need help to expand formula

[chezlinds]

I have the following formula:

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(OR(A1="a",A1 ="b",A1 = "c",A1 = "d", A1="e", A1="e", A1="f", A1="g", A1="h", A1="i")=TRUE, "PE", "DS"))

but I want to add more arguments to it, so that if A1= "z" the result will also be "PE". However, while this formula works fine as is, if I try to add arguments I get an error that makes me think I've reached the limits allowed. There must be a way! Can anyone help?

Thanks as always,
Lindsay

[Mark W.]

If you want this to be a case sensitive comparison try...

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(AND(LEN(A1)=1,ISNUMBER(FIND(A1,"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"))), "PE", "DS"))

...at any rate, this should be easier on the eyes .

[ This Message was edited by: Mark W. on 2002-03-11 10:19 ]

[Russell Hauf]

On 2002-03-11 10:01, chezlinds wrote:
I have the following formula:

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(OR(A1="a",A1 ="b",A1 = "c",A1 = "d", A1="e", A1="e", A1="f", A1="g", A1="h", A1="i")=TRUE, "PE", "DS"))

but I want to add more arguments to it, so that if A1= "z" the result will also be "PE". However, while this formula works fine as is, if I try to add arguments I get an error that makes me think I've reached the limits allowed. There must be a way! Can anyone help?

Thanks as always,
Lindsay

You should use VLOOKUP. Make a list of your possible values something like:

a True
b True
c True
d True
q SomeValue
z SomeValue

Then use VLOOKUP to get your value.

=VLOOKUP(A1,$C$1:$D$10,2,FALSE)

where C1:D10 is the range where you entered your possible values.

Hope this helps,

Russell

[Aladin Akyurek]

On 2002-03-11 10:01, chezlinds wrote:
I have the following formula:

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(OR(A1="a",A1 ="b",A1 = "c",A1 = "d", A1="e", A1="e", A1="f", A1="g", A1="h", A1="i")=TRUE, "PE", "DS"))

but I want to add more arguments to it, so that if A1= "z" the result will also be "PE". However, while this formula works fine as is, if I try to add arguments I get an error that makes me think I've reached the limits allowed. There must be a way! Can anyone help?

Thanks as always,
Lindsay

Lindsay,

A shorter version of your formula would be:

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(OR(A1={"a","b","c","d","e","e","f","g","h","i"}), "PE", "DS"))

whose the {"a","b","c","d","e","e","f","g","h","i"} bit can be extended further. However, what follows is much shorter:

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(AND(LEN(A1)=1,CODE(UPPER(A1))>64,CODE(UPPER(A1))<=90),"PE","DS"))

will result in PE if A1 houses a letter between A and Z inclusive and case-insensitive, otherwise in DS.

Addendum: Forgat to add the ISBLANK bit to the second formula.

Aladin

[ This Message was edited by: Aladin Akyurek on 2002-03-11 10:42 ]

[Mark W.]

=IF(AND(LEN(A1)=1,CODE(UPPER(A1))>64,CODE(UPPER(A1))<=90),"PE","DS")

Better, make that...

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(AND(LEN(A1)=1,CODE(A1)>96,CODE(A1)<123),"PE","DS"))

...if case sensitivity is required.

[ This Message was edited by: Mark W. on 2002-03-11 10:35 ]

[Mark W.]

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(OR(A1={"a","b","c","d","e","e","f","g","h","i"}), "PE", "DS"))

whose the {"a","b","c","d","e","e","f","g","h","i"} bit can be extended further.

If case sensitivity is required you could use this instead...

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(OR(EXACT(A1,CHAR(ROW($97:$122)))), "PE", "DS"))


[ This Message was edited by: Mark W. on 2002-03-13 11:35 ]

[chezlinds]

(I haven't been able to get back here for a couple of days...)

I guess I should be more specific -- the "a", "b", "c", etc. are actually names of vacation spots (not simple letters). Aladin's formula looks like just what I want, but I still can't get it to accept more than ten names of locations. The formula works fine for the first ten, but not any more. What am I doing wrong?

Lindsay

[ This Message was edited by: chezlinds on 2002-03-13 09:22 ]

[Aladin Akyurek]

On 2002-03-13 09:18, chezlinds wrote:
(I haven't been able to get back here for a couple of days...)

I guess I should be more specific -- the "a", "b", "c", etc. are actually names of vacation spots (not simple letters). Aladin's formula looks like just what I want, but I still can't get it to accept more than ten names of locations. The formula works fine for the first ten, but not any more. What am I doing wrong?

Lindsay

[ This Message was edited by: chezlinds on 2002-03-13 09:22 ]

Lindsay,

You mean this formula I guess:

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(OR(A1={"a","b","c","d","e","e","f","g","h","i"}), "PE", "DS"))

If so, I propose a different, hassle-free approach.

Make a 1-column list of all your vacation spots in a separate sheet you could name Admin. Select all of the cells of this list, go to the Name Box on the Formula Bar, type VacSpots, and enter.

Now use the following formula instead:

=IF(ISBLANK(A1),"",IF(ISNUMBER(MATCH(A1,VacSpots,0)),"PE","DS"))

Aladin

[chezlinds]

Aladin, forgive the cluelessness, but I don't see a "name box" on my toolbar, and I do have the formula toolbar up.

Lindsay

[Aladin Akyurek]

On 2002-03-13 10:49, chezlinds wrote:
Aladin, forgive the cluelessness, but I don't see a "name box" on my toolbar, and I do have the formula toolbar up.

Lindsay

Left most box on the Formula Bar in which you see cell addresses appear when you are in some cell.

Aladin