Can Only Be Done One Way !

[RagDyeR]

We are all aware of the numerous ways that "things" can be accomplished in
XL.

Does anyone know of *anything*, that can only be accomplished using one
specific procedure ?

 

[JulieD]

including or excluding vba?

 

[RagDyer]

Excluding ... for a start.

including or excluding vba?

 

[hgrove]

RagDyeR wrote...
...

Does anyone know of *anything*, that can only be
accomplished using one specific procedure ?

Excluding VBA

Pulling data from closed workbooks or from DDE server applications can
only be done using hard-coded references in formulas.

Most in-place manipulation of cell contents can only be done using Edit

Replace. The exception is removing only leading and trailing spaces,

which can be done using Data > Text to Columns, Fixed Width, Finish but
not by Edit > Replace.

There's very little redundancy in Excel's standard menu, so if it's
something that can't be duplicated by formulas, it's likely there's
only one menu command to do it (other than using 'transition' 123 slash
menu commands in Excel versions that provide that functionality). But
that leads to one thing that only the transition 123 slash menu can do:
remove all defined names in a single operation.

 

[RagDyer]

<<"Pulling data from closed workbooks or from DDE server applications can
only be done using hard-coded references in formulas.">>

Not true!
Here's ANOTHER way:

I use an extensive (large) XL data base, where the key is the order number.
I constructed the dB using Row() to increment the order numbers down the key
column.
I don't consider that a hard coded address, do you?

Here's an old post where I suggested this to someone:

http://tinyurl.com/2srmg


<<"There's very little redundancy in Excel's standard menu, so if it's
something that can't be duplicated by formulas, it's likely there's
only one menu command to do it">>

You're not playing the game!
Let's be specific!
--



Regards,

RD
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
-------------------------------------------------------------------


RagDyeR wrote...
...

Does anyone know of *anything*, that can only be
accomplished using one specific procedure ?

Excluding VBA

Pulling data from closed workbooks or from DDE server applications can
only be done using hard-coded references in formulas.

Most in-place manipulation of cell contents can only be done using Edit

Replace. The exception is removing only leading and trailing spaces,

which can be done using Data > Text to Columns, Fixed Width, Finish but
not by Edit > Replace.

There's very little redundancy in Excel's standard menu, so if it's
something that can't be duplicated by formulas, it's likely there's
only one menu command to do it (other than using 'transition' 123 slash
menu commands in Excel versions that provide that functionality). But
that leads to one thing that only the transition 123 slash menu can do:
remove all defined names in a single operation.

 

[hgrove]

RagDyer wrote...

<<"Pulling data from closed workbooks or from DDE server
applications can only be done using hard-coded references in
formulas.">>

Not true!
Here's ANOTHER way:

I use an extensive (large) XL data base, where the key is the >orde

number. I constructed the dB using Row() to increment

the order numbers down the key column. I don't consider that a
hard coded address, do you?

Here's an old post where I suggested this to someone:

http://tinyurl.com/2srmg

The end result are hard-coded references. Whether you use formulas the
copy/paste special as values and Edit > Replace = with =, use som
other program to generate the links as formulas, or enter the
manually, the final result are hard-coded external link references
Your 'more than one way to do it' is equivalent to saying all of th
following are each separate ways to enter the formula =NOW():

= N O w ( [Enter]

= N O w ( ) [Enter]

= ( ) [F2]

N O W [Enter]

= n o w ( ) [Enter]

= ( ) [F2]

n o w [Enter]

= n o w ( ) <scratch your nose> [Enter]

If you mean more than one set of sequential mechanical steps to achiev
the same result, then no, there's nothing that must be done one an
only one way.

<<"There's very little redundancy in Excel's standard menu, so if
it's something that can't be duplicated by formulas, it's likely
there's only one menu command to do it">>

You're not playing the game!
Let's be specific!

The following wasn't specific enough?

...
...

that leads to one thing that only the transition 123 slash menu
can do: remove all defined names in a single operation.

How about Tools > Options, select Calculation tab, set calculation t
Manual or Automatic.

