The Bad Threads

[Blake 7]

really? how do i see the scores....

Cheers for the answer mate

[romperstomper]

Which scores? You can only see your own.

[jwright650]

LOL...someone left me some jingle....LOL

Consider yourself jingled

[ChemistB]

If you're truly interested, you can go to the members list under community and sort by reputation. It only shows the soylent green but is sorted by points.

[Cheeky Charlie]

This reminds me of the thread where the OP wanted to predict the next number calculated by =rand() based on the previous numbers received by rand() ....

I saw, somewhere, a plot of something like the 13th derivative of successive rand() calulcations showing a clear trend. I'm not sure if it was developed to a prediction proper. It was a long time ago, and I can't now find it for the life of me, but every time this topic comes up I wish I could post it!

NB predicting Excel's calculated rand() is still not the same as predicting the next random number based on a preceding series of random numbers.

[snb]

I checked the threads started by arnab0711.
That resulted in 83 threads from which approximately only 7 were set to 'solved'.
In most of the cases arnab0711 wasn't the last poster. I suppose that most of the threads are being concluded by 'thanks'. Not in this case.
Should OP's be allowed to post new questions while >10 are pending ?

[royUK]

We don't really have any way of stopping them. I suppose if enough members complain we can implement a short ban

[Blake 7]

Hi Chem - Cheers, i checked it out! i have to get off page 5! guess as I get better and am able to help!!

[NBVC]

I checked the threads started by arnab0711.
That resulted in 83 threads from which approximately only 7 were set to 'solved'.
In most of the cases arnab0711 wasn't the last poster. I suppose that most of the threads are being concluded by 'thanks'. Not in this case.
Should OP's be allowed to post new questions while >10 are pending ?

I think some people assume that marking their thread Solved or giving you rep (with or without comments) is their way of saying thanks. Some may not even realize that they are missing that last closure. I have PM'd a couple of people who I have noticed on that trend and some have replied favourably saying they didn't know they should, but I remember even having one guy start telling me off... asking me to prove it, and when I gave him a handful of links (which were the last 10 threads of his) he accused me of "picking and choosing" which ones i wanted to show him. I asked him then to show me where he did say thanks and never heard from him again.... but in the end, we are here to help. If we don't get thanks, then appreciate that you know your intent was good and that you know you are teaching others something, because many people will come across your post in the future and chances are it will help someone else anyways... and that you are in good company and not the only one not getting the direct appreciation.

[jwright650]

I checked the threads started by arnab0711.

Speaking of which...I was trying to help and I managed to get the comboboxes filled but what do you think he will want to do next?...use the choice in the combobox to make his chart reflect the new choice of info?
See example attached

[ConneXionLost]

.... but in the end, we are here to help. If we don't get thanks, then appreciate that you know your intent was good and that you know you are teaching others something, because many people will come across your post in the future and chances are it will help someone else anyways... and that you are in good company and not the only one not getting the direct appreciation.

In support of NBVC's post, I can attest to having received thanks (avec "jingle") on a thread where the giver was neither:
- the OP;
- a contributer to the thread; or,
- a guru or mod at this forum.

[DonkeyOte]

sometimes not hearing again from the OP can be just as rewarding.

[ConneXionLost]

sometimes not hearing again from the OP can be just as rewarding.

LOL! Always finding the silver lining. Nice one DO!

[daddylonglegs]

If we want to interpret the rules rigidly then we (i.e. moderators) could infract any member who doesn't give some "feedback". At least 2 of the rules say thats what you should do

From rule 5

"provide feedback to suggested solutions"

and from rule 9

"Acknowledge the responses you receive, good or bad"

The only thing to decide would be how long somebody should be allowed to wait.......

[Cutter]

DLL

Edit that Rule 5 to Rule 6 before anyone notices.

[TMS]

As one who has suffered several infractions for trying to help and, at the same time, incurring the wrath of the moderators for "ignoring" their directives, I tend to think the rules are applied strictly enough ;-)

That said, of all the forums (fora?) I have joined, this is by far the best. The ease of navigation, the capability to upload workbooks, and the general level of expertise is outstanding. The adherence to the rules makes the forum more valuable to all, although sometimes it doesn't feel like it.

