# Microsoft Knowledge Base

## XL: Tabs Appear Strange in TextWizard

Last reviewed: March 27, 1997 Article ID: Q106340
5.00 5.00c 7.00 7.00a | 5.00 5.00a
    WINDOWS               | MACINTOSH
kbusage The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
- Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
- Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

## SUMMARY

When you use the TextWizard to import text files into Microsoft Excel, tab characters appear as blocky characters instead of empty spaces.

These characters do not affect the text: when you import the file as a tab-delimited file, your text is parsed correctly.

## MORE INFORMATION

Because of the design of the TextWizard, tab characters are usually displayed as blocky characters. This effect is most noticeable in the following locations in the TextWizard:

- Step 1.
- Steps 2 and 3, if Delimited is chosen in Step 1 and if Tab is NOT a selected delimiter in Step 2.
- Steps 2 and 3, if Fixed Width is chosen in Step 1.

If you indicate in Step 1 that the file is Delimited and if you select Tab as a delimiter in Step 2, tab characters will not be displayed in Steps 2 and 3 as blocky characters. Instead, they will appear as vertical lines that separate adjacent columns from each other.

## REFERENCES

"User's Guide 2," version 5.0, page 724

> KBCategory: kbusage
> KBSubcategory:

> Additional reference words: 5.00 7.00
> Keywords : kbusage
> Version : 5.00 5.00c 7.00 7.00a | 5.00 5.0
> Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: March 27, 1997
©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.