check boxes

I

inkydinkydoo

Hi
I'm trying to create a spreadsheet with a column for a check box t
check off when an item is received. I found the forms toolbar, whic
allows me to insert a check box, but is this the only way? I can't ge
the boxes to line up nicely. Also whenever I add to the worksheet, I'l
have to add more boxes. Is there a way to have them pop u
automatically? Thanks!!
 
D

Dave Peterson

I'd skinny down column A (maybe add nice borders)
Select column A and format as Wingdings font
format|cells|Number|custom category:
but give each cell a custom format of:
ü;ü;ü;ü

(ü is made by hitting and holding the alt key and typing 0252 from the numeric
keypad--not numbers above the QWERTY keys).

Then any character(s) you type will look like a check mark.

To determine if the cell is "checked"
=if(a1)="","not checked","checked")

(alt-0252 is a little checkmark without the surrounding box. But there are
other check marks you could use. Windows start button|Run|charmap and look
around to find others.
 
I

inkydinkydoo

Thanks Dave!!! That works well enough for me. I can't type an
character & get a check mark, but if i type a number from the keypad i
puts a check mark.

thanks!!!:
 
D

Dave Peterson

Try copying and pasting from the newsgroup post:

ü;ü;ü;ü

Those semi-colons are important, too.

alt-0252 (semicolon) alt-0252 (semicolon) ...etcetera.

(it worked for me by just copying and pasting into the Format|cell|number
tab|custom category box--and ctrl-v will paste into that box.)
 
D

David

Dave Peterson wrote
(it worked for me by just copying and pasting into the Format|cell|number
tab|custom category box--and ctrl-v will paste into that box.)
Click to expand...

Curious, I tried that w/XL2K and it didn't. Got boxes: ;;;
Unless I actually used Alt+0252
 
D

Dave Peterson

I use Netscape Messenger as my newsreader. I'm not sure how XNews handles those
characters.

But if you used 4 alt-0252 (separated by a semicolon), could you type anything
and have the checkbox show up?
 
D

David

Dave Peterson wrote
I use Netscape Messenger as my newsreader. I'm not sure how XNews
handles those characters.
Click to expand...

Just to be clear, your characters showed properly in your post, but didn't
paste properly into Excel's dialog. Also the 'boxes' I pasted into my post
didn't display as I saw them in Excel. They were supposed to look like
small empty squares.
But if you used 4 alt-0252 (separated by a semicolon), could you type
anything and have the checkbox show up?
Click to expand...

A checkmark, yes.

I actually use a Worksheet_SelectionChange event in one of my workbooks
which places that checkmark in a cell under the current date to mark
attendance when I click on the person's name:

With Selection.Offset(0, Rows(2).Find(Date).Column - 1)
..Value = Chr(252): .Font.Name = "Wingdings"
End With
 
D

Dave Peterson

You may want to consider using _beforerightclick or _beforedoubleclick (instead
of _selectionchange).

It might add a little bit to your routine, but it could be a little
safer--Selections can be changed pretty easily (including by mistake), but
rightclick/doubleclick would at least take a directed effort.

Just a thought.
 
D

David

Dave Peterson wrote
You may want to consider using _beforerightclick or _beforedoubleclick
(instead of _selectionchange).

It might add a little bit to your routine, but it could be a little
safer--Selections can be changed pretty easily (including by mistake),
but rightclick/doubleclick would at least take a directed effort.

Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Appreciate it.

I already have controls in place to eliminate mistakes of multi-selection
or selection outside the range of names. The people that use the workbook
are accustomed to single-clicking, and know how to undo accidentally
clicking the wrong name. They are also 'mouse-challenged', having trouble
with anything other than a single left-click. And once they have learned
one way of doing something, they fuss at me if I even hint at another.
 
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