providing a pop-up on a cell that refers to a named rang

**rny1ef** · 03-30-2011, 04:39 PM

hi guys,

i have a named range; 2columns, 1 col with a code, 1 col with text explaining the code. elsewhere, as part of a data cleaning exercise, we are mapping the codes to a user defined short name (the mapping is potentially many codes to one user short name - things got a little sloppy over time ).
there is one user short name for each row, and separate cells in the row contain the codes we are mapping - one code per cell. the mapping process is iterative:
1. take a short name
2. go to the named range (in reality, a different worksheet)
3. find how many codes have been used for that short name
4. fill in the cells in the row with the codes
(tedious at best)
i would like to mouse over the cells, one at a time, and have a pop-up display the text explaining the code.
so i think i need vlookup under the control of a mouse over event in a macro? using excel 2003.
or do i need to delve into vba?
i'm no expert - so a mild learning experience is great but a moon shot i don't think i could handle.
can you guide me to the start of the string? and sort of suggest an approach that will work? then i'll go read the right book to get some code snippets?
thanks,
ron

**Leith Ross** · 03-30-2011, 04:54 PM

Hello Ron,

Welcome to the Forum!

To best describe or illustrate your problem you would be better off attaching a dummy workbook, the workbook should contain the same structure and some dummy data of the same type as the type you have in your real workbook - so, if a cell contains numbers & letters in this format abc-123 then that should be reflected in the dummy workbook.

If needed supply a before and after sheet in the workbook so the person helping you can see what you are trying to achieve.

Doing this will ensure you get the result you need!

**rny1ef** · 03-30-2011, 07:25 PM

ok leith,

got it, first time for this, so:

i attached a simple mock-up of the problem set.
- col B: defines a set of checklists
- each checklist is a separate row, and the items included in the checklist are in the cell range C3:J12; blanks don't count; so for example 'chklst-6' has 2 codes in the checklist: hij, hji

- col L/N: defines the map between each code and a description of the code

what i would like to be able to do is mouse-over the cells in cell range C3:J12 and if i pause over a cell, have a pop-up display the text (col N) that is the match for the code (col L) that is in the cell the mouse is over

if it was just static, i think vlookup would work; it's dynamic, and i don't want the 'code' in the cell 'replaced' by the text; i just want it to display over the cell as long as the mouse is there

here's the attachment.

good? (meaning: did i get it right this time?)

thanks, ron