Leading Zeros in Zip Code_ Apple Support Communities

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Leading Zeros in Zip Code

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3429 Views 16 Replies Latest reply: Feb 20, 2008 2:10 PM by Ric Donato

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Joel Mcintosh1Feb 18, 2008 9:41 PMI frequently export address information from a database to a tab-delimited textfile and then import it into Numbers. However, some zip codes have leading zeros(i.e., "00644"). When I import this file into Numbers the zip codes with leadingzeros lose their zeros (i.e., the field looks like ... "644").

If I format the field after the import as "Text," it doesn't resolve the problem.

How do I retain these zeros?XServe G5, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Helpful Answers by KOENIG Yvan, KOENIG Yvan

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KOENIG Yvan VALLAURIS (France)This helped me Re: Leading Zeros in Zip Code

Feb 19, 2008 4:25 AM (in response to Joel Mcintosh1)

Hello

Question often asked an often responded.

You must add a character forcing Numbers to treat the value as a string.

add a non breakable space (alt + space) at the end of the valueuse zero slashed () as replacement for standard zero (0)

Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE mardi 19 fvrier 2008 13:25:39)To be the AW6 successor, iWork MUST integrate a TRUE DB, not a list organizer !, Mac OS X(10.4.11)

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briegullRe: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 5:23 AM (in response to Joel Mcintosh1)

Yvan only discusses Apple products but I look for the best, cheapest solution I

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Leading Zeros in Zip Code: Apple Support Communities https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1402947?start=0&tstart=0

1 of 7 6/13/14 12:14 PM

can find. In this case it's the free NeoOffice (I would guess Open Office would bethe same). Numbers isn't a powerhouse spreadsheet like Excel and we shouldn'texpect it to be; it apparently does recipes nicely. Why being able to format zipcodes (when probably a quarter of the US population has a zip code that startswith a leading zero) is considered beyond the "eighty percent" rule that Yvan citesoften, I don't understand, but the solutions he proposes aren't very realistic forspreadsheets created frequently. Give neooffice a try. (I have no financial tieshere)macbook pro, Mac OS X (10.5.1), vmfusion, iWorks, Firefox

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KOENIG Yvan VALLAURIS (France)Re: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 5:59 AM (in response to briegull)

briegull wrote:Yvan only discusses Apple products but I look for the best, cheapestsolution I can find. In this case it's the free NeoOffice (I would guessOpen Office would be the same).

I do what we are supposed to do on this forum.excerprt from Terms of Use:

+*What is Apple Discussions and how can it help me?*++Apple Discussions is a user-to-user support forum where experts and otherApple product users get together to discuss Apple products.+

Why being able to format zip codes (when probably a quarter of the USpopulation has a zip code that starts with a leading zero)

As 0 is one digit among ten, my guess is that the real percentage is about 10%

is considered beyond the "eighty percent" rule that Yvan cites often, Idon't understand, but the solutions he proposes aren't very realistic forspreadsheets created frequently.

The given soluce may be "not realistic" but it is used since 1990 by AppleWorks'susers.But a Numbers's user may refuse to apply the given workarounds and wait forenhancements.For some of them he will have to wait until iWork'09, for others for iWork'10 I think that helpers are here to give workarounds for today, not to give falsehopes.

Here is an excerpt of Apple Human Interface Guidelines

+Apply the 80 Percent Solution++During the design process, if you discover problems with your product design,you might consider applying the 80 percent solution that is, designing yoursoftware to meet the needs of at least 80 percent of your users. This type ofdesign typically favors simpler, more elegant approaches to problems.++If you try to design for the 20 percent of your target audience who are powerusers, your design may not be usable by the other 80 percent of users. Eventhough that smaller group of power users is likely to have good ideas forfeatures, the majority of your user base may not think in the same way. Involvinga broad range of users in your design process can help you find the 80 percentsolution.+

Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE mardi 19 fvrier 2008 14:54:36)



2 of 7 6/13/14 12:14 PM

To be the AW6 successor, iWork MUST integrate a TRUE DB, not a list organizer !, Mac OS X(10.4.11)

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briegullRe: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 6:44 AM (in response to KOENIG Yvan)

Okay, sorry, I didn't realize one could only talk about Apple products.. is itpermissible to say "solutions exist elsewhere in cyberspace" for something likethis?

The US Northeast - Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, as well as all theother New England states, has about a fifth of the population of the country. Thisis where the five-digit zip codes beginning with zero reside but it's alsodisproportionately where businesses are located. So it really isn't the case thatone should only count those zip codes as representing one-tenth of theaddresses needing attention.

Going through line-by-line in a spreadsheet and putting in a non-breaking spacewould be unrealistic; is it possible to do a global change for either that or theslash-zero? macbook pro, Mac OS X (10.5.1), vmfusion, iWorks, Firefox

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KOENIG Yvan VALLAURIS (France)This helped me Re: Leading Zeros in Zip Code

Feb 19, 2008 7:54 AM (in response to briegull)

Hello

In my tables I uses a simple formula:

=RIGHT(""&B,5)

It peeks the value stored in column B of the same row and add the requiredleading .If your codes are longer, change the formula accordingly.

