Dynamic Named Ranges

[sastrypvn]

Hi,

I Saw in one of the postings that we can create "Dynamic Named Ranges" and identify a last row in a worksheet, the following formula is used..

=MATCH(2,1/(Sheet1$A:$A<>""))

How does this formula works? In Match Formula - are we trying to match 2 in the range ?also why the "1/" is used before the "Sheet1$A:$A<>""?

Can you please expalin in detail?

Thanks in Advance

Regards,
Sastry

 

[Jonmo1]

First, that is an array formula, which is entered with CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER
When entered in the Named Range field, the CSE is not required...

Here's an example in a sheet formula, entered with CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER

Sheet1

<TABLE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 2pt; PADDING-LEFT: 2pt; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=1><COLGROUP><COL style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; WIDTH: 30px"><COL style="WIDTH: 64px"><COL style="WIDTH: 64px"><COL style="WIDTH: 64px"></COLGROUP><TBODY><TR style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><TD> </TD><TD>A</TD><TD>B</TD><TD>C</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">1</TD><TD>Not Blank</TD><TD> </TD><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: right">7</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">2</TD><TD>Not Blank</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">3</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">4</TD><TD>Not Blank</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">5</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">6</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">7</TD><TD>Not Blank</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">8</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">9</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 17px"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca; TEXT-ALIGN: center">10</TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; BORDER-LEFT-COLOR: #00ff00; BORDER-BOTTOM-COLOR: #00ff00; COLOR: #000000; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: groove; BORDER-TOP-COLOR: #00ff00; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: groove; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: groove; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffcf9; BORDER-RIGHT-COLOR: #00ff00; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: groove"><TBODY><TR><TD>Spreadsheet Formulas</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 border=1><TBODY><TR style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cacaca"><TD>Cell</TD><TD>Formula</TD></TR><TR><TD>C1</TD><TD>{=MATCH(2,1/(Sheet1!$A1:$A10<>""))}</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>Formula Array:
Produce enclosing { } by entering
formula with CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER!</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Excel tables to the web >> http://www.excel-jeanie-html.de/index.php?f=1" target="_blank"> Excel Jeanie HTML 4


(Sheet1!$A1:$A10<>"") <---creates an array of True or False results..True if NOT Blank, False if Blank.

With above example...That creates
{TRUE,TRUE,FALSE,TRUE,FALSE,FALSE,TRUE,FALSE,FALSE,FALSE}

When True and false arguments are applied in a Math operation, True = 1, False = 0
so it becomes
1/{1,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0}

1/1 = 1
1/0 = #DIV/0! Error

So it becomes
{1,1,#DIV/0!,1,#DIV/0!,#DIV/0!,1,#DIV/0!,#DIV/0!,#DIV/0!}

Put that back into the Match..

=MATCH(2,{1,1,#DIV/0!,1,#DIV/0!,#DIV/0!,1,#DIV/0!,#DIV/0!,#DIV/0!})

Match Ignores Errors..
Since there is no exact match in the array
And there is no number larger than 1
It Finds the LAST Numerical Entry
Which is in the 7th position.

So the formula returns 7

Hope that helps.

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

Hi,

I Saw in one of the postings that we can create "Dynamic Named Ranges" and identify a last row in a worksheet, the following formula is used..

=MATCH(2,1/(Sheet1$A:$A<>""))

How does this formula works? In Match Formula - are we trying to match 2 in the range ?also why the "1/" is used before the "Sheet1$A:$A<>""?

Can you please expalin in detail?

Thanks in Advance

Regards,
Sastry

It's an expensive way of determining the last row (cell) with data, that is, a cell with any value except a formula blank. It can be relevant in a situation where even an error value needs to be included. This won't work however on Excel systems prior to 2007.

It's just efficient to pick out a reference (column/row) that is numeric and apply...

=MATCH(9.99999999999999E+307,A:A)

If text...

=MATCH(REPT("z",255),A:A)

for pinning down the last row.

 

[Jonmo1]

Aladin,

I believe I know the thread where this came from, and it was from me..

Is there a better way to get the last row of a column that could be either text or number?

I don't see it as a big performance hit if it's done only once in a single named range.
Then subsequent named ranges refer to that name for the last row.

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

Aladin,

I believe I know the thread where this came from, and it was from me..

Is there a better way to get the last row of a column that could be either text or number?

