Extracting text around a string in Excel

If you need to extract text from an Excel cell which is X number of characters before and Y number of characters after a given search term, you can use the MID and MAX formulas with a nested SEARCH formula.

A formula in this format:

=MID(A2,MAX(SEARCH("stole a",A2)-35,1),70)

. . . can be set to return the number of characters before the search string equal to the value given in the MAX formula (in this example 35) and the number of characters from the start of the search string moving to the right equal to roughly half the value given for the MID formula (in this example 70).

. . . the SEARCH formula finds the position in the cell containing text where the first character of the search term appears.

The MAX formula then gets the value of the SEARCH result minus the number entered in the complete formula. In this it is case 35.

When the result from the MAX formula is fed into the MID formula, it is used to determine the position where the extraction should begin, and how many characters after that point it should include.

Using VMware on your iPhone

If your firm uses VMware to access a virtual desktop, don't miss that you can install an app for VMware on an Apple iPhone. I've tested the app, and it allows you to work on your desktop with about three-quarters of the efficiency of working on a laptop or desktop computer - provided you can connect a mouse to your iPhone—which is what makes all the difference.

The app will load your desktop, and the appearance will be quite the same as you see on a PC - even if admittedly you'll need to squint a little if you want to keep the same aspect ratio.

On the screen, you'll see an icon that allows you to access the usual controls you'd use on a PC:

Click the 'paired square' icon, and bring up six additional icons which will let you access the keyboard; up, down, left, & right arrows; settings; gesture help; and the option to disconnect from VMware.

The VMware Horizon app will move in and out of portrait and landscape mode quite smoothly. But, in order to really avoid having your flow of work compromised you'll need to pair a mouse with your iPhone. There's more than one way to do this, but if the mouse you are using has a USB-A receiver, and you have a USB-A to USB-C adapter, you can connect the mouse like this:

In order to enable the mouse on the iPhone, you'll need to enable AssistiveTouch:

The mouse should then work - a cursor will appear on the iPhone you're used to controlling with a fingertip.

If you click on the fuzzy circle assistive touch option it will give you the option to go back to the home screen of the iPhone, or switch between apps.

If you really want to have the option to jump on VMware on the go, without lugging around a laptop, this is way to do  it—though you may want to invest in a portable Bluetooth enabled keyboard as well.

Keep in mind that if the USB-A to USA-C adapter has a HDMI port as well, you'll also be able to connect to a monitor that may be around and increase your level of workflow efficiency even more.

Keep multiple versions of folder contents with Windows File History tool

Don't miss how easy it is to have Windows keep backups of folder contents, so you can always access the set of files that you had in a folder yesterday, a week ago, last year, or even 10 minutes ago.

In Windows 11, simply search for and open File History:

Select a location on your network, or on an external hard drive. Note that while File History will be set to back up files automatically at different intervals, you have the option to initiate a backup by clicking 'Run now'. You can exclude certain directories from the backup process.

You can set files to be backed up at 10, 15, 20, 30, and 60 minute intervals, or every 3, 6, 12, 24 hours. Windows can keep the backups for 3, 6, 9, 12, or 24 months, indefinitely, or until you run out of network space.

You can access the backups by selecting properties for a folder and looking under the 'Previous Versions' tab.

If you are using the home edition of Windows, it may not be possible to access the backups.