I kind of feel that I've answered a lot of questions recently, some involving a lot of effort, and not always seen the enthusiastic response I had hoped for ... or the jingling scales. Nevertheless, those that do respond raise a smile and, regardless, I have learnt a lot from working through the solutions.

I think we perhaps need not to take it all too seriously ... life's too short! :-))

[Cutter]

This is the only forum I belong to.
And my reward is when someone says thanks and adds an adjective that I can read to my wife - like "Hey, this guy said my answer was brilliant!" - only to have her look up over her glasses and say "uhuh" while she continues her knitting.

[daddylonglegs]

Edit that Rule 5 to Rule 6 before anyone notices.

I'm still working on my elementary counting skills......really, I ought to invoke rule 14 here, Cutter (which is a little like Catch 22, "moderators are only wrong when somebody else says they are.......saying moderators are wrong is against the rules")

I think we perhaps need not to take it all too seriously ... life's too short! :-))

Good thinking, I agree

[jwright650]

This is the only forum I belong to.

[offtopic on]For excel this is the only place that I am a member of,

for Welding: I'm on AWS.org forum as a Moderator,

for Car stuff: I'm on Pro-Touring.com....but that's it.
[/offtopic off]

[Cutter]

Technically speaking, I didn't say you were wrong - I merely suggested a course of action.

And, technically speaking, this answer is not to be taken as a violation of Rule 14 - merely an expanation given to allay any thoughts of invoking Rule 14 in the first place.

[romperstomper]

Whilst I understand the sentiment, the rep and thanks shouldn't make a difference. We do this for fun, and the odd person who actually says thanks or tips a hat should be enough. If you want more, be a consultant and charge people.
This is not to suggest I don't get narked too, but you do what you can, and human nature is not something I can necessarily alter.

[martindwilson]

i gave someone neg rep and their icon went red. yipee but i suspect some mod,counteracted that!

[romperstomper]

Yes, I did. ;

[6StringJazzer]

Whilst I understand the sentiment, the rep and thanks shouldn't make a difference. We do this for fun, and the odd person who actually says thanks or tips a hat should be enough.

And there are certainly enough odd people around here....

To hear thanks is very gratifying, but for me it is gratifying enough to know that the time I spent actually did some good. So a SOLVED is thanks enough for me even if there is no "thank you" post. So many times the thread is just left hanging and I don't know if the OP even read my answer at all, took the answer and ran, wasn't able to get it to work and gave up....

The best thank you I've had is jgomez who said

This wasn't what I was looking for... this is better than what I wanted!!!

[Blake 7]

Check out Mr Grateful..........

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...-the-text.html

Bad thread!!! bad bad thread. He was probably sticking his naughty finger up at the monitor whilst typing!

[daddylonglegs]

OK, I see the OP has edited his original response so I don't know what that was.......but I'm not sure there's much wrong with his reply as it stands - OK, a "thanks" would be nice....but let's remember his first language isn't English (I assume) so it might be difficult for him to ask the question at all in the first place, let alone cover all of the possibilities.

It would perhaps have been helpful if he had included an example with the number 070, showing that he wanted that to become 70......but it's not too much of a jump to figure that with 100,000 addresses he might have some house numbers divisible by 10.......

[jwright650]

The internet is a funny thing in that alot of expression gets lost in translation...LOL

What may sound/read as rude to one person may be just a matter of fact way about another person. It takes a bunch of personalities to make the world go round.

I have found myself in an internet spat on another forum when I was only trying to lighten things up and make a joke...at least to me it read humorous but to the other party it was offending. I'm trying to learn from those experiences.

[Domski]

I wish I knew if English was this OP's first language. Sadly I suspect it is.

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-prog...-on-value.html

Might be time to call in the cavalry to stop my head exploding.

Dom

[alansidman]

Domski;
It brings back bad memories of my first exposure to James Joyce and his stream of conscieneceness in "Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man." That really made my head hurt. I gave up reading the OPs first request it hurt so much.
Alan

[NBVC]

I wish I knew if English was this OP's first language. Sadly I suspect it is.

