Cell color change without macro

[b0unce]

Hello,

is there a way to change cell color on certain cell selection without performing a macro?
For example, when I select any cell on column D, I need cell range A1:B3 to highlight in any color. Or to be distinguished in any other way. After I deselect column D, I need the highlight from range A1:B3 to disappear.
I know how to do that with macro, but that is not a very good solution, as it does not allow using UNDO function later. And as this macro run on Selection_change, I will never be able to use UNDO; even if I did not select column D. This make working with the file more complicated.

Is anyone aware of a walk around how to make certain cells to be highlighted without triggering a macro? Thank you in adcance!

 

[Special-K99]

If you want to trigger cells to be highlighted on a selection then VBA is the way to go.
If you want to highlight cells based on values then Conditional Formatting is the approach to take.

 

[jeffreybrown]

How about...

Conditional Formatting

• Highlight applicable range >> A1:B3
• Home Tab >> Styles >> Conditional Formatting
• New Rule >> Use a formula to determine which cells to format
• Edit the Rule Description: Format values where this formula is true: =COUNTA($D:$D)>0
• Format… [Number, Font, Border, Fill]
• OK >> OK

 

[b0unce]

Hello,

thank you both for replying!
Special-K99, I want to highlight cells based on selection; so I guess I should use VBA..

jeffreybrown, your solution highlights A1:B3 (or any other range, which has the formatting applied) regardless the selection. It just checks whether column D has any data in it. But I need formatting to be applied if I SELECT any cell from column D.

Thanks for trying to help!

 

[jeffreybrown]

Sounds like VBA then...