I don't see it as a big performance hit if it's done only once in a single named range.
Then subsequent named ranges refer to that name for the last row.

Hi jonmo1

=MATCH(2,1/(Sheet1$A:$A<>""))

is expensive and would be more so on Excel 2010, at least theoretically.

I wanted to caution that there is no need to use this in all situations for there are faster alternatives. I review them below and address the question you posed...

In what follows I assume throughout Sheet1 as the sheet housing the data.

Situation 1. There is a numeric range in the reference area of interest.

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 170pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=227><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 53pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 2503" width=70><COL style="WIDTH: 62pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 2958" width=83><COL style="WIDTH: 55pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 2616" width=74><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 53pt; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl65 height=19 width=70>Item</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 62pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl65 width=83>Date</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 55pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl65 width=74>Value</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>FAD</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl67 align=right>1-Feb-10</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 align=right>0.76</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>LAD</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl67></TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 align=right>0.62</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>KAD</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl67 align=right>2-Apr-10</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 align=right>0.57</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>JAD</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl67 align=right>4-Apr-10</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 align=right>0.75</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19></TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl67 align=right>6-May-10</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 align=right>0.89</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>LAD</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl67 align=right>9-May-10</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66></TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>LAD</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl67 align=right>12-Jun-10</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 align=right>0.73</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>JAD</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl67 align=right>6-Jul-10</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 align=right>0.78</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Lrow:

=MATCH(9.99999999999999E+307,Sheet1!$B:$B)

Lrec:

=MATCH(9.99999999999999E+307,Sheet1!$B:$B)-ROW(Sheet1!$B$2)+1

Lrow would be used in the definition of Item, for example, invoking the INDEX function as in:

=Sheet1!$A$2:INDEX(Sheet1!$A:$A,Lrow)

Lrec would be used in the definition of Item, for example, invoking the OFFSET function as in:

=OFFSET(Sheet1!$A$2,0,0,Lrec)

Hereafter I'll use Lrow along with INDEX...

Situation 2. There is a text range (but no numeric range) in the reference area of interest.

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 96pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=128><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" span=2 width=64><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 48pt; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl65 height=19 width=64>State</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl65 width=64>Tvalue</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>NJ</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66>JAD</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>CT</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66>KAD</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>NY</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66>LAD</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>NY</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66>NAD</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>TX</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66>GAD</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>CT</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66>NAD</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>TX</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Lrow:

=MATCH(REPT("z",255),Sheet1!$A:$A)

State:

=Sheet1!$A$2:INDEX(Sheet1!$A:$A,Lrow)

Tvalue:

=Sheet1!$B$2:INDEX(Sheet1!$B:$B,Lrow)


Situation 3. The reference area of interest is either text or numeric.

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=64><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 48pt; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl65 height=19 width=64>Object</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19 align=right>20</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19 align=right>30</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>invalid</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19 align=right>36</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19 align=right>90</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19 align=right>30</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>invalid</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

As you suggest, Lrow would be defined with:

=MATCH(9.99999999999999E+307,1/(Sheet1!$A:$A<>""))

Note. This is only possible on Excel 2007 or later.

[ My apologies to Harlan for substituting 9.99999999999999E+307 for 2. ]

You asked whether there is another way, almost as efficient as the ones discussed in Situation 1 and 2. Here is one:

LTrow:

=MATCH(REPT("z",255),Sheet1!$A:$A)

LNrow:

=MATCH(9.99999999999999E+307,Sheet1!$A:$A)

Lrow:

=MAX(CHOOSE({1,2},IF(ISNUMBER(LTrow),LTrow,0),IF(ISNUMBER(LNrow),LNrow,0)))

Object:

=Sheet3!$A$2:INDEX(Sheet1!$A:$A,Lrow)

The foregoing looks to me admissible, also usable on all versions.

Situation 4. Like the previous situation but with errors. This reference area could be due to formulas, disregarding the question of whether such is adequate or not.

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 58pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=77><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 58pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 2730" width=77><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 58pt; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl65 height=19 width=77>Evaluation</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>10.1.4</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19 align=center>#N/A</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>Not Found</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>10.2.9</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19 align=right>25</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19 align=right>27</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19 align=center>#REF!</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>Not Found</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 14.4pt" height=19><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 14.4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid" class=xl66 height=19>11.0.2</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

I believe this situation can be treated like Situation 3.