Advanced Filter--Blanks

[kevinonexcel]

Hello,

I am using an advanced filter for a large database. The filter criteria are dependent upon another worksheet. In some cases the criteria in a column is blank. This is done by using an IF function and "". When ever a column is blank, I don't want their to be any criteria is that column. However, whenever I try filtering a case with a blank no solutions appear even though their are valid options. Do I need to add something between my quotations to filter a blank?

Thanks for any help

 

[bobsan42]

"="

P.S.: "<>" for Non-blanks

 

[BobUmlas]

Use a computed criteria -- if the column of data which you're checking for is A, then have a formula like this
=LEN(A2)=0
in H2, for example, and use H1:H2 as the criteria range (where H1 is blank)

Bob Umlas
Excel MVP

 

[BobUmlas]

using just = as the criteria will NOT find cells which evaluate to this blank:
=IF(A33=5,4,"")

 

[kevinonexcel]

Thank you for the response,

I tried it but it didn't work

The database has several columns with x's when the row is valid for the column's criteria. Here is an example of the formula in one cell of the criteria.

When sheet1E5 does not have a value of "Products", "=" appears in the cell but the filter returns no matches even though their are matches

=IF(Sheet1!$E5="Products","x","=")

 

[bobsan42]

"="=""

 

[kevinonexcel]

Thank you for the responses-- still no luck tho.

I tried using the LEN function and that returns True or False. If it could return an X then it might be usefull to me.

I also tried using "=""" and it just returned =".

Any more ideas would be appreciated

 

[bobsan42]

check these links - takes a short reading and will probably help a lot:
http://www.ozgrid.com/VBA/autofilter-vba-criteria.htm
http://www.ozgrid.com/VBA/autofilter-vba.htm

 

[kevinonexcel]

Thanks for the links.

They were very helpfull and solved my issue.