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-prog...-on-value.html

Might be time to call in the cavalry to stop my head exploding.

Dom

I think I am working on one of those too currently

It is becoming more and more the norm, it seems... the forum must be catching on to the world more and more are getting either desperate for help or lazy and trying to get others to do it for them.. and confusing the s*** out of us in the meantime.

[romperstomper]

I work on a very simple basis - if the OP can't even be bothered to type 'I' instead of 'i', then I'm not going anywhere near it. There are plenty of intelligible questions to keep me busy.

[NBVC]

Hmmm... let me check my thread for i's instead of I's...

edit... well he/she is good with the I's..

[royUK]

This post must be aiming to top the list of Bad Threads!

[Domski]

I could ask one of our abap programmers but they're a funny lot and I don't want to talk to them unless I really have to.

Dom

[Cutter]

I have my first candidate:

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...-column-b.html


Good luck, Marcol!

[Marcol]

@ Cutter

I came into this thread only to help find the correct answer, seems I did (maybe... ), but the OP seems to have changed his mind (surprise, surprise). Like you, one more go and I'm "out-a-thar".

[6StringJazzer]

I have my first candidate:

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...-column-b.html


Good luck, Marcol!

Wow, that's bizarre. I would love to know what the heck he's actually doing with that kind of data.

[alansidman]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

@ Cutter

I came into this thread only to help find the correct answer, seems I did (maybe... ), but the OP seems to have changed his mind (surprise, surprise). Like you, one more go and I'm "out-a-thar".

I headed to the Fridge for beer after reading that.

[davegugg]

Here is a great answer - (I know it isn't this forum, but still...) - check out post number 4. Don't you wish you could use that answer know and again?

http://www.officekb.com/Uwe/Forum.as...oom-Excel-2007

[ChemistB]

but instead of vertically could i have them horizontaly,and suppose i used different list with more letters which part of the code do i need to change inorder to get the right result. say 19 letters and they are going to be used 13 times each but with the same principal, would the code work

LOL, I was almost ready to jump in but that changed my mind.

[Marcol]

"Ours' is not to reason why, ours' is but to do and die." A.L.T. 1854 (paraphrased).

[Paul]

That's weird, when I type ALT 1854 on my keyboard I only get

>

You must have one of those funny Scottish keyboards. I'd love to get famous quotes from my keyboard, but it came from Dell. What do you expect?

[Marcol]

Ctrl+Alt+DEL = "Peckham Spring Water" on my english keyboard.

[NBVC]

Please tell me when you will be happy!

A thread starts with a complex lookup. OP is happy, but of course, there's a but what if I want to do something similar but instead I want to find this one...

What's next? Can this work sideways too... left to right... oh and then right to left.. and what about if it is diagonal, can that work?... geesh!!

[6StringJazzer]

By the way, just by means of an etiquette question...you know, anybody can see this thread. Is it really polite to be trashing the minions in public? Well, I guess people who start bad threads are usually not the type to browse the Water Cooler. But I do wonder what people think of this...

[Domski]

I'm sure they'll love being referred to as minions

Dom

[NBVC]

Ok, I removed the link and cleaned it up... you're right.. it is not polite... it gives a general indication as the the frustration you get with some threads....

[Cheeky Charlie]

I think the first few posts in this thread were really what it 'should' have been about - the problem is the need to vent!

[ChemistB]

When I started this thread, it was hypothetical, in fact exaggerated to the point of humorous. However, as time went on certain threads were pointed to as being bad threads. I do have some hesitation similar to what 6StringJazzer posted but, just like with Excel, there's really nothing like real life examples to help people learn. Reading through this thread, you will definitely know what moderators (and others) don't like to see in threads.

Edit: Also, at one point, The Water Cooler was only open to people who requested access. There was some modicum of privacy.

[Domski]

I think it's good to be able to vent some spleen every now and then. A lot of people get some pretty good help here and hopefully would understand that it's not personal.

Dom

[6StringJazzer]

Ok....

I wasn't meaning to point to any particular post here, and certainly not yours, just noticed a general trend in this thread.

[NBVC]

No problem.. you are correct still, though... it is a bad trend...and we should avoid it.

