i would like strLeft to = "x"

a = "me/x #~ 2
Left_Object = Trim$(Left$(a, InStr(a, "/") - 1)) 'me
strLeft = Trim$(Left$(a, InStr(a, "~") - 2)) 'me/x
strRight = Trim$(Mid$(a, InStr(a, "~") + 1)) '2

CallByName Left_Objec, strLeft, VbLet, strRight