When the user puts in just digits, I know it's numeric. If he puts in just characters, I know it's a string. But how do I know that when the user puts in '123 piano' that it is character if the type() function returns 'U' and the val() function return 123.00 (sugesting it is numeric). What I do now is I test each character separately, but I want to know if there is no other, easier way.