I am sure I learned it through trial and error. I remember I thought I was
smart when I came up with this solution

=OFFSET(A1,,1)<""


which will work without deselecting the check box.

Then I found out about removing the check mark

Many people interpret it as though you can force a user to enter something
in the cell with validation if you leave it remove the check mark . Frankly
I don't think I even noticed it when I started using validation.


--
Regards,

Peo Sjoblom



"John S. Labarge" wrote in message
...
Peo and Debra,
Thanks to both of you for your responses.

I'm just trying to understand this to forestall my embarrassment of such
an
easy solution. I interpreted "Ignore blank" as "Do not fire the
validation
in this field should you happen to be leaving this field while it is
blank."
If one interprets it as such, this solution, while I see it works,
shouldn't
make a difference.

Please explain how you two knew this.

Thanks again.

"Debra Dalgleish" wrote:

In the data validation dialog box, remove the check mark from Ignore
Blank.

John S. Labarge wrote:
In cell A1, add following "custom" validation:
=not(isblank(b1))

As I see it, this should restrict leaving cell A1 unless cell B1
already has
a value.

I've also tried =b1<"" and some others. Should be simple but I can't
get
it to work. Validation will not fire. For each equation I've tried,
I've
cut and pasted the same equation into a field and it works fine.

--
Debra Dalgleish
Contextures
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html