Delete mutiple instances of variable strings within a single cell

Question

If I have a cell looking something like this:

Ford Escort (ref 1234) , Ford Mondeo (ref 5588) , Suzuki Swift (ref kjgh) , John Holmes (hulubulu)

and want to remove all the parentheses and the information inside those but NOT all the information outside the parentheses. So I end up with:

Ford Escort , Ford Mondeo , Suzuki Swift , John Holmes

I found a way to use the MID() function, but this only removes the first parentheses with content (ref 1234) and I cannot seem to find a way to loop or repeat this function inside the same cell.

As it's different information in the different parentheses I cannot use SUBSTITUTE, but is there another way to do this in Mac Excel 2008 ?

Yes but then I need to know exactly what to find, but as its different info in all the braces (and I have multiple cells), then I cannot predefine whats inside the braces. As I write above the substitute function is not the solution as it requires me to know exactly what to remove... — olin62, Oct 01 '14 at 14:39
Not sure I quite follow? Normally if I would use FIND() I would write something like this: FIND("(ref 1234)";A1;1) where the text inside "" is what to find ; then the cell ; then startnum — olin62, Oct 01 '14 at 14:46
Of course - i simply use the Find and Replace function in the menu with * as random character(s) - this works thanks ! — olin62, Oct 01 '14 at 18:44

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 01 '14 at 18:58

0

Try Find what: (*), Replace with: nothing.

answered Oct 01 '14 at 18:58

pnuts

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Delete mutiple instances of variable strings within a single cell

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