Excel column returns null for non-numeric characters

Anybody seen anything like this or have any comments?



short version

=========

When I tried to use aqConvertVarToStr on values in an excel column that had non-numeric characters, I got either a null value or an empty string

back  (not sure which).



I created a new excel column, copied the data cells from the old column and the values were read in properly.

When I copied the failing column to a new column, the error continued.



long version

=========

I was trying to read a zipCode.  zipCodes with the 5 digit format without a dash e.g.  75081 were being read successfully.

Zip codes with the extended format e.g. 75081-0012 were coming in as null or the empty string.

The cells are of 'general' format.   I discovered that it was any non-numeric character that caused a null value.

I wasn't sure whether it was the aqConvert or the dataDriver.Value that was coming in wrong.

Apparently it is the dataDriver.value that shows up as empty when the problem is happening. 

I eventually realized that I had  other columns with non-numeric values that were working properly.



Here's some code:



function debugZipCode () {



 // zip code values with a - included are being read as empty strings

 // appears to be column specific.  If I create a new column values are

 // read properly.  If I copy the bad column, values are no longer read properly



Log.Message("debugZipCode");

    Driver = DDT.ExcelDriver(excelData, signupSheet, true);

    

    var omit;

    var aURL;

   

 while (! Driver.EOF() ) {

  omit = aqConvert.VarToStr(Driver.Value(omitHeader));

  // skip row if there's anything other than whitespace SignupWithConfirmationin the omit column

  if ( /\S+/.test(omit) == false) {

    // which environment

Log.Message("raw is "+Driver.Value(websiteHeader) ) ;

    aURL = aqConvert.VarToStr(Driver.Value(websiteHeader));

Log.Message("aURL is "+aURL);

 

Log.Message("raw is "+Driver.Value(zipcodeHeader) ) ;

    aZipCode = aqConvert.VarToStr(Driver.Value(zipcodeHeader));

    Log.Message("zip is "+aZipCode);

  

   }

   Driver.Next();

 }

 DDT.CloseDriver(Driver.Name);

}





environment

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Windows 7,  Excel 2010,  TestComplete 8.50.626.7