Filter words containing a given string in a cell range
This post describes two ways to extract all matching strings from cells in a given cell range if they contain a specific string. The first one is an Excel 365 LAMBDA function and the second one is a User Defined Function (UDF).
The strings in a cell are separated by a delimiter that you can choose, the examples here use a space character to split a cell value. This is done to all cells specified in the argument.
Strings that contain a specific substring are extracted and returned, in this example a @ character is used.
Table of contents
1. Filter words containing a given string in a cell range - Excel 365 LAMBDA function
The cells in the specified range contain strings separated by a delimiter of your choice, with space being used as an example here to split strings in a cell value. This operation is performed on all cells mentioned in the argument.
The objective is to extract and return strings that contain a specific substring, denoted by the "@" character in this example.
Excel 365 LAMBDA function in cell B3:
Change @ in the formula above to whatever search string you want to find. Also change " " in TEXTSPLIT(b,," ") to change the delimiter if you don't want to use the space character. Perhaps you want to split strings by a comma, semicolon or a new row. Use char(10) to find new rows.
Explaining formula
Step 1 -
2. Filter words containing a given string in a cell range - UDF
The image above demonstrates a User Defined Function that extracts all words containing a given string that you can specify. In this case it is a @ sign. A User Defined Function is a custom function that you can build yourself in the visual basic editor.
Example, cell range B1:M50 contains random sentences, I have inserted some random emails in this range, see image above.
Array formula in cell range B3:B7:
To enter an array formula, type the formula in a cell then press and hold CTRL + SHIFT simultaneously, now press Enter once. Release all keys.
The formula bar now shows the formula with a beginning and ending curly bracket telling you that you entered the formula successfully. Don't enter the curly brackets yourself.
VBA code
'Name function Function FilterWords(rng As Range, str As String) As Variant() 'Declare variables Dim x As Variant, Wrds() As Variant, Cells_row As Long Dim Cells_col As Long, Words As Long, y() As Variant 'Redimension variable ReDim y(0) 'Save values in range to array variable Wrds = rng.Value 'Iterate through array variable For Cells_row = LBound(Wrds, 1) To UBound(Wrds, 1) For Cells_col = LBound(Wrds, 2) To UBound(Wrds, 2) 'Extract words in cell to an array x = Split(Wrds(Cells_row, Cells_col)) 'Iterate through word array For Words = LBound(x) To UBound(x) 'Check if value in array is equal to the given string If InStr(x(Words), str) Then 'Save value to another array y(UBound(y)) = x(Words) 'Increase containers in array by 1 ReDim Preserve y(UBound(y) + 1) End If Next Words Next Cells_col Next Cells_row 'Decrease containers in array by 1 ReDim Preserve y(UBound(y) - 1) 'Return array FilterWords = Application.Transpose(y) End Function
Where to do I copy the code?
- Press Alt-F11 to open visual basic editor
- Press with left mouse button on Module on the Insert menu
- Copy and paste the user defined function to module
- Exit visual basic editor
Filter emails category
Question: How to extract email addresses from this sheet? Answer: It depends on how the emails are populated in your worksheet? […]
Excel categories
2 Responses to “Filter words containing a given string in a cell range”
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I notice that your UDF requires spaces to delimit the email address. For example, if the email address is surrounded by parentheses or adjacent to punctuation marks, those will remain attached to the returned email addresses. This is because you used a general word parser as the basis for your UDF. I had a robust email address parser function that I wrote awhile ago, so I wrote a front-end function (the UDF) that repeatedly calls it as needed; doing this makes the UDF return only the email addresses no matter what other delimiting characters surround them. Just copy the following two functions into a standard Module, then select a column of cells (more than you think email addresses exist), enter this formula in the Formula Bar (change the range as necessary)...
=FindEmailAddresses(B1:M50)
and then press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to commit the array formula. By the way, the GetEmailAddress function below can be used as a stand-alone function by itself... it returns a single email address (the first it finds in the text passed to it). Okay, here are the functions...
Function FindEmailAddresses(Rng As Range) As Variant()
Dim Temp As String, Cell As Range, EM() As Variant
ReDim EM(0)
For Each Cell In Rng
Temp = Cell.Value
Do While InStr(Temp, "@")
EM(UBound(EM)) = GetEmailAddress(Temp)
Temp = Replace(Temp, "@", "", 1, 1)
ReDim Preserve EM(UBound(EM) + 1)
Loop
Next
ReDim Preserve EM(UBound(EM) - 1)
FindEmailAddresses = WorksheetFunction.Transpose(EM)
End Function
Function GetEmailAddress(ByVal S As String) As String
Dim X As Long, AtSign As Long
Dim Locale As String, DomainPart As String
Locale = "[A-Za-z0-9.!#$%&'*/=?^_`{|}~+-]"
Domain = "[A-Za-z0-9._-]"
AtSign = InStr(S, "@")
For X = AtSign To 1 Step -1
If Not Mid(" " & S, X, 1) Like Locale Then
S = Mid(S, X)
If Left(S, 1) = "." Then S = Mid(S, 2)
Exit For
End If
Next
AtSign = InStr(S, "@")
For X = AtSign + 1 To Len(S) + 1
If Not Mid(S & " ", X, 1) Like Domain Then
S = Left(S, X - 1)
If Right(S, 1) = "." Then S = Left(S, Len(S) - 1)
GetEmailAddress = S
Exit For
End If
Next
End Function
Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel),
Thank you for your valuable comment! I tried your functions and they work as you described!