I have a column that is 4 wide. The data validation pick list is much wider
which is good because the pick list data is wide. I don't need the column any
wider than 4 because I only need to show the first 4 charactors. Now here's
my problem; I have another column the same width with wide data but the pick
list is only the width of the column. Why the different width pick lists? Is
there some way to control the pick list width without changing the column
width?

Thanks,
Joe M.

Debra Dalgleish gives several ways to work around the limitations of data
validation column widths & font sizes on her excellent Contextures site:
http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal08.html#Wider
http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal10.html

Hope this helps,

Hutch

"Joe M." wrote:

I have a column that is 4 wide. The data validation pick list is much wider
which is good because the pick list data is wide. I don't need the column any
wider than 4 because I only need to show the first 4 charactors. Now here's
my problem; I have another column the same width with wide data but the pick
list is only the width of the column. Why the different width pick lists? Is
there some way to control the pick list width without changing the column
width?

Thanks,
Joe M.

There is minimum DV list width of about 8 but no maximum width other than
the limits of column width.

With column width of 4 the DV dropdown width is 8


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP


On Thu, 3 Jun 2010 07:58:36 -0700, Joe M.
wrote:

I have a column that is 4 wide. The data validation pick list is much wider
which is good because the pick list data is wide. I don't need the column any
wider than 4 because I only need to show the first 4 charactors. Now here's
my problem; I have another column the same width with wide data but the pick
list is only the width of the column. Why the different width pick lists? Is
there some way to control the pick list width without changing the column
width?

Thanks,
Joe M.

What I find confusing is that my column width is 4 and sometimes the pick
list appears very wide like 40 or sometimes the same width as the column.
There must be something influencing the pick list width independent of the
column width but I don't know what.

Thanks,
Joe M.

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

There is minimum DV list width of about 8 but no maximum width other than
the limits of column width.

With column width of 4 the DV dropdown width is 8


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP


On Thu, 3 Jun 2010 07:58:36 -0700, Joe M.
wrote:

I have a column that is 4 wide. The data validation pick list is much wider
which is good because the pick list data is wide. I don't need the column any
wider than 4 because I only need to show the first 4 charactors. Now here's
my problem; I have another column the same width with wide data but the pick
list is only the width of the column. Why the different width pick lists? Is
there some way to control the pick list width without changing the column
width?

Thanks,
Joe M.

.

Beats me too.

Did you find anything helpful at Debra's site?


Gord

On Fri, 4 Jun 2010 05:32:40 -0700, Joe M.
wrote:

What I find confusing is that my column width is 4 and sometimes the pick
list appears very wide like 40 or sometimes the same width as the column.
There must be something influencing the pick list width independent of the
column width but I don't know what.

Thanks,
Joe M.

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

There is minimum DV list width of about 8 but no maximum width other than
the limits of column width.

With column width of 4 the DV dropdown width is 8


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP


On Thu, 3 Jun 2010 07:58:36 -0700, Joe M.
wrote:

I have a column that is 4 wide. The data validation pick list is much wider
which is good because the pick list data is wide. I don't need the column any
wider than 4 because I only need to show the first 4 charactors. Now here's
my problem; I have another column the same width with wide data but the pick
list is only the width of the column. Why the different width pick lists? Is
there some way to control the pick list width without changing the column
width?

Thanks,
Joe M.

.