreadsheet toolbar, click the Formula tab, and look in the Formula in active cell (active cell) box.
| Data | |
|---|---|
| Fluid Flow | |
| Formula | Description (Result) |
| =MID(A2,1,5) | Five characters from the string above, starting at the first character (Fluid) |
| =MID(A2,7,20) | Twenty characters from the string above, starting at the seventh (Flow) |
| =MID(A2,20,5) | Because the starting point is greater than the length of the string, empty text is returned () |