Forms and Conditional Formatting

  • Thread starter limited computer knowledge
  • Start date
L

limited computer knowledge

First of all it is great that so many people take extra time to try to help
others with problems in these discussion groups. My question is about
conditional formatting on a form to unshade a cell once a user enters
information into it.
I have looked through some of these postings and one person suggested a
conditional format for a form to "unshade" a cell when a person enters
something in it. The formula was =LEN(A1)<>
What I wanted to know was what does the LEN stand for? The only option in
conditional formatting is if the cell or formula is something, then use this
format. Well if I put the format to the cell that if it is greater than or
less than zero, use no format. But what happens if the entry is actually
zero which happens in this particular form that I am working on? Is there
another formula to do that?

Thanks.
 
B

Biff

Hi!

Change that formula to:

=LEN(A1)

LEN is the function that returns the length of it's argument, in this case,
the value in cell A1.

If no entry is made in cell A1 then LEN(A1) equals 0 and is therefore FALSE
when applied to conditional formatting. As a result, the cell remains
shaded.

When an entry is made in A1 then LEN(A1) will be greater than 0 and is
therefore TRUE when applied to CF. As a result, the cell will not be shaded
(provided, that's how you set the cf)

Biff

"limited computer knowledge"
 
L

limited computer knowledge

Another question: What if that person puts in zero in the cell? Is there
any way to unshade the cell if they enter zero, yet have the cell shaded when
nothing is entered (cell is blank)? Is there a formula that would do that
for conditional formatting?

Thanks for your reply to my first question, Biff. It helped!
 
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