calculate permutations of nonnumeric data
 

I am trying to chart the combinations of applications that run with other
applications and versions of those applications and wanted to use Excel to do
it. Question... How can I calculate numerous permutations of nonnumeric data.
e.g.

MS Op sys Variable 1 Variable 2
WinXP A A
Win2000 B B
WinServer2003 C C

Output would equal - WinXP w/A & A; WinXP w/A & B; WinXP w/A & C; WinXP w/B
& A, WinXP w/B & B, WinXP w/B & C; WinXP w/C & A, WinXP w/C & B, WinXP w/C &
C.

"RonG" wrote...
I am trying to chart the combinations of applications that run
with other applications and versions of those applications and
wanted to use Excel to do it. Question... How can I calculate
numerous permutations of nonnumeric data.
e.g.

MS Op sys Variable 1 Variable 2
WinXP A A
Win2000 B B
WinServer2003 C C

Output would equal
WinXP w/A & A; WinXP w/A & B; WinXP w/A & C; WinXP w/B & A,
WinXP w/B & B, WinXP w/B & C; WinXP w/C & A, WinXP w/C & B,
WinXP w/C & C.

Use INDEX and permute integers. Given your range above named ITEMS and the
following table of integers named NUMS,

1 1 1
1 1 2
1 1 3
1 2 1
1 2 2
1 2 3
1 3 1
1 3 2
1 3 3

the array formula

=INDEX(ITEMS,NUMS,{1,2,3})

returns

WinXP A A
WinXP A B
WinXP A C
WinXP B A
WinXP B B
WinXP B C
WinXP C A
WinXP C B
WinXP C C

As for generating NUMS,

E1:
1

F1:
1

G1:
1

G2:
=MOD(G1,3)+1

F2:
=MOD(F1+(G1=3)-1,3)+1

E2:
=E1+AND(F1=3,G1=3)

Fill E2:G2 down into E3:G27.