I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows. I now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am having
trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when existing rows
are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I can see no
way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is nothing unique
about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event does not
fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

in a cell to the right somewhere in row 1 type =If(A1="","",row(a1)),and copy
down,as long as a has something in it you will get the row number,this will
work for al data as long as you dont insert rows.if you did insert a row say
between 12 and 13 then the new row would be blank 12 would remain 12 and 13
would become 14,you could copy the formula down each row would be indentified
but evrything below the inserted would be different than before...does that
help?
--
paul
remove nospam for email addy!



"Steve Barnett" wrote:

I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows. I now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am having
trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when existing rows
are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I can see no
way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is nothing unique
about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event does not
fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

Problem is the unique identifier needs to identify the row it was originally
attached to. When the user inserts new rows, the unique identifier must NOT
change. I'm using this as a way of connecting rows in a spreadsheet to
records in a database.

Thanks
Steve


"paul" wrote in message
...
in a cell to the right somewhere in row 1 type =If(A1="","",row(a1)),and
copy
down,as long as a has something in it you will get the row number,this
will
work for al data as long as you dont insert rows.if you did insert a row
say
between 12 and 13 then the new row would be blank 12 would remain 12 and
13
would become 14,you could copy the formula down each row would be
indentified
but evrything below the inserted would be different than before...does
that
help?
--
paul
remove nospam for email addy!



"Steve Barnett" wrote:

I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows. I now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am
having
trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when existing
rows
are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I can see
no
way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is nothing
unique
about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event does
not
fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. You are
hammering at this with the wrong tool, and exceeding the design capabilities
of a spreadsheet. This needs to be converted to a table in a database.
--
Ted

If only clients listened.


"TedMi" wrote in message
...
When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. You are
hammering at this with the wrong tool, and exceeding the design
capabilities
of a spreadsheet. This needs to be converted to a table in a database.
--
Ted

Hi Steve,

To cover all the scenarios you mention might be impractical, but for what
purpose/usage do you need unique row identifiers, in addition to the fact
you can always read row numbers.

Maybe you could define worksheet level named ranges, these would move as you
insert rows though would end up with meaningless names for deleted ranges
(#REF). Would you want 10k names though (but much better than 10k comments).

If you were "allowed" to insert an extra column (hidden perhaps) populate
with row numbers as values. Store the highest number somewhere (a cell or
named formula). To cater for row inserts & new rows at the end, in selection
and/or change events check the identifier cell has a value. If not increment
the stored highest number and place same as the new identifier.

But with the limitations imposed by your client you are a bit strapped!

Regards,
Peter T

"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows. I now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am
having
trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when existing
rows
are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I can see
no
way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is nothing
unique
about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event does not
fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

Afraid my suggestion about storing values etc doesn't cater for possibility
of entire row being copied ):-

Peter T

"Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

To cover all the scenarios you mention might be impractical, but for what
purpose/usage do you need unique row identifiers, in addition to the fact
you can always read row numbers.

Maybe you could define worksheet level named ranges, these would move as
you
insert rows though would end up with meaningless names for deleted ranges
(#REF). Would you want 10k names though (but much better than 10k
comments).

If you were "allowed" to insert an extra column (hidden perhaps) populate
with row numbers as values. Store the highest number somewhere (a cell or
named formula). To cater for row inserts & new rows at the end, in
selection
and/or change events check the identifier cell has a value. If not
increment
the stored highest number and place same as the new identifier.

But with the limitations imposed by your client you are a bit strapped!

Regards,
Peter T

"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows. I
now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am
having
trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when existing
rows
are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I can
see
no
way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is nothing
unique
about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event does
not
fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

I also need to "keep" the unique identifier once it's been set.

The purpose behind this is that I need to copy some data from the
spreadsheet in to a database. There is nothing in the rows of the
spreadsheet that "uniquely" identifies it so there is nothing that I can
hold on to that makes the connection between the row in the spreadsheet and
the record in the database.

Theory said that, if I could put a unique identifier in each row and, once
set, that identifier didn't change (so I can't use row number) then I had
something I could make the connection with.

I wonder if I could fiddle it with named ranges? Wonder if this would
work... Initially give a cell in every row a "name" (Say row-nnnnn). Then,
when the user inserts rows and copies and pastes stuff around, the named
range shouldn't change - it'll stick with the original cell. Then, when I
close the spreadsheet, I scan down the column with the named ranges,
checking to make sure that every row has a range name (if that's possible).
If I find a cell without a name, I add one.

Must go and play...

Thanks
Steve




"Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote in message
...
Afraid my suggestion about storing values etc doesn't cater for
possibility
of entire row being copied ):-

Peter T

"Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

To cover all the scenarios you mention might be impractical, but for what
purpose/usage do you need unique row identifiers, in addition to the fact
you can always read row numbers.

Maybe you could define worksheet level named ranges, these would move as
you
insert rows though would end up with meaningless names for deleted ranges
(#REF). Would you want 10k names though (but much better than 10k
comments).

If you were "allowed" to insert an extra column (hidden perhaps) populate
with row numbers as values. Store the highest number somewhere (a cell or
named formula). To cater for row inserts & new rows at the end, in
selection
and/or change events check the identifier cell has a value. If not
increment
the stored highest number and place same as the new identifier.

But with the limitations imposed by your client you are a bit strapped!

Regards,
Peter T

"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows. I
now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am
having
trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when existing
rows
are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I can
see
no
way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is nothing
unique
about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event does
not
fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

The "values" I suggested adding won't change. To initialise put the row
number as a value in each cell of a (hidden) column. In future events if
there is no value the relative cell maybe something like -

thisrowIDcellInColA = Application.Max(Columns("A")) + 1

But would need to figure something if user copy/pastes the entire row.

Regards,
Peter T

"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
I also need to "keep" the unique identifier once it's been set.

The purpose behind this is that I need to copy some data from the
spreadsheet in to a database. There is nothing in the rows of the
spreadsheet that "uniquely" identifies it so there is nothing that I can
hold on to that makes the connection between the row in the spreadsheet
and
the record in the database.

Theory said that, if I could put a unique identifier in each row and, once
set, that identifier didn't change (so I can't use row number) then I had
something I could make the connection with.

I wonder if I could fiddle it with named ranges? Wonder if this would
work... Initially give a cell in every row a "name" (Say row-nnnnn). Then,
when the user inserts rows and copies and pastes stuff around, the named
range shouldn't change - it'll stick with the original cell. Then, when I
close the spreadsheet, I scan down the column with the named ranges,
checking to make sure that every row has a range name (if that's
possible).
If I find a cell without a name, I add one.

Must go and play...

Thanks
Steve




"Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote in message
...
Afraid my suggestion about storing values etc doesn't cater for
possibility
of entire row being copied ):-

Peter T

"Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

To cover all the scenarios you mention might be impractical, but for
what
purpose/usage do you need unique row identifiers, in addition to the
fact
you can always read row numbers.

Maybe you could define worksheet level named ranges, these would move
as
you
insert rows though would end up with meaningless names for deleted
ranges
(#REF). Would you want 10k names though (but much better than 10k
comments).

If you were "allowed" to insert an extra column (hidden perhaps)
populate
with row numbers as values. Store the highest number somewhere (a cell
or
named formula). To cater for row inserts & new rows at the end, in
selection
and/or change events check the identifier cell has a value. If not
increment
the stored highest number and place same as the new identifier.

But with the limitations imposed by your client you are a bit strapped!

Regards,
Peter T

"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows. I
now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am
having
trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when
existing
rows
are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I can
see
no
way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is nothing
unique
about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event
does
not
fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

Think I'm there.

I initialise the spreadsheet by going down every row and creating a range
name (on a single cell in the row). I also save the range name in the cell
comment, so they're both the same.

When they are ready to submit the spreadsheet to me for processing, they run
an update process that goes down each row and checks to see whether the
range identified by the cell comment matches the current cell address. If it
does, everything is great and this is the same (logical)row that it was
before. It copes with the user inserting and deleting rows because I'm using
a named range, which moves up and down accordingly.

If the user inserts a new row and then copies an existing row in to it, the
new row will not have a range name and the cell address referenced by the
cell comment will not match the current cell, so I know this is a new row
and I can generate a new unique identifier, a new range name and a new cell
comment.

I'm about half way through the code and it seems to be holding water so far.
It's proving easier to code than to explain, I'm afraid.

Thanks for all the help.
Steve



"Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote in message
...
The "values" I suggested adding won't change. To initialise put the row
number as a value in each cell of a (hidden) column. In future events if
there is no value the relative cell maybe something like -

thisrowIDcellInColA = Application.Max(Columns("A")) + 1

But would need to figure something if user copy/pastes the entire row.

Regards,
Peter T

"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
I also need to "keep" the unique identifier once it's been set.

The purpose behind this is that I need to copy some data from the
spreadsheet in to a database. There is nothing in the rows of the
spreadsheet that "uniquely" identifies it so there is nothing that I can
hold on to that makes the connection between the row in the spreadsheet
and
the record in the database.

Theory said that, if I could put a unique identifier in each row and,
once
set, that identifier didn't change (so I can't use row number) then I had
something I could make the connection with.

I wonder if I could fiddle it with named ranges? Wonder if this would
work... Initially give a cell in every row a "name" (Say row-nnnnn).
Then,
when the user inserts rows and copies and pastes stuff around, the named
range shouldn't change - it'll stick with the original cell. Then, when I
close the spreadsheet, I scan down the column with the named ranges,
checking to make sure that every row has a range name (if that's
possible).
If I find a cell without a name, I add one.

Must go and play...

Thanks
Steve




"Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote in message
...
Afraid my suggestion about storing values etc doesn't cater for
possibility
of entire row being copied ):-

Peter T

"Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

To cover all the scenarios you mention might be impractical, but for
what
purpose/usage do you need unique row identifiers, in addition to the
fact
you can always read row numbers.

Maybe you could define worksheet level named ranges, these would move
as
you
insert rows though would end up with meaningless names for deleted
ranges
(#REF). Would you want 10k names though (but much better than 10k
comments).

If you were "allowed" to insert an extra column (hidden perhaps)
populate
with row numbers as values. Store the highest number somewhere (a cell
or
named formula). To cater for row inserts & new rows at the end, in
selection
and/or change events check the identifier cell has a value. If not
increment
the stored highest number and place same as the new identifier.

But with the limitations imposed by your client you are a bit
strapped!

Regards,
Peter T

"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows.
I
now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am
having
trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when
existing
rows
are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I
can
see
no
way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is
nothing
unique
about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event
does
not
fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

Hi

Not exactly what you described, but near enough:

You have a sheet with column ID, where you need unique identificators for
every row.

Add a sheet ID, with columns FreeNr, Nr, Used, ID (headings in row 1)
ID!A2=IF($C2=TRUE,"",COUNTIF($C$2:$C2,FALSE))
ID!B2=ROW()-1
ID!C2=COUNTIF($B2,Sheet1!$A:$A)0
ID!D2=IF(ISERROR(INDEX($B:$B,MATCH(ROW()-1,$A:$A,0),)),"",TEXT(INDEX($B:$B,MATCH(ROW()-1,$A:$A,0),),"00000"))
Copy cells A2:D2 down for some reasonable amount of rows (you can expand
this table later, whenever you run out of free ID's)

Define a named range
ID=OFFSET(ID!$D$1,1,,COUNTIF(ID!$D:$D,""&"""")-1,1)

On your working sheet, select a range in ID column, and apply Data
ValidationList with source =ID

Whenever you add an entry, you are allowed only to enter (manually or from
dropdown) unused ID's .
NB! You can copy a non-unique value into ID column although (p.e. when
coping rows). You can use conditional formatting to indicate such non-unicue
ID values, p.e. through different font color - so you can change them.


--
Arvi Laanemets
( My real mail address: arvi.laanemets<attarkon.ee )


"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows. I now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am having
trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when existing
rows are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I can see
no way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is nothing
unique about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event
does not fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

They won't let me add new sheets or columns. To be fair to them, this
spreadsheet has grown out of all control (it's over 50Mb now) and has been
messed with by a lot of people.Because of this, there are strict controls on
what you can do to it and you need strong justifications if you're to add
new sheets or columns.

Thanks
Steve


"Arvi Laanemets" wrote in message
...
Hi

Not exactly what you described, but near enough:

You have a sheet with column ID, where you need unique identificators for
every row.

Add a sheet ID, with columns FreeNr, Nr, Used, ID (headings in row 1)
ID!A2=IF($C2=TRUE,"",COUNTIF($C$2:$C2,FALSE))
ID!B2=ROW()-1
ID!C2=COUNTIF($B2,Sheet1!$A:$A)0
ID!D2=IF(ISERROR(INDEX($B:$B,MATCH(ROW()-1,$A:$A,0),)),"",TEXT(INDEX($B:$B,MATCH(ROW()-1,$A:$A,0),),"00000"))
Copy cells A2:D2 down for some reasonable amount of rows (you can expand
this table later, whenever you run out of free ID's)

Define a named range
ID=OFFSET(ID!$D$1,1,,COUNTIF(ID!$D:$D,""&"""")-1,1)

On your working sheet, select a range in ID column, and apply Data
ValidationList with source =ID

Whenever you add an entry, you are allowed only to enter (manually or from
dropdown) unused ID's .
NB! You can copy a non-unique value into ID column although (p.e. when
coping rows). You can use conditional formatting to indicate such
non-unicue ID values, p.e. through different font color - so you can
change them.


--
Arvi Laanemets
( My real mail address: arvi.laanemets<attarkon.ee )


"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet (Excel 2000) that contains around 10,000 rows. I now
need to be able to identify each row via a unique identifier, but am
having trouble working out what to do when new rows are added or when
existing rows are copied and paste.

New rows and copied rows should get new unique identifiers, but I can see
no way of doing this. Does anyone have any suggestions? There is nothing
unique about the data that I can hang on to and the "SheetChanged" event
does not fire for inserted rows in Excel 2000.

This spreadsheet is owned by one of our clients, so I can't add new
worksheets or columns to the existing workbook - I can just add cell
comments (unless you have a better suggestion).

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Steve

Hi

Then it's past time to redesign it!

P.e. when there are tables, which are altered occasionally only, and which
at same time contain a lot of formulas, then you can split them into
separate workbook. In working workbook, you keep replicas of them, which are
generated through ODBC queries, and are refreshed on open - as result those
replicas contain only values, what may improve perfomance a lot.


"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
They won't let me add new sheets or columns. To be fair to them, this

You need to add a single sheet with 4 columns of formulas. On your working
sheet, you have the ID column, or you have to add ti anyway.



--
Arvi Laanemets
( My real mail address: arvi.laanemets<attarkon.ee )

I fully agree, it should be scrapped and rewritten as a proper database app,
which is what it always should have been. Unfortunately, it started life as
a couple of hundred rows and just grew. As with all such systems, no one
really noticed until it started getting painful to add new entries and it
was too late by then, as they were committed.

My latest solution required named ranges on every row - I'm just not sure
yet whether I can take a cell address and find the named range that contains
it.

Steve


"Arvi Laanemets" wrote in message
...
Hi

Then it's past time to redesign it!

P.e. when there are tables, which are altered occasionally only, and which
at same time contain a lot of formulas, then you can split them into
separate workbook. In working workbook, you keep replicas of them, which
are generated through ODBC queries, and are refreshed on open - as result
those replicas contain only values, what may improve perfomance a lot.


"Steve Barnett" wrote in message
...
They won't let me add new sheets or columns. To be fair to them, this

You need to add a single sheet with 4 columns of formulas. On your working
sheet, you have the ID column, or you have to add ti anyway.



--
Arvi Laanemets
( My real mail address: arvi.laanemets<attarkon.ee )