Data Validation list boxes

W

Watson

Hi--
I have three columns which have data validation list boxes attached, so that
when you click on a cell a little handle appears and you select a name from
the list box that appears. In one of the columns, however (and always the
same one), the handle doesn't show up. When you to type in a cell, the
warning box still appears saying that you have to select data from the list,
but the handle never appears, making selection impossible.

Thinking the workbook was corrupt, I tried copying the whole sheet into a
new workbook, and the validation in the problem column did work for a
while, but now it's gone again. The other two validated columns continue to
work fine.

Help! Is my file just hopelessly corrupt? I'm running this on Mac OSX--
might that be connected to the instability? Any ideas would be much
appreciated.
 
E

Earl Kiosterud

My dear Watson,

Tell us exactly what the Data - Validations settings are in one of the
errant cells are. Look in all three Data Validation tabs.

--
Earl Kiosterud
mvpearl omitthisword at verizon period net
-------------------------------------------

Hi--
I have three columns which have data validation list boxes attached, so that
when you click on a cell a little handle appears and you select a name from
the list box that appears. In one of the columns, however (and always the
same one), the handle doesn't show up. When you to type in a cell, the
warning box still appears saying that you have to select data from the list,
but the handle never appears, making selection impossible.

Thinking the workbook was corrupt, I tried copying the whole sheet into a
new workbook, and the validation in the problem column did work for a
while, but now it's gone again. The other two validated columns continue to
work fine.

Help! Is my file just hopelessly corrupt? I'm running this on Mac OSX--
might that be connected to the instability? Any ideas would be much
appreciated.
 
W

Watson

I see you got the Holmes reference. Sorry about the delay--I had to leave
the office for the day. The settings are
as follows:
ALLOW: List
DATA: between
SOURCE: =$AT$13:$AT$17 (These cells contain the items that should
appear on the list.)
IGNORE BLANK is checked
IN-CELL DROPDOWN is checked
SHOW INPUT MESSAGE is checked (but there is no message)
SHOW ERROR ALERT is checked
TITLE is Error Alert
STYLE is stop
ERROR MESSAGE (I won't bore you with the text--it's about 110 characters)

That's it--except for the source cells and error text, the settiings are the
same as for the others validations that work. Sigh. Any ideas?
 
E

Earl Kiosterud

Watson,

If Allow is set to List, then Between should be grayed out. You said it's
set to "between." If it's not grayed out, something is broken. "I'll take
'Things that don't work for $100, Alex.'" I suppose you could deselect Show
Input Message, since there is none. That might work as well as standing up
and turning around three times. Does this workbook use User-defined
Functions (UDF's), by any chance (macros that return a value in a cell)?

Pressing Alt-DownArrow brings up the dropdown, same as clicking the
(missing) button. Try that on an errant cell.

Other than that, I don't have any suggestions.
--
Earl Kiosterud
mvpearl omitthisword at verizon period net
-------------------------------------------

I see you got the Holmes reference. Sorry about the delay--I had to leave
the office for the day. The settings are
as follows:
ALLOW: List
DATA: between
SOURCE: =$AT$13:$AT$17 (These cells contain the items that should
appear on the list.)
IGNORE BLANK is checked
IN-CELL DROPDOWN is checked
SHOW INPUT MESSAGE is checked (but there is no message)
SHOW ERROR ALERT is checked
TITLE is Error Alert
STYLE is stop
ERROR MESSAGE (I won't bore you with the text--it's about 110 characters)

That's it--except for the source cells and error text, the settiings are the
same as for the others validations that work. Sigh. Any ideas?
 
M

Martin

Do you have "frozen panes" and are running Excel 97 - the dropdown will not
work - remove the panes and try again.
 
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