doesn't work... as for the referencing a list from another sheet, Excel can
do that.

TAB2, highlight the column A, in the cell next to the formula bar, enter
"test" as the descriptor. enter various data in column A.
in TAB1, select a cell, select DATA Valadation, and the validation criteria
is allow list, and for the source enter "=test", and you can reference the
data in column A, on TAB2...

next option...

can it be written into ThisWorkbook

Sub Macro1()
'
' Macro1 Macro
'
With Selection.Validation
.Delete
.Add Type:=xlValidateList, AlertStyle:=xlValidAlertStop, Operator:= _
xlBetween, Formula1:="=LOOKHERE"
.IgnoreBlank = True
.InCellDropdown = True
.InputTitle = ""
.ErrorTitle = ""
.InputMessage = ""
.ErrorMessage = ""
.ShowInput = True
.ShowError = True
End With
End Sub


where LOOKHERE tells what to look for, something like this

lookhere = vlookup(d5,Suppliers!,A:B,2,false)

if i change the selection in D5, the cell that should make the list would
look up somewhere else.

cannot really give a better example...

suggestions?

jat



"Bob Phillips" wrote:

I think that you just need to define a name for Suppliers!A:B, let's say
_suppliers, and use

=INDIRECT("'"&VLOOKUP(H5,_suppliers,2,FALSE)&"'!$A :$A")


--
HTH

Bob

(there's no email, no snail mail, but somewhere should be gmail in my addy)

"jatman" wrote in message
...
i would like a list for data validation, but the list could be from
different
tabs.

with validation criteria, allow custom:


=INDIRECT("'"&VLOOKUP(H5,Suppliers!A:B,2,FALSE)&"' !$a:$A")

all data will be in column A, but different tabs. when i use the above
formulae, i get an error message indicating that i cannot use references
to
other worksheets or workbooks for Data Validation criteria. But if i use
the
formula "=items" it references the list from a different worksheet.

any suggestions to get past this?