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Q&A Count the number of occurrences in a text string

Although spreadsheets were never really intended for text processing, I think a formula solution is possible (LibreOffice 5.4.3.2): For the first example above: =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"XYZ",""...

posted 4y ago by pnuts‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Alexei‭

Answer
#6: Post undeleted by user avatar Alexei‭ · 2021-05-26T18:06:15Z (over 3 years ago)
#5: Post deleted by user avatar pnuts‭ · 2020-12-07T15:31:29Z (almost 4 years ago)
#4: Post edited by user avatar pnuts‭ · 2020-09-05T13:48:10Z (about 4 years ago)
  • Although spreadsheets were never really intended for text processing, I think a formula solution is possible (LibreOffice 5.4.3.2):
  • For the first example above:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"XYZ","")))/LEN("XYZ")
  • and for the second example:
  • =(LEN(B1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B1,"Mary","")))/LEN("MARY")
  • However I would suggest a better approach may be to parameterise the relevant 'occurrence' as doing so simplifies the formula and displays the 'occurrence' while the formula is hidden.
  • Given the text string in A1 and the 'occurrence' in B1, the formula for both examples could be:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,B1,"")))/LEN(B1)
  • This formula could also be in at least Excel, Sheets and OpenOffice Calc, given the appropriate specific separator, which may be locale dependent.
  • The formula is case sensitive and works by subtracting from the length of the text string the length of the text string without 'occurrence/s' (by substituting each 'occurrence' with nothing) and then dividing the difference by the number of characters in each 'occurrence'.
  • A word of caution however, I have not tested this for every combination of alternative solutions (2), text string location (2), examples (2), case (2) and package (4).
  • Although spreadsheets were never really intended for text processing, I think a formula solution is possible (LibreOffice 5.4.3.2):
  • For the first example above:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"XYZ","")))/LEN("XYZ")
  • and for the second example:
  • =(LEN(B1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B1,"Mary","")))/LEN("MARY")
  • However I would suggest a better approach may be to parameterise the relevant 'occurrence' as doing so simplifies the formula and displays the 'occurrence' while the formula is hidden.
  • Given the text string (only) in A1 and the 'occurrence' in B1, the formula for both examples could be:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,B1,"")))/LEN(B1)
  • This formula could also be in at least Excel, Sheets and OpenOffice Calc, given the appropriate specific separator, which may be locale dependent.
  • The formula is case sensitive and works by subtracting from the length of the text string the length of the text string without 'occurrence/s' (by substituting each 'occurrence' with nothing) and then dividing the difference by the number of characters in each 'occurrence'.
  • A word of caution however, I have not tested this for every combination of alternative solutions (2), text string location (2), examples (2), case (2) and package (4).
#3: Post edited by user avatar pnuts‭ · 2020-09-05T13:06:08Z (about 4 years ago)
  • Although spreadsheets were never really intended for text processing, I think a formula solution is possible (LibreOffice 5.4.3.2):
  • For the first example above:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"XYZ","")))/LEN("XYZ")
  • and for the second example:
  • =(LEN(B1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B2,"Mary","")))/LEN("MARY")
  • However I would suggest a better approach may be to parameterise the relevant 'occurrence' as doing so simplifies the formula and displays the 'occurrence' while the formula is hidden.
  • Given the text string in A1 and the 'occurrence' in B1, the formula for both examples could be:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,B1,"")))/LEN(B1)
  • This formula could also be in at least Excel, Sheets and OpenOffice Calc, given the appropriate specific separator, which may be locale dependent.
  • The formula is case sensitive and works by subtracting from the length of the text string the length of the text string without 'occurrence/s' (by substituting each 'occurrence' with nothing) and then dividing the difference by the number of characters in each 'occurrence'.
  • A word of caution however, I have not tested this for every combination of alternative solutions (2), text string location (2), examples (2), case (2) and package (4).
  • Although spreadsheets were never really intended for text processing, I think a formula solution is possible (LibreOffice 5.4.3.2):
  • For the first example above:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"XYZ","")))/LEN("XYZ")
  • and for the second example:
  • =(LEN(B1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B1,"Mary","")))/LEN("MARY")
