Showing list of range names available for formulas??

[hdublisky]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel I know this MUST be possible in Excel...but I can't seem to find it. I have named ranges. I am entering a formula and want to refer to a range name. I don't remember exactly what I called it, or it has a long name that I don't want to have to type. Can't I use some sort of function key to just show a list of the available named ranges, so that I can point to the one I want? In excel for windows, we used a function key (can't recall which one).
Thanks,
hjd

 

[John McGhie]

Reveal the Formula bar.

The left-end of the formula bar contains a field showing the range names: it
has drop-down arrows on it you can use to find the range names.

To enter one, simply begin to type its name: when you get to the third or
fourth character, a popup will appear showing the names that match. Make
sure you have this switched on in your Excel Autocomplete preferences.

If the name is really bad, you can also use Edit>Goto, choose the range
name, and hit Enter. Excel will drop the name into the formula for you.

Hope this helps

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel
I know this MUST be possible in Excel...but I can't seem to find it. I have
named ranges. I am entering a formula and want to refer to a range name. I
don't remember exactly what I called it, or it has a long name that I don't
want to have to type. Can't I use some sort of function key to just show a
list of the available named ranges, so that I can point to the one I want? In
excel for windows, we used a function key (can't recall which one).
Thanks,
hjd

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

Here's one that even John overlooked

In the Insert> Name menu you'll find a Paste... command which produces a
dialog containing your named ranges (similar but not the same as the Go To
dialog). AFAIK, It doesn't have a default keystroke but you can assign one.

Truth be told, I prefer this feature to either of the other methods. I've
not found the Name Box at the left end of the Formula Bar to be helpful
while editing a formula because it automatically converts to a list of
functions once you type an = into the cell... It doesn't revert back to your
list of range names until you finish the entry.

AutoComplete doesn't seem to work well for me, either, because it doesn't
appear when within parens of a function. IOW, if you have a range named
'range1' the list of functions with named ranges will appear if you begin to
type =r but it will *not* appear if you type =sum(r -- which is when I seem
to need it the most

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[hdublisky]

Both answered the question, thanks Bob and John!

Okay, Bob, I am new to the forum (just converted to a Mac). Can you help me out with some conventions ... what is AFAIK and IOW (I suspect IOW might be In Other Words??)

I was really stuck on the fact that the box in the formula bar always had a function in it ... and now I know that this happens when you enter an = in the cell. So thanks all around!

hjd

 

[CyberTaz]

AFAIK = "As Far As I Know" & your interpretation of IOW is right on

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac