When entering a function like "countif", the tool tip shows a square where
the comma should be in the tool tip and I can not get past the range portion
of the function. I have re-installed excel 2003 and still have the same
problem. Is there some system setting that has changed? I can not use excel
the way it is.

I'd go into windows control panel, regional settings and make sure that the list
character is a comma.

rfk100 wrote:

When entering a function like "countif", the tool tip shows a square where
the comma should be in the tool tip and I can not get past the range portion
of the function. I have re-installed excel 2003 and still have the same
problem. Is there some system setting that has changed? I can not use excel
the way it is.

--

Dave Peterson

On Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:17:01 -0800, rfk100
wrote:

When entering a function like "countif", the tool tip shows a square where
the comma should be in the tool tip and I can not get past the range portion
of the function. I have re-installed excel 2003 and still have the same
problem. Is there some system setting that has changed? I can not use excel
the way it is.

In Windows installations, the argument separator is defined in Control
Panel/Regional and Language settings.

In some locale's it is a semicolon ";" and not a comma ","

--ron

On Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:17:01 -0800, rfk100
wrote:

When entering a function like "countif", the tool tip shows a square where
the comma should be in the tool tip and I can not get past the range portion
of the function. I have re-installed excel 2003 and still have the same
problem. Is there some system setting that has changed? I can not use excel
the way it is.

Hmmm, I may have misposted. It seems the tool tip should have changed to show
your separator if your regional settings required that.

What do you mean when you write -- "can not get past the range portion of the
function" ?

Sometimes that can be related to how you have entered the range portion of the
function. For example, if you have not "completed" entering the range, the
wizard will not advance.

What, exactly, have you entered when you run into this obstacle?
--ron

That fixed the problem. There was no separator selected. I don't know how
that happened but thank you. Now I guess I can actually get some work done.
Thanks again to all who responded so quickly.

"Ron Rosenfeld" wrote:

On Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:17:01 -0800, rfk100
wrote:

When entering a function like "countif", the tool tip shows a square where
the comma should be in the tool tip and I can not get past the range portion
of the function. I have re-installed excel 2003 and still have the same
problem. Is there some system setting that has changed? I can not use excel
the way it is.

Hmmm, I may have misposted. It seems the tool tip should have changed to show
your separator if your regional settings required that.

What do you mean when you write -- "can not get past the range portion of the
function" ?

Sometimes that can be related to how you have entered the range portion of the
function. For example, if you have not "completed" entering the range, the
wizard will not advance.

What, exactly, have you entered when you run into this obstacle?
--ron

Dave, Thankyou. That was the problem, no separator was selected. Now it is
working. Thanks again.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

I'd go into windows control panel, regional settings and make sure that the list
character is a comma.

rfk100 wrote:

When entering a function like "countif", the tool tip shows a square where
the comma should be in the tool tip and I can not get past the range portion
of the function. I have re-installed excel 2003 and still have the same
problem. Is there some system setting that has changed? I can not use excel
the way it is.

--

Dave Peterson