Hi Vasilis

There was a mistake with my solution, in that the second formula would
have produced a circular reference.
Instead of =MAX(Y:Y) it should be =MAX(Y2:Y65536) or alternatively the
formula =MAX(Y:Y) should be entered in Z1 in place of Y1. In the latter
case the macro would need amending to write results from Range("Z1") not
Range("Y1")

However, I don't think you can have tried it, or you are not
understanding what I am saying.

Firstly
=OR(F2=$F$1,H2=$X$1)*OR(S2={"A","B","C"})*ROW()
will return a row number only if

the name appearing in X1 appears in either column F or H, AND there is
a either a Letter A OR B OR C in column S
and not as you say, just if the name appears in the row.

I believe my formula does return the answer as per your
- Note that the count must ommit rows which do not contain exactly:
(Ex) both: "Larry" and: ("A", or "B" or "C")

Secondly
[1/2 of which will contain array formulas (your 2nd formula)]
Neither of the formulae posted are array formulae. They are very simple
formulae which can be calculated quickly down a sheet of 12000 rows or
more and would not cause even a relatively low powered computer any
problem.

Thirdly
My solution does not require the addition of more than 2 columns.
It would be extremely poor design (and not possible even on XL2007) to
have to have 2 extra columns for each of 800 employees!!
As I have said, there would be a list of all employees in a single
column on Sheet2.
The macro, would take each name in turn from column A, and write it to
cell X1 on Sheet1, whereupon, Y1 would reflect the answer pertinent to
that employee.
It would then take the result from Y1 and write that back to column 2 on
Sheet2 alongside the employee's name.
It would then iterate through each name in the list on sheet2 until the
task was complete.
Sheet 2 would thus be 800 rows by 2 columns (and not a formula in sight)

Fourthly
Lastly, others seem to agree on this problem requiring a UDF.
They may be right.
I don't disagree that a UDF can be written to solve this problem but it
is not the only solution.

I prefer to use very simple worksheet formulae (which are very efficient
and faster than most UDF's) to carry out the task of finding the result
for a single employee, and then utilise an uncomplicated macro to cycle
through the task of changing the name in cell X1 for me.
None of these formulae would cause any computer undue stress in their
calculation, and should run fairly quickly.

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"Vasilis Tergen" wrote in
message ...
Sir,

Thank you for the reply.
The formula you initially provided me with doesn't work.
What it does instead is provide the row number of any row containing
the name "Larry", or whatever the user enters in cell X1.
In a simpler manner it provides:
=IF($A$1:$A$12000="Larry",ROW($A$1:$A$12000),"")

Secondly, yes you would need to add an exorbitant number of cells
(columns & rows) even if did work. This, because two new "helper"
columns must be added for each name, to contain the 2 formulas you
provided & autofill down to row 12000.
Thus, 2 new columns (containing your 2 formulas)
*12000 rows (containing "Larry", "A","B","C"...) each=
24.000 new rows/ name.
Those rows will cover 2 columns = 48.000 cells.
(Remember that you entered a name, "Larry" into cell X1)
Lastly, to calculate all of the 800 names, you'd need:
800 (names)* 48.000 (cells containing formulas for each name)=
38.400.000 cells,
[1/2 of which will contain array formulas (your 2nd formula)]

Also, the macro you presented in your 2nd reply would be quite
practical,
if the original formula worked.

Lastly, others seem to agree on this problem requiring a UDF.
They may be right.


"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi Vasilis

Assuming that my solution works i.e. does produce the correct answer
for
Larry, there is no need to add 800 columns to the sheet at all.

On Sheet2, starting with A1, create a list of all 800 names going
down
to cell A800
Then, run the following trivial piece of code to obtain the result
for
all 800 people

Sub FindLarry()
Dim i As Long, lrow As Long

lrow = Sheets("Sheet2").Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Row
For i = 1 To lrow
Sheets("Sheet1").Range("X1") = Sheets("Sheet2").Cells(i, "A")
Sheets("Sheet2").Cells(i, "B") = Sheets("Sheet1").Range("Y1")
Next

End Sub

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"Vasilis Tergen" wrote in
message ...
Sir,

As stated in the initial post (question), helper columns cannot be
used
because
I'm analyzing 800 names such as "Larry", "John"... over 12000 rows.
This, would require using: 800* 2 additional helper columns= 1600 *
12000*
22 columns (the width of the report table)= 422.400.000 cells
containing
formulas.
(Data-rows- are also added daily, to the existing, 12.000...)



