First non-error value in a column

[stepan1987]

Hi, need your help:
How do i reference the first non-error value above the given cell in the column?

I need to calculate a log return for a column, so I need some sort of a
LOG(A3,first non-error above A3)

How do I do that?

Example:

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 123pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=164 border=0><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 75pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 3657" width=100><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; WIDTH: 75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right width=100 height=20>1/8/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right width=64>22.36</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/9/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=middle>#VALUE!</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/10/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=middle>#VALUE!</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/11/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>22.07</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/12/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>22.2</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/13/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>21.91</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/14/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>22.59</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/15/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>21.44</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/16/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=middle>#VALUE!</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/17/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=middle>#VALUE!</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/18/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>20.21</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/19/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>21.06</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/20/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>20.55</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD class=xl65 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=20>1/21/2010</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>20.1</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

As of 1/18/2010 it should calculate LOG(20.21/21.44)

 

[MickG]

If your values are in column "A & B" then place this function in column "C" in the row you wish to start in.
i.e. =cl()
This function returns Log to the base 10.

Function cl()
 Dim n As Integer
 Dim rng As Range
 Set rng = ActiveCell
For n = rng.Row - 1 To 1 Step -1
    With Cells(n, rng.Columns.Offset(, -1).Column)
        If Not IsError(.Value) Then
            cl = Application.Log(rng.Offset(, -1).Value / .Value, 10)
             Exit For
        End If
 End With
 Next n
 End Function

 

[stepan1987]

MickG, thanks a lot, but is there a way to get it as a formula? I need it to work automatically when i change the values in the second column, and for the users of the file to see how is it calculated..

 

[MickG]

This is the best I can do, By including "Application.Volatile" the Results should automatically update.

Function cl() As Double
 Application.Volatile
 Dim n As Integer
 Dim rng As Range
 Set rng = ActiveCell
For n = rng.Row - 1 To 1 Step -1
    With Cells(n, rng.Columns.Offset(, -1).Column)
        If Not IsError(.Value) Then
            cl = Application.Log(rng.Offset(, -1).Value / .Value, 10)
             Exit For
        End If
 End With
 Next n
 End Function

 

[stepan1987]

PLease advise how do i change the script if initial columns start with A4 and D4 and the results should start in E4? thank you

 

[jasonb75]

Not sure I understand exactly what you're trying to do, but assuming first value in B2

=INDEX($B$2:$B2,MATCH(ROW(),IF(ISERROR($B$2:$B2),"",ROW($B$2:$B2))))

Would find the last non error value as you fill down in another column.

Must be array confirmed using Shift Ctrl Enter.

 

[stepan1987]

Works perfect,thanks!