About the precentage, the app is not designed only for US customers.If you take in account the users worldwide, 10% is a reasonable estimation.And I am one of them, my zip code is 6220 and my phone number is 493****


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Jerrold Green1Re: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 8:52 AM (in response to Joel Mcintosh1)

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3 of 7 6/13/14 12:14 PM

Joel,

I think that formatting the cell as Text does solve the problem, but the solution isnot durable and is not revertable.

If you pre-format the cell to Text, it will accept and display the leading "0".

If you type a leading ', or ", as you enter your data, your cell format will switch toText, and all succeeding characters will be displayed.

If you subsequently switch your cell format to something else, the leading zerowill be eliminated, and reverting to Text format will not bring your leading zero(s)back.

JerryiMac G5 1G RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

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KOENIG Yvan VALLAURIS (France)Re: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 9:35 AM (in response to Jerrold Green1)

Jerrold Green1 wrote:If you subsequently switch your cell format to something else, theleading zero will be eliminated, and reverting to Text format will notbring your leading zero(s) back.

This is why I didn't described schemes which only give a temporary result.Using slashed zeroes or adding a non breakable space is a definitive soluce.

I often receive letters with printed labels.Often, the zeroes are slashed ones. I assumes that is is not a matter of aesthetics


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Jerrold Green1Re: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 9:50 AM (in response to KOENIG Yvan)

Yvan,

The slashed zero is seldom seen in the States. Amateur Radio operators use theslashed zero in their call signs to differentiate the numeral "0" from the letter "O".I dare to say that most Americans wouldn't know what to make of it. It's morecommon here to augment the seven than the zero, but neither is used much.

It's a bit disappointing to me that Numbers doesn't remember what the literalinput was as the cells are reformatted. Your cautionary note is well taken.

JerryiMac G5 1G RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

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4 of 7 6/13/14 12:14 PM

KOENIG Yvan VALLAURIS (France)Re: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 10:18 AM (in response to Jerrold Green1)

Hello

Of course every user may *go to "Provide Numbers Feedback" in the "Numbers"menu*, describe what he wish.But, as the described feature is an old one, I assumes that the Apple guys thinkthat there is no real need to change that.I know that users asked for enhancements related to this question, upon datesand/or durations for instance. So, we can just Mot Hennessy


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Joel Mcintosh1Re: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 11:32 AM (in response to KOENIG Yvan)

Question often asked an often responded.

Weird. I searched one the words "zip code zero" and couldn't find anything exceptideas that would apply when you are entering the data manually. I should havesearched more diligently. Anyway, maybe this thread's title will help others locatethis information.

Thanks for the suggestion. It sounds like I can just set my database to append atrailing space to the zip code field.XServe G5, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

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Joel Mcintosh1Re: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 11:36 AM (in response to briegull)

Actually, in the past, I've used Excel to manage this kind of thing. I'm trying tomove away from Office applications for my day-to-day work, but I keep hittinglittle bumps like this. However, I'm sure it's the kind of thing that will beimproved in later versions of the software -- after all, Numbers is still a 1.xapplication.MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

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Joel Mcintosh1Re: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 11:44 AM (in response to KOENIG Yvan)

Yes. You make a good suggestion. I did send feed back this morning. I don'texpect Numbers to have all of the "kinks" worked out yet -- it's still 1.x software.I imagine some of this stuff will be offered in later versions, but it does hurt to letApple know when there is a problem.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/numbers.htmlMacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

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Ric DonatoRe: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 4:53 PM (in response to Joel Mcintosh1)

Hi Joel,After reading this thread I went to Search typed, Leading Zero, it returnednumerous hits.

Allow me to suggest formating the field to number or something else, then totext. That technique has helped other cell format issues as well.

In the database is the ZIP field a text field as well? Yes I know a silly questionhowever, it has been known to happen a ZIP field formated as a number field.Anyway, it was just a thought.

Hope this helps you.

Sincerely,

RicD17" iMac, 466 Clamshell SE, Airport Extreme base station, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

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Joel Mcintosh1Re: Leading Zeros in Zip CodeFeb 19, 2008 9:14 PM (in response to Ric Donato)

Ric,

I'm not clear why you posted your comment. After KOENIG Yvan mentionedprevious threads about this topic, I explained exactly what my search involvedand explained that I could have been more diligent in my search of the forum.

I then marked this thread as solved because several good folks had offered goodsolutions that would work for my situation (and I marked those specific posts hashelpful).

Then, after claiming to have read the thread, you posted an observation aboutyour own search results and a "solution" that wouldn't work for an imported,tab-delimited text file (the issue presented in my original post).

Anyway, thanks for the ideas, but I'm working with tab delimited text files -- Ican't designate the zip code field as a "text" or "numbers" format in the databaseI'm using when exporting to a text file.MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

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