  • However I would suggest a better approach may be to parameterise the relevant 'occurrence' as doing so simplifies the formula and displays the 'occurrence' while the formula is hidden.
  • Given the text string in A1 and the 'occurrence' in B1, the formula for both examples could be:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,B1,"")))/LEN(B1)
  • This formula could also be in at least Excel, Sheets and OpenOffice Calc, given the appropriate specific separator, which may be locale dependent.
  • The formula is case sensitive and works by subtracting from the length of the text string the length of the text string without 'occurrence/s' (by substituting each 'occurrence' with nothing) and then dividing the difference by the number of characters in each 'occurrence'.
  • A word of caution however, I have not tested this for every combination of alternative solutions (2), text string location (2), examples (2), case (2) and package (4).
#2: Post edited by user avatar pnuts‭ · 2020-09-05T13:05:46Z (about 4 years ago)
  • Although spreadsheets were never really intended for text processing, I think a formula solution is possible (LibreOffice 5.4.3.2):
  • For the first example above:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"XYZ","")))/LEN("XYZ")
  • and for the second example:
  • =(LEN(B2)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B2,"Mary","")))/LEN("MARY")
  • However I would suggest a better approach may be to parameterise the relevant 'occurrence' as doing so simplifies the formula and displays the 'occurrence' while the formula is hidden.
  • Given the text string in A1 and the 'occurrence' in B1, the formula for both examples could be:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,B1,"")))/LEN(B1)
  • This formula could also be in at least Excel, Sheets and OpenOffice Calc, given the appropriate specific separator, which may be locale dependent.
  • The formula is case sensitive and works by subtracting from the length of the text string the length of the text string without 'occurrence/s' (by substituting each 'occurrence' with nothing) and then dividing the difference by the number of characters in each 'occurrence'.
  • A word of caution however, I have not tested this for every combination of alternative solutions (2), text string location (2), examples (2), case (2) and package (4).
  • Although spreadsheets were never really intended for text processing, I think a formula solution is possible (LibreOffice 5.4.3.2):
  • For the first example above:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"XYZ","")))/LEN("XYZ")
  • and for the second example:
  • =(LEN(B1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B2,"Mary","")))/LEN("MARY")
  • However I would suggest a better approach may be to parameterise the relevant 'occurrence' as doing so simplifies the formula and displays the 'occurrence' while the formula is hidden.
  • Given the text string in A1 and the 'occurrence' in B1, the formula for both examples could be:
  • =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,B1,"")))/LEN(B1)
  • This formula could also be in at least Excel, Sheets and OpenOffice Calc, given the appropriate specific separator, which may be locale dependent.
  • The formula is case sensitive and works by subtracting from the length of the text string the length of the text string without 'occurrence/s' (by substituting each 'occurrence' with nothing) and then dividing the difference by the number of characters in each 'occurrence'.
  • A word of caution however, I have not tested this for every combination of alternative solutions (2), text string location (2), examples (2), case (2) and package (4).
#1: Initial revision by user avatar pnuts‭ · 2020-09-05T13:02:23Z (about 4 years ago) 
Although spreadsheets were never really intended for text processing, I think a formula solution is possible (LibreOffice 5.4.3.2):

For the first example above:

    =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,"XYZ","")))/LEN("XYZ")

and for the second example:

    =(LEN(B2)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(B2,"Mary","")))/LEN("MARY")

However I would suggest a better approach may be to parameterise the relevant 'occurrence' as doing so simplifies the formula and displays the 'occurrence' while the formula is hidden.

Given the text string in A1 and the 'occurrence' in B1, the formula for both examples could be:

    =(LEN(A1)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1,B1,"")))/LEN(B1)

This formula could also be in at least Excel, Sheets and OpenOffice Calc, given the appropriate specific separator, which may be locale dependent.

The formula is case sensitive and works by subtracting from the length of the text string the length of the text string without 'occurrence/s' (by substituting each 'occurrence' with nothing) and then dividing the difference by the number of characters in each 'occurrence'.

A word of caution however, I have not tested this for every combination of alternative solutions (2), text string location (2), examples (2), case (2) and package (4).