I think we need to link this thread to itself.. but we may get a circular reference error

[Domski]

I think we need to link this thread to itself.. but we may get a circular reference error

Turning off irritation should solve that

Dom

[Marcol]

With due respect to politeness (P.C.) and the possibility that there might be language problems, and the OP might be a beginner whom I, nor any one else, would not want to deter in their endeavours....
This series must be a contender for pole position.
http://www.excelforum.com/excel-2007...nt-a-code.html

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-prog...rd-module.html

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-prog...d-end-sub.html

Then follow the links

Gold, Silver and Bronze?

[6StringJazzer]

I think we need to link this thread to itself.. but we may get a circular reference error

Try searching for "recursion" on Google

[royUK]

Marcol

Tha OP is regular pain, I've given him/her two warnings for duplicating posts & will probably end up banning him/her!

[broro183]

They (she?) are creating a list of links for us, so I decided to fight fire with fire - or perhaps it's more a case of drowning them in information overload!
(it was so tempting to copy all the links & list them individually)

If she decides not to cause too much more pain & saves herself from being given the ol' heave ho, I wonder if she will try to learn beyond the copy & paste...

Rob

[day92]

Funny thread, im just glad I dont see my name here :-)

[Cheeky Charlie]

Look at this oik, not even reading the op but still thinking he can help:
http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...ml#post2523935

[day92]

I have absolutely no idea.... :' (

if you'd be so kind can you do it for me?

Now this is funny!

[day92]

Look at this oik, not even reading the op but still thinking he can help:
http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...ml#post2523935

Hey but after I read it I was able to get it right!

[davegugg]

It was pretty gutsy of tigertiger taking on this thread:

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-2007...or-months.html


I can see this one lasting 15 or 16 posts.

[ChemistB]

Not so much a bad post but this made me chuckle

I am somewhat knowledgeable in the use of Excel but not so much when it comes to using formulas etc.

Is that like "I'm good with cars, just not so much in driving them or fixing them? chuckle....

[TMS]

@ChemistB: yes, I couldn't resist asking the question ;-))

[davegugg]

There should be an emoticon for pulling my hair out!

On this thread, I gradually gave the op more info until post 8, where I just sent an explicit answer. Of course, the sample workbooks had items located in different places, so it doesn't work on his real workbooks. I save his newest workbooks, alter the code for the new data locations, verify it works completely, and post the needed changes. OP gets error, but has error catcher telling him the wrong error, so starts messing with the code to try to fix him/herself. Yikes!

Whew, thanks listening to me vent.

[day92]

Whew, thanks listening to me vent.

Dave are you really venting because of this thread or because you are a Bucks fan?

[davegugg]

Ha, should I make some quip about how gracelessly the Lackers, uh, I mean Lakers exited this year?

[day92]

Touché but we take the good with the bad here in LA - seeing that we have plenty of good times the bad are not too hard to deal with. When was the last time the Bucks ever did anything? Was it in the Jack Sikma era? or maybe Oscar Robertson - nonetheless they are insignificant. You guys do make some pretty good beer there in Milwaukee though!

[davegugg]

Sadly, it was when I was a toddler. But that won't stop me from looking with hope to the future : )
For the beer fan, WI is the place to be!

[Mordred]

I believe this is my first thread link in here but I feel it is warranted. The OP was very impatient with us and complained a lot. So much so that Roy had to tell him to stop whining lol. Anyways, after all the complaining I tried to come up with something that would at the very least be a start to addressing his problems but now he is no where to be seen. Find it Here. He also went Here, here, here, and a couple more threads he started with the same problem. All this just a few short days ago.

[Mordred]

I believe this is my first thread link in here but I feel it is warranted. The OP was very impatient with us and complained a lot. So much so that Roy had to tell him to stop whining lol. Anyways, after all the complaining I tried to come up with something that would at the very least be a start to addressing his problems but now he is no where to be seen. Find it Here. He also went Here, here, here, and a couple more threads he started with the same problem. All this just a few short days ago.

To top this one off, this person tapped my scales to the negative, even though I solved his problem. Nice!

