Need to clarify:

If the source list has a header followed by empty/blank cells:
Change the formula OFFSET to start at the first empty/blank cell.

What I meant was change *all* references in the formula to start with the
first empty/blank cell.

Biff

"T. Valko" wrote in message
...
See this screencap:

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/5702/sourcenf2.jpg

The drop down is in cell A1.
The source for the drop down is F1:F7.

If the blank cells at the top of the source list are *empty* cells you
could use the formula in row 11 as the drop down source.
Or, you could use the formula in row 13 which accounts for both empty
cells and cells that are blank as a result of formula blanks.

If the source list has a header followed by empty/blank cells:

Header
<empty
<empty
Bill
Mary
Sam

Change the formula OFFSET to start at the first empty/blank cell.

Biff

"David" wrote in message
...
Biff,
What if you data has blanks at the beginning of the data? How do you
prevent
those blanks from showing up? Great stuff by the way!

David

"Biff" wrote:

That's the formula you are using as the source for your drop down list?

That formula only returns a single value.

I think we're not understanding each other!

Assume you have a range of values that you want to use as the source for
a
data validation drop down list. That range includes formula blanks in
several cells at the end of the range. This range is A1:A10 and looks
something like this:

A1 = Joe
A2 = Mary
A3 = Lisa
A4 = Tom
A5 = Karen
A6 = "" (formula blank)
A7 = "" (formula blank)
A8 = "" (formula blank)
A9 = "" (formula blank)
A10 = "" (formula blank)

To use this range as the source for a drop down:

Select the cell where you want the drop down.
Goto DataValidation
Allow: List
Source: =OFFSET($A$1,,,SUMPRODUCT(--(LEN($A$1:$A$10)0)))
OK out

Your drop down list will not contain any blank selections.

=IF(ISERROR(INDEX($T$1:$U$62,SMALL(IF($T$1:$T$62=$ W$1,ROW($T$1:$T$62)),ROW(3:3)),2)),"",INDEX($T$1:$ U$62,SMALL(IF($T$1:$T$62=$W$1,ROW($T$1:$T$62)),ROW (3:3)),2))

While I'm at it, that formula can be shortened to: (if my hunch is
correct!)

=IF(ROWS($1:1)<=COUNTIF($T$1:$T$62,$W$1),INDEX($U$ 1:$U$62,SMALL(IF($T$1:$T$62=$W$1,ROW($T$1:$T$62)), ROW(3:3))),"")

Biff

"Hayley" wrote in message
...
Blank cells are at the end of the range.

The formula in the 'name' range was the same as Debra's suggestion
(with
columns changed). The formula in the select cell is as below

=IF(ISERROR(INDEX($T$1:$U$62,SMALL(IF($T$1:$T$62=$ W$1,ROW($T$1:$T$62)),ROW(3:3)),2)),"",INDEX($T$1:$ U$62,SMALL(IF($T$1:$T$62=$W$1,ROW($T$1:$T$62)),ROW (3:3)),2))
--
Hayley


"Biff" wrote:

Hi!

Are the blanks cells scattered within the range or are they all at
the
end
of the range?

Did you try Debra's suggestion of using a dynamic range? If so, what
does
you formula look like?

Biff