## The challenge
The shortest code by character count that will output the numeric equivalent of an Excel column string.
For example, the `A` column is 1, `B` is 2, so on and so forth. Once you hit `Z`, the next column becomes `AA`, then `AB` and so on.
## Test cases:
```
A: 1
B: 2
AD: 30
ABC: 731
WTF: 16074
ROFL: 326676
```
Code count includes input/output (i.e full program).
Code Golf: Numeric equivalent of an Excel column name
Re: Code Golf: Numeric equivalent of an Excel column name
## Perl, 36 34 33 31 30 17 15 11 characters
```
$_=()=A..$_
```
Usage:
```
$ echo -n WTF | perl -ple '$_=()=A..$_'
16074
```
Reduced to 17 by using echo -n to avoid a `chop` call.
Reduced to 15 by using say instead of print.
Reduced to 11 by using -p instead of say.
Explanation:
`A` is evaluated in string context and `A..$_` builds a list starting at "A" and string-incrementing up to the input string. Perl interprets the `++` operator (and thus `..`) on strings in an alphabetic context, so for example `$_="AZ";$_++;print` outputs `BA`.
`=()=` (aka ["goatse" operator](http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=527973)) forces an expression to be evaluated in list context, and returns the number of elements returned by that expression i.e., `$scalar = () =` corresponds to `@list = ; $scalar = @list`.
```
$_=()=A..$_
```
Usage:
```
$ echo -n WTF | perl -ple '$_=()=A..$_'
16074
```
Reduced to 17 by using echo -n to avoid a `chop` call.
Reduced to 15 by using say instead of print.
Reduced to 11 by using -p instead of say.
Explanation:
`A` is evaluated in string context and `A..$_` builds a list starting at "A" and string-incrementing up to the input string. Perl interprets the `++` operator (and thus `..`) on strings in an alphabetic context, so for example `$_="AZ";$_++;print` outputs `BA`.
`=()=` (aka ["goatse" operator](http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=527973)) forces an expression to be evaluated in list context, and returns the number of elements returned by that expression i.e., `$scalar = () =