[TMS]

@Mordred: an OP gave me negative rep because he wasn't happy with the response I gave him. In the comment, he said something along the lines of "you (TMS) should go away and learn more about Excel before offering to help others as I (the OP) *obviously* know more than you do". I provided some calm and measured feedback but RoyUK picked up on the comments and also provided some feedback and kindly balanced the scales. (Thanks again to Roy)

So, my point is, the moderators do keep an eye out for unfair criticism and/or rep and are in a position to do something about it.

Regards

[Mordred]

@TM, I looked at the thread afterwards and noticed that he was appreciative in the thread so I'm guessing that somehow he made a mistake tipping my scales. For the most part, people are appreciative, even if I provide a wrong solution, they don't usually get upset. However, I guess there will always be a percentage of a-holes out there that cannot help but be a-holes.

[TMS]

@Mordred: Again, I had a similar experience. Negative rep with an "Excellent!" comment. PM'd RoyUK and he fixed it for me (again). Regards

[romperstomper]

@Mordred,
I have +repped you as compensation.

[RedDragon]

As a complete newbie to threads in general, it is refreshing to know what not to do, before I plunge head long into asking stupid questions

So I wanted to say thanks for this thread from a true minion, and keep up the good work, and I'm now going to go and make a sample macro of what I want to do instead of wasting your time asking a dumb question!!!

[Domski]

RedDragon,

This is just a 'let off steam' thread really. Most people do just fine as long as they follow the general rules of the forum.

Hope you get what you want from this place.

Dom

[teylyn]

Kia ora, Red Dragon,

there are no stupid or dumb questions. If you look closely enough, you will see that this thread points out other things that can go wrong when attempting communication. Don't be shy to ask. Nobody will blame you for being interested in learning new things.

Ka kite.

[6StringJazzer]

Note that the spirit in which this thread was started was to satirize certain types of posts, specifically to provide "humorous fictitious examples of bad posts". It sank into lambasting actual threads that frustrated some folks. This was never intended to be, "Come to us for help so we can laugh behind your back." However, certain things can be learned here about how to be a really good thread-starter by knowing some things that turn off helpful people.

[RedDragon]

Kia Ora

@6StringJazzer Thats what I meant with what I said before - Its refreshing to know what can make those that help you frustrated - clear communication is the key (something I think i need to learn!!) before you add to the problem

You guys all deserve somewhere to vent - it helps the sanity

[Domski]

This thread from an adapt programmer made me chuckle

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-misc...ssistance.html

Dom

[davegugg]

Hmm, that thread has rules one and two both broken. Dare we try to violate all 13 rules in a single thread?

[Domski]

Go on Dave, I dare you

Dom

[romperstomper]

Not sure how you would break rule 4 in a post, though.

[Andrew-R]

Maybe you could imply that you've broken rule #4 ...

I PM'd this question to Romperstomper, but he couldn't help me, so I thought I'd see if anybody cleverer was on the forum...

[Andrew-R]

Oh, and while I'm hanging out in the bad thread thread can I just say that I was all geared up to answer this question, but the OP has never returned to give the thread a proper title. So, purely to assuage my vanity, can I just say =0.5*((A2^2+A2)-(A1^2-A1))

[royUK]

Actually breaks Rule#6 as well

[Andrew-R]

And #7 & #9 (well, unless he left a neg before he flounced off)

[royUK]

Hopefully he's busy picking his toys up

[daddylonglegs]

... can I just say =0.5*((A2^2+A2)-(A1^2-A1))

OK, I'm going for this one

=(A2-A1+1)*(A1+A2)/2

[Andrew-R]

Mine's prettier.

[davegugg]

Actually, the OP is refering to triangular numbers: A2(A2+1)/2, as long as A1 remains 1 (which it would if he only changed A2 as he stated.)

[Andrew-R]

Ah, but that he'd mentioned putting a 1 in cell A1 made me think that his next question was going to be, "How do I get it to sum from numbers other than 1"

[davegugg]

That's very true. I'm asking for trouble by assuming he meant what he said.

