Hi Wim,

The easiest way is to use the A1 reference style.
But if you have a cell with a simple formula, like =A2 in A1, you can use this VBA function to find out what it looks like in the
local language:

Function RefStyle()
RefStyle = [a1].FormulaR1C1Local
End Function

BTW, All text literals can cause problems in other language versions: format codes, arguments for DATEDIF functions, for EVALUATE,
for DATEVALUE, etc.

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel


"Wim SKW" wrote in message ...
| Hi,
| In a cell I used a formula like =INDIRECT("R[-1]C",FALSE).
| This works fine on an English version of Excel, but if you open the workbook
| on a system where the language is set to French for instance, the formula
| returns a #REF! error.
| In French, the formula should be =INDIRECT("L[-1]C",FALSE), (i.e. L for
| Ligne and C for Colonne).
| On a Dutch system, Excel translates the *function* to
| =INDIREKT("R[-1]C",FALSE) but the #REF! error remains because it should be
| =INDIREKT("R[-1]K",FALSE) (i.e. R for Rij and K for Kolom).
| On a Germans system or a Spanish system or ...(I can go on like that...),
| the problem is similar.
|
| Can anyone provide me with a reliable way to determine how the words "Row"
| and "Column" are abbreviated on the current system where Excel is running so
| I can use these characters in the INDIRECT function?
|
| I searched this newsgroup and I found a zillion messages for the R1C1
| reference style problem, but no one seems to have encountered this problem
| (or maybe they found the solution themselves :-)
|
| Any help appreciated.
| -=Wim=-