How to Control Placement of Carriage Returns in an Alert Box

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0
• Microsoft Excel for OS/2, versions 2.2, 3.0

SUMMARY

It is possible to control which lines your text will be displayed on in a Microsoft Excel alert box. Normally Microsoft Excel automatically calculates where the text should wrap and inserts carriage returns accordingly. This prohibits you from entering any type of title or other lines in an orderly manner.

To control where the text should wrap, insert a carriage return using the CHAR function and the ASCII code for the carriage return (which is number 13). For example, =ALERT("text1"&CHAR(13)&"text2",2) displays "text1" on the first line and "text2" on the second line of the alert box (without the quotation marks).

Examples

If you enter the following

   =ALERT("RULES: 1.No rough play 2.No calling names 3.No parties",2)

   RULES: 1.No rough play 2.No calling names 3.No parties

   =ALERT("RULES:"&CHAR(13)&"1.No rough play"&CHAR(13)&".....",2)

          RULES:
          1.No rough play
          2.No calling names
          3.No parties