[Domski]

'He'

Dom

[ChemistB]

I googled the name (Nibiru) for a clue as to gender. No dice. I do like the entry for Nibiru Collision though. Makes for good reading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nibiru_(disambiguation)

[Mordred]

I googled the name (Nibiru) for a clue as to gender. No dice. I do like the entry for Nibiru Collision though. Makes for good reading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nibiru_(disambiguation)

THE WORLD IS GOING TO END - THE WORLD IS GOING TO END! LoL

[tlafferty]

Can I make a formula in Word Perfect so I don't have to learn Excel?

[JBeaucaire]

Yes, any Word Perfect forum worth its salt can help you with that.

[Andrew-R]

I've got a Compaq SLT286 sitting in my garage with WP5.1 on - I could fire that up if somebody's looking for Word Perfect help.

While I'm there has anybody got any Quattro Pro issues or need a DOS 3.3 batch file?

Back to the bad threads - I'm very impressed with the sign off in this thread

[ChemistB]

I always liked Word Perfect. It was nice being able to see all the formatting code and made it easy to modify. MS Word drives me crazy sometimes.

[Andrew-R]

Then I can do you a great deal on a state-of-the-art* Compaq SLT/286, Chemist.

It's the MacBook Air of its day and will come with WP5.1, Quattro Pro, Borland Turbo Pascal and, I think, Paradox loaded on to its more-space-than-you-could-use-in-a-lifetime 20Mb hard-disk (conveniently partitioned into two 10Mb drives to help you keep track of all of that space).

And, once the working day is over, you can chill out with Elite, A10 Tank Killer or Battle Chess.

I've lost the docking station and battery I used to have for it, and last time I tried to use it the floppy disk drive wasn't working properly, but I'll throw in a free copy of LapLink 3 + cable, so you'll have no problems transferring data to newer machines (i.e. Windows 95 or Windows 98 - after those LapLink 3 won't run as the DOS emulation doesn't fully support serial port access).

It was $5,000+ dollars new, but I'll let you have it for just $3,000+shipping. Do you want me to PM you my PayPal account details?


* Specifically the state the art was at in 1990

[ChemistB]

LOL, sounds like a tempting deal after my last internet transaction (purchasing a ghost in a bottle on EBay that was guaranteed good luck), I've decided to stay away from all internet transactions, even one like this that sounds too good to be true.

[Andrew-R]

Pah, sounds like your bottle o' ghost is working just fine - it's brought you the good fortune to get the must-have lap-top of 1990 at an inflation-busting price.

Just to sweeten the deal (and to prove how lucky that ghost is) I'll throw in a couple of e-mail invitations to help a Nigerian businessman get a bank account in exchange for big bucks, confirmation that you've won the Spanish lottery and enough male <ahem> enhancement products to make you look like José the hose-pipe smuggler.

[Mordred]

I'll give 3001 for all that!

[ChemistB]

Now the pot's looking better. If only you had some sort of equipment or potion that allows me to lose weight without dieting or exercise! I tried the Tummy electroshock contraption but only ended up with severe electrical burns.

If I throw in my haunted Talisman, is it a deal?

[tlafferty]

Ever get tempted to answer super basic questions like, "how do I create a sum formula" by using the "let me google that for you" page? Check it out - funny... http://lmgtfy.com/?q=sum+formula

[ChemistB]

That's excellent Thomas!

[davegugg]

At times I'm driven nuts by the fact that people won't take basic steps to find a solution. It's not like there's much left unproven in the field of Vlookup theory. Is it really easier to start a new thread than to take a few moments and think about the right search string for Google?

If you know little about VBA, you first step should usually be Recording a Macro. Instead, they ask a question in vague terms when there's no chance they're going to be able to adapt your solution to their actual needs. Ten posts later, why didn't you ask that in the first place???

</mini-rant>

[Domski]

To be fair recording a macro gives you little other than syntax. I remember the first time I tried it I though the macro would work on any sheet but for some reason it just shoved the formula and formatting in the same place every time I ran it. I didn't even realise the VBA editor existed and when I did find it I thought I'd break something if I wasn't careful so closed it very quickly

Dom

[romperstomper]

Also, people are by nature lazy. Hence the number of 'how do I do a multiple criteria sum/count' questions. Often seen posted directly above another identical