If this isn't what you mean, why not consider trying to be mor
precise​

 

[Mike A]

The end result are hard-coded references. Whether you use formulas then
copy/paste special as values and Edit > Replace = with =, use some
other program to generate the links as formulas, or enter them
manually, the final result are hard-coded external link references.
Your 'more than one way to do it' is equivalent to saying all of the
following are each separate ways to enter the formula =NOW():

= N O w ( [Enter]

= N O w ( ) [Enter]

= ( ) [F2]

N O W [Enter]

= n o w ( ) [Enter]

= ( ) [F2]

n o w [Enter]

= n o w ( ) <scratch your nose> [Enter]
​

You can use an SQL query to get data from a closed workbook. That's a
_completely_ different method! ;-)


Mike Argy
Custom Office Solutions
and Windows/UNIX applications

Please post on-topic responses to the newsgroup

To e-mail me, remove nospam from the address in the headers​

 

[JulieD]

personally can't think of a way to do 'text to columns' differently without
using vba

RagDyer wrote...

<<"Pulling data from closed workbooks or from DDE server
applications can only be done using hard-coded references in
formulas.">>

Not true!
Here's ANOTHER way:

I use an extensive (large) XL data base, where the key is the >order

number. I constructed the dB using Row() to increment

the order numbers down the key column. I don't consider that a
hard coded address, do you?

Here's an old post where I suggested this to someone:

http://tinyurl.com/2srmg

The end result are hard-coded references. Whether you use formulas then
copy/paste special as values and Edit > Replace = with =, use some
other program to generate the links as formulas, or enter them
manually, the final result are hard-coded external link references.
Your 'more than one way to do it' is equivalent to saying all of the
following are each separate ways to enter the formula =NOW():

= N O w ( [Enter]

= N O w ( ) [Enter]

= ( ) [F2]

N O W [Enter]

= n o w ( ) [Enter]

= ( ) [F2]

n o w [Enter]

= n o w ( ) <scratch your nose> [Enter]

If you mean more than one set of sequential mechanical steps to achieve
the same result, then no, there's nothing that must be done one and
only one way.

<<"There's very little redundancy in Excel's standard menu, so if
it's something that can't be duplicated by formulas, it's likely
there's only one menu command to do it">>

You're not playing the game!
Let's be specific!

The following wasn't specific enough?

...
..

that leads to one thing that only the transition 123 slash menu
can do: remove all defined names in a single operation.

How about Tools > Options, select Calculation tab, set calculation to
Manual or Automatic.

If this isn't what you mean, why not consider trying to be more
precise?
​

​

 

[hgrove]

JulieD wrote...

personally can't think of a way to do 'text to columns' differently
without using vba

...

Using formulas. You'd need an extra column on a temporary basis, bu
it's not too difficult

 

[Mike A]

We are all aware of the numerous ways that "things" can be accomplished in
XL.

Does anyone know of *anything*, that can only be accomplished using one
specific procedure ?

Without VBA, I know of only one way to conditionally format - the
conditional format dialog!




Mike Argy
Custom Office Solutions
and Windows/UNIX applications

Please post on-topic responses to the newsgroup

To e-mail me, remove nospam from the address in the headers

 

[Ragdyer]

<<"How about Tools > Options, select Calculation tab, set calculation to
Manual or Automatic.

If this isn't what you mean, why not consider trying to be more
precise?">>

This thread was intended to be something "lite" !

You're being too intense.
There's no intended *competition* here ... relax ... or, as my grand kids
would say, "Chill Out".

As far as changing the calculation "mode",
ANOTHER WAY IS,
Simply open a sheet with the opposite mode first, which will set the calc
mode for the rest of the XL session.

And your comment to JulieD on the TTC is what the intent of this thread was,
to broadcast all the differing ways to accomplish all the elements of XL.
--
Regards,

RD

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

RagDyer wrote...

<<"Pulling data from closed workbooks or from DDE server
applications can only be done using hard-coded references in
formulas.">>

Not true!
Here's ANOTHER way:

I use an extensive (large) XL data base, where the key is the >order

number. I constructed the dB using Row() to increment

the order numbers down the key column. I don't consider that a
hard coded address, do you?

Here's an old post where I suggested this to someone:

http://tinyurl.com/2srmg

The end result are hard-coded references. Whether you use formulas then
copy/paste special as values and Edit > Replace = with =, use some
other program to generate the links as formulas, or enter them
manually, the final result are hard-coded external link references.
Your 'more than one way to do it' is equivalent to saying all of the
following are each separate ways to enter the formula =NOW():

= N O w ( [Enter]

= N O w ( ) [Enter]

= ( ) [F2]

N O W [Enter]

= n o w ( ) [Enter]

= ( ) [F2]

n o w [Enter]

= n o w ( ) <scratch your nose> [Enter]

If you mean more than one set of sequential mechanical steps to achieve
the same result, then no, there's nothing that must be done one and
only one way.