"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi

If I understand you correctly, then with the use of 2 helper
columns
you
could do the following.
I used columns X and Y
In X1 I entered Larry and in X2
=OR(F2=$F$1,H2=$X$1)*OR(S2={"A","B","C"})*ROW()
In Y2
=X2-MAX($X$2:X2)

In both cases, fill down as required
in Y1
=MAX(Y:Y) returns the maximum you are seeking

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"Vasilis Tergen" wrote
in
message ...
Sir,

Thank you very much for taking the time to write that formula.
I tried it repeatedly and these are its' results:

I) It works if the target column (Column A in this case) has
less
than
7 blank rows
at its' beginning. (Rows 1-7)
II) It may "jam" a high-powered machine if copied and pasted
onto
other
cells.
III) The function certainly works on the problem I posted,
however
as it would've been too complicated to state in my
initial
inquiry,
I didn't explain the complete version of the
problem -which
follows-
and for which, the afforementioned formula does not
suffice:

The Problem

A) Instead of having 1 column to work with, I have 3.
Larry, John or any other name, may appear either under
columns
F
or H,
yet never
simultaneously, under both columns F & H of the same row.

B) Additionally, in order to count the number of absences,
criteria
must be
used,
from yet another column, column S.
Column S will always contain 1 of either of 3 values: A, B or
C.

C) A visual table depiction:


Column F Column H Column S

Larry John A
Mary Mary A
Mary Larry B
John Larry C
Mary John C
Larry Mary A



D) The actual, exact data results needed are as follows:

I must count the maximum absence of:

1) "Larry" appearing under either column F or H, while
simultaneously,
having "A" appear under column S (on the same row).

2) "Larry" appearing under either column F or H, while
simultaneously,
having "B" appear under column S (on the same row).

3) "Larry" appearing under either column F or H, while
simultaneously,
having "C" appear under column S (on the same row).

- Obviously, 3 similar formulas will be used to
calculate
the
afforementioned,
entered into 3 separate cells.
- Note that the count must ommit rows which do not
contain
exactly:
(Ex) both: "Larry" and: ("A", or "B" or
"C")
The formula you kindly provided me with, includes
rows
in
its'
results, which do
not meet the specified criteria. It simply provides
the
maximum
absence between
such rows. Ex: In the target workbook, it resulted
in a
1438
maximum row absence
between "Larry" appearing under column "F".

-To give you a better idea, "Larry" actually appears
a
total of
51 times in 12000 rows.
If I were to filter the 12000 rows for "Larry", I
would
find
that the maximum
absence of both "Larry" and "A" appearing on the
same
row,
would be= 15 times.
Not 1438, which is the maximum absence of "Larry"
simply
appearing under column F.

F) Lastly, should it be of any help:
I recently posted a related question in this discussion
forum.
It is to be found under: Excel worksheet functions/ "A
rather
difficult .........."
I managed to answer that question on my own, succesfully.

If you were to help me say, define just one the
aforementioned
rows
(in
excel terms)
I would more than likely be able to complete the needed
formula.


Thank
you
very
much.


"Ron Coderre" wrote:

Here you go.....
Try something like this:

With
A2:A12000 contains names, with "larry" interspersed

This ARRAY FORMULA returns the largest consecutive gap between
"larry" cells
B1:
=MAX(SMALL(IF((A2:A12000="larry")*(A1:A11999<"lar ry")*(A3:A12001<"larry"),ROW(A2:A12000),10^99),RO W($A$2:INDEX(A:A,SUMPRODUCT(--(A2:A12000="larry")*(A1:A11999<"larry")*(A3:A1200 1<"larry")))))-SMALL(IF((A2:A12000="larry")*(A1:A11999<"larry")* (A3:A12001<"larry"),ROW(A2:A12000),10^99),ROW($A$ 1:INDEX(A:A,SUMPRODUCT(--(A2:A12000="larry")*(A1:A11999<"larry")*(A3:A1200 1<"larry"))-1)))-1)

Note: For array formulas, hold down [Ctrl] and [Shift] when you
press
[Enter], instead of just pressing [Enter].

Yeah....I know....it's not very elegant,
but it seems to get the job done. <g

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP


"Vasilis Tergen" wrote:

How would I find the maximum amount of intervals between
"Larry" re- appearing in column A?
I must use a formula- not a macro or a filter.

The correct answer in this example= 4.
That means that in column A, the maximum absence (or
intervals)
of "Larry" re- appearing was 4 times, which occured between
rows
2 and 7. (Ex: As opposed to rows: 7 - 9, where he was only
absent
once)


Rows Column A

1 John
2 Larry
3 John
4 John
5 John
6 Mary
7 Larry
8 Mary
9 Larry
10 John