copy table column x times

[ksleep10]

I thought this: =IF(COLUMN(C$4:C14)<($J$2+2),C$4:C14 ,"") would work, but it doesn't seem to. Let me explain what I am trying to do: $J$2 is the number of participants and is a number the user will enter. Table Column C is data for participant 1 with all the drop down lists and everything set up exactly the way I want it.

If the user enters a value of 2 for participants, then I will need Column c with all formulas copied to column D (participant 2) and so on. If there are 20 participants, there should be a column for participant 20 as part of the table. Do I need to use a macro for this? I've never done that before.

 

[iliace]

You are not clear on what your original formula is supposed to do, or where this formula will be used. Your original formula doesn't really make sense - why would you compare a user input to the column of a range that always returns the same number (3)? It seems pointless.

See how this works for you:

=OFFSET(C$4:C14, 0, $J$2)

 

[ksleep10]

I realize that I can select the table column C (participants 1), drag it one column to the right, and I will have a participants 2 column in column D with all my formulas adjusted with the proper cell references and the table will be one column larger. But what if I need 300 columns? Can I take the value in $J$2, and extend the fill series by that number of columns without clicking and dragging?

 

[iliace]

Can you show an example / mock-up of what your sheet looks like?

 

[ksleep10]

I had to work around it by guessing how large the table could potentially become and paste-special > validation to have all my drop downs in the empty cells that could become part of the table. When the user enters data in the empty column beside the table, the table grows on top of the validation list boxes. It seems sloppy to me, but it works. I still think there must be a way to enter a number, and if the number of columns in the table is less than that number, copy the last column (not the data contents, just the formatting including validation) until last column equals the number (well, number +2, because I have a questions row and the first data entry column already). I have a new problem now, but I'll start a new thread for that.