<<"There's very little redundancy in Excel's standard menu, so if
it's something that can't be duplicated by formulas, it's likely
there's only one menu command to do it">>

You're not playing the game!
Let's be specific!

The following wasn't specific enough?

...
..

that leads to one thing that only the transition 123 slash menu
can do: remove all defined names in a single operation.

How about Tools > Options, select Calculation tab, set calculation to
Manual or Automatic.

If this isn't what you mean, why not consider trying to be more
precise?
​

​

 

[Ragdyer]

You might have one there.
Neither can I!

 

[Harlan Grove]

As far as changing the calculation "mode", ANOTHER WAY IS,
Simply open a sheet with the opposite mode first, which will
set the calc mode for the rest of the XL session.

....

There's a semantic quibble here about distinguishing between 'setting' the
calculation mode and 'changing' the calculation mode. FTHOI I'll stipulate
that they're the same, so two ways. However, how about switching date
systems (1900/1904), precision as displayed, edit directly in cells,
changing the direction of cell movement after [Enter], switching between
R1C1 and A1 reference styles, and most other things in the Options dialog,
to name only one menu command.

You could quibble that the same effects could be achieved either by using a
hex editor to hack options stored in .XLS files or using REGEDIT to change
Excel setting in the Registry, but those wouldn't be done *in* Excel.

 

[Ragdyer]

I repeat Harlan,

<<"This thread was intended to be something "lite" !
You're being too intense.
There's no intended *competition* here ... relax ... or, as my grand kids
would say, "Chill Out".">>

Pretend we're *not* in the classroom, but out on the quad lawn, during
lunch, and just chewing the fat.

Last time I really did that, we drew up plans to invade Canada!
--
Regards,

RD

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

As far as changing the calculation "mode", ANOTHER WAY IS,
Simply open a sheet with the opposite mode first, which will
set the calc mode for the rest of the XL session.

...

There's a semantic quibble here about distinguishing between 'setting' the
calculation mode and 'changing' the calculation mode. FTHOI I'll stipulate
that they're the same, so two ways. However, how about switching date
systems (1900/1904), precision as displayed, edit directly in cells,
changing the direction of cell movement after [Enter], switching between
R1C1 and A1 reference styles, and most other things in the Options dialog,
to name only one menu command.

You could quibble that the same effects could be achieved either by using a
hex editor to hack options stored in .XLS files or using REGEDIT to change
Excel setting in the Registry, but those wouldn't be done *in* Excel.

 

[Harlan Grove]

Pretend we're *not* in the classroom, but out on the quad lawn, during
lunch, and just chewing the fat.

....

What do you believe the grad student lounge was like when I was there?
Perhaps this points out a difference between math grad students (in part it
was a survival mechanism for preparing for qualifying exams in which
anything & everything out of your mouth would be challenged) and liberal
arts undergrads. But, yes, I still remember undergrad days discussing how to
eliminate world hunger.

 

[Norman Harker]

Hi RD!

Good idea!

In pre- Excel 2003 if you use:

Tools > Options > Transition
Check "Transition navigation keys"
OK

You can now use /RNR and delete all the names in the workbook.

Without VBA, AFAIK this can't be done except by a repetitive series of
commands in Excel.

It doesn't come with an undo though or a "health warning". So I hope
you've backed up recently before you try it out.

 

[Norman Harker]

Hi RD!

Re: Last time I really did that, we drew up plans to invade Canada!

Why would you want to? <gdr>

If repeating the exercise with Australia I suggest you do it whilst
the Melbourne Cup is being run.

 

[JulieD]

Hi

what's the formula if you have
Jim B Bloggs
J B Bloggs
and want the three in separate columns?

Cheers
Julie

 

[CLR]

Hi Julie.........

There's probably shorter ones, but these seem to work, with the names in
column A.......

In B1 put =MID(A1,1,FIND(" ",A1))

In C1 put =MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1)+1,FIND(" ",A1,FIND(" ",A1)+1)-FIND(" ",A1))

In D1 put =RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-FIND(" ",A1,FIND(" ",A1)+1))

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

Hi

what's the formula if you have
Jim B Bloggs
J B Bloggs
and want the three in separate columns?

Cheers
Julie

 

[RagDyeR]

<<"Why would you want to?">>

Same reason Clinton used, but this was 47 years earlier;

Because we could !


--

Regards,

RD
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit !
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi RD!

Re: Last time I really did that, we drew up plans to invade Canada!

Why would you want to? <gdr>

If repeating the exercise with Australia I suggest you do it whilst
the Melbourne Cup is being run.