<div>
Use this formula<br />
=MID(A1,SEARCH(&quot;|&quot;,A1)+1,S<wbr />EARCH(&quot;|&quot;,<wbr />A1,SEARCH(<wbr />&quot;|&quot;,A1)+1)<wbr />-1-SEARCH(<wbr />&quot;|&quot;,A1))<br />
<br />
Or mark the items in column A and use the &quot;Text to columns&quot; function on the Data tab, and use | as delimiter.<br />
<a href="https://filedb.experts-exchange.com/incoming/2018/01_w01/1217536/Parsing.xlsx" target="_blank" class="file-inline" title="Split text (8 KB)"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512"><path d="M67.508 468.467c-58.005-58.013-58.016-151.92 0-209.943l225.011-225.04c44.643-44.645 117.279-44.645 161.92 0 44.743 44.749 44.753 117.186 0 161.944l-189.465 189.49c-31.41 31.413-82.518 31.412-113.926.001-31.479-31.482-31.49-82.453 0-113.944L311.51 110.491c4.687-4.687 12.286-4.687 16.972 0l16.967 16.971c4.685 4.686 4.685 12.283 0 16.969L184.983 304.917c-12.724 12.724-12.73 33.328 0 46.058 12.696 12.697 33.356 12.699 46.054-.001l189.465-189.489c25.987-25.989 25.994-68.06.001-94.056-25.931-25.934-68.119-25.932-94.049 0l-225.01 225.039c-39.249 39.252-39.258 102.795-.001 142.057 39.285 39.29 102.885 39.287 142.162-.028A739446.174 739446.174 0 0 1 439.497 238.49c4.686-4.687 12.282-4.684 16.969.004l16.967 16.971c4.685 4.686 4.689 12.279.004 16.965a755654.128 755654.128 0 0 0-195.881 195.996c-58.034 58.092-152.004 58.093-210.048.041z"/></svg>Parsing.xlsx</a>
</div>


Use this formula
=MID(A1,SEARCH("|",A1)+1,SEARCH("|",A1,SEARCH("|",A1)+1)-1-SEARCH("|",A1))

Or mark the items in column A and use the "Text to columns" function on the Data tab, and use | as delimiter.
Parsing.xlsx [https://filedb.experts-exchange.com/incoming/2018/01_w01/1217536/Parsing.xlsx]

Parsing.xlsx

<div>
Thank you for the suggestion of the formula.<br />
I would like to see how it would work as a custom function.<br />
That is because I am working on learning how to build custom functions.
</div>


Thank you for the suggestion of the formula.
I would like to see how it would work as a custom function.
That is because I am working on learning how to build custom functions.

Parsing_b.xlsm

<div>
wonderful. Just what I was looking for
</div>


<div>
I don't see how to ask a related question any more.<br />
How could the function be adapted to pass the character to be used as the separator?
</div>


I don't see how to ask a related question any more.
How could the function be adapted to pass the character to be used as the separator?

<div>
<blockquote>
How could the function be adapted to pass the character to be used as the separator? 
</blockquote>
<br />
try change the 3rd parameter in that function, like:<br />
<br />
=SplitString(A1,2<mark>, &quot;*&quot;</mark>)<br />
<br />
which means <b>*</b> is the separator
</div>


> How could the function be adapted to pass the character to be used as the separator?


try change the 3rd parameter in that function, like:

=SplitString(A1,2, "*")

which means * is the separator

<div>
<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
I have a list of cities in this format in each cell:<br />
Baltimore|Maryland|United States<br />
Frederick|Maryland|United States<br />
Chicago|Illinois|United States<br />
<br />
I need a custom function to pull out the 2nd one in each cell.<br />
Maryland<br />
Maryland<br />
Illinois<br />
<a href="https://filedb.experts-exchange.com/incoming/2018/01_w01/1217535/Parsing.xlsx" target="_blank" class="file-inline" title="Pulling State from Each Cell (8 KB)"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512"><path d="M67.508 468.467c-58.005-58.013-58.016-151.92 0-209.943l225.011-225.04c44.643-44.645 117.279-44.645 161.92 0 44.743 44.749 44.753 117.186 0 161.944l-189.465 189.49c-31.41 31.413-82.518 31.412-113.926.001-31.479-31.482-31.49-82.453 0-113.944L311.51 110.491c4.687-4.687 12.286-4.687 16.972 0l16.967 16.971c4.685 4.686 4.685 12.283 0 16.969L184.983 304.917c-12.724 12.724-12.73 33.328 0 46.058 12.696 12.697 33.356 12.699 46.054-.001l189.465-189.489c25.987-25.989 25.994-68.06.001-94.056-25.931-25.934-68.119-25.932-94.049 0l-225.01 225.039c-39.249 39.252-39.258 102.795-.001 142.057 39.285 39.29 102.885 39.287 142.162-.028A739446.174 739446.174 0 0 1 439.497 238.49c4.686-4.687 12.282-4.684 16.969.004l16.967 16.971c4.685 4.686 4.689 12.279.004 16.965a755654.128 755654.128 0 0 0-195.881 195.996c-58.034 58.092-152.004 58.093-210.048.041z"/></svg>Parsing.xlsx</a>
</div>
</div>


How to select one item in a cell value separated by characters?

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