It'd be really helpful and faster if I could ask my question while you have
an example of my problem in front of you. You know, so you could see the
whole "picture" rather than explaining what it looks like. Is this possible?

The way we prefer here is for you to fully explain your layout, desires and
examples of before/after. No mind readers live here. If all else fails
someone ( I do this often) will volunteer for you to send to THEIR address.
It is helpful to you to learn how to explain yourself.

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software

"ericm" wrote in message
...
It'd be really helpful and faster if I could ask my question while you
have
an example of my problem in front of you. You know, so you could see the
whole "picture" rather than explaining what it looks like. Is this
possible?

Even if you do manage to link up a spreadsheet pretty much no one will
download it as it is just too risky with all of the viruses out there and all.
--
HTH...

Jim Thomlinson


"ericm" wrote:

It'd be really helpful and faster if I could ask my question while you have
an example of my problem in front of you. You know, so you could see the
whole "picture" rather than explaining what it looks like. Is this possible?

Lots of people use free web sites to host their workbooks.

Then anyone who wants can download your workbook.

http://www.savefile.com
is one of those sites.

Be aware (just echoing those other replies), lots of people won't open workbooks
and lots of people won't go to the extra work to download your file.

But you may get someone to help--who knows???

ericm wrote:

It'd be really helpful and faster if I could ask my question while you have
an example of my problem in front of you. You know, so you could see the
whole "picture" rather than explaining what it looks like. Is this possible?

--

Dave Peterson

Ok, then here it is :

The spreadsheet is 5 x 5. Column 1 is
"apples","oranges",(space),"cats","dogs". Column 2 is
"fruit",(space),(space),"pets",(space). Column 3 is blank. Columns 4 and 5
are similar in layout to 1 and 2 except they are "red","blue" and
"car","truck" and "colors" and "vehicles".

Columns 2 and 5 contain the four key words :
"fruit","pets","colors","vehicles". Upon typing in one of these words into
another cell, Excel will find the matching word from these four key words,
and then return two results from either columns 1 or 4.

For example, if I type in "colors", Excel will return "red" and "blue". If
I type in "pets", Excel will return "cats" and "dogs". In particular,
whatever word I type in, Excel will search BOTH columns for a match, and upon
finding the match will return the TWO results one column to the left and same
row, and one column to the left and one row below.

Keeping the layout of the spreadsheet this way is key. I've managed to
cobble together a way to search one column and then return two results, but
it's not at all elegant. I have no idea how to search two columns and make
the whole thing do-able.

Thanks.



"ericm" wrote:

It'd be really helpful and faster if I could ask my question while you have
an example of my problem in front of you. You know, so you could see the
whole "picture" rather than explaining what it looks like. Is this possible?

You could just CONCATENATE the formula you wrote for one column, rewrite it
for the second column, and combine the results this way:

=Concatenate(results of search formula 1,", ", results of search formula 2)
--
Tips for Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Other Applications
http://www.kan.org/tips


"ericm" wrote:

Ok, then here it is :

The spreadsheet is 5 x 5. Column 1 is
"apples","oranges",(space),"cats","dogs". Column 2 is
"fruit",(space),(space),"pets",(space). Column 3 is blank. Columns 4 and 5
are similar in layout to 1 and 2 except they are "red","blue" and
"car","truck" and "colors" and "vehicles".

Columns 2 and 5 contain the four key words :
"fruit","pets","colors","vehicles". Upon typing in one of these words into
another cell, Excel will find the matching word from these four key words,
and then return two results from either columns 1 or 4.

For example, if I type in "colors", Excel will return "red" and "blue". If
I type in "pets", Excel will return "cats" and "dogs". In particular,
whatever word I type in, Excel will search BOTH columns for a match, and upon
finding the match will return the TWO results one column to the left and same
row, and one column to the left and one row below.

Keeping the layout of the spreadsheet this way is key. I've managed to
cobble together a way to search one column and then return two results, but
it's not at all elegant. I have no idea how to search two columns and make
the whole thing do-able.

Thanks.



"ericm" wrote:

It'd be really helpful and faster if I could ask my question while you have
an example of my problem in front of you. You know, so you could see the
whole "picture" rather than explaining what it looks like. Is this possible?

I found it tough to recreate your scenario from your descriptives

Can you upload your sample file using a free filehost,
then post a link to it here?

Besides savefile.com mentioned by Dave,
you could also use this "easy-to-use" free filehost to upload:
http://www.freefilehosting.net/

Copy the "direct link" which is generated after you upload,
then paste it here in your reply

--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
Downloads: 16,000, Files: 354, Subscribers: 53
xdemechanik
---

Will do.

"Max" wrote:

I found it tough to recreate your scenario from your descriptives

Can you upload your sample file using a free filehost,
then post a link to it here?

Besides savefile.com mentioned by Dave,
you could also use this "easy-to-use" free filehost to upload:
http://www.freefilehosting.net/

Copy the "direct link" which is generated after you upload,
then paste it here in your reply

--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
Downloads: 16,000, Files: 354, Subscribers: 53
xdemechanik
---