As a test, open a new workbook and run this code:

Sub ABCTest()
ActiveWorkbook.Names.Add Name:="Name2", _
RefersTo:="Sheet1!$A$1:$A$10"
' Mix A1/R1C1 and omit equal sign
ActiveWorkbook.Names.Add Name:="Name3", _
RefersToR1C1:="Sheet1!$A$1:$A$10"
' Should work
ActiveWorkbook.Names.Add Name:="Name4", _
RefersTo:="=Sheet1!$A$1:$A$10"
End Sub

Name2 and Name3 will exhibit the behavior you describe (with quotes). Name4
works correctly

I had this initially
' Mix A1 and R1C1
ActiveWorkbook.Names.Add Name:="Name1", _
RefersToR1C1:="=Sheet1!$A$1:$A$10"

But it raised an error although it seems to me in earlier versions this
caused the same problem.

--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy




"Barb Reinhardt" wrote in message
...
Tom,

I now have this as my code:

Dim lastrow
Dim rangename
Dim seriesrange
Dim CurBook
Dim i
Dim sht

CurBook = Application.ActiveWorkbook.Name
lastrow = Worksheets("RangeName").Cells(Rows.Count, "a").End(xlUp).Row
Debug.Print lastrow
For i = 2 To lastrow
rangename = Workbooks(CurBook).Worksheets("RangeName").Range(" a" &
i).Value
seriesrange = Workbooks(CurBook).Worksheets("RangeName").Range(" c" &
i).Value
sht = Workbooks(CurBook).Worksheets("RangeName").Range(" d" & i).Value
Debug.Print rangename; seriesrange; sht
'range name can't have a "'" or a "-" or a "%" or a " " or a "." or
"("
or ")" or "+"
'Added the following for possible use later
'Sheets(sht).Activate
ActiveWorkbook.Names.Add Name:=rangename, RefersToR1C1:=seriesrange
'Exit Sub
Next

My problem is that when I look at the range names, they look like this:
="OFFSET(ActItms!$B$33,0,0,1,min(chtlen,COUNTA(Act Itms!$33:$33)))"
instead of
=OFFSET(ActItms!$B$33,0,0,1,min(chtlen,COUNTA(ActI tms!$33:$33)))

What do I need to change? I assume it's something in the
ActiveWorkbook.Names line, but am not sure what.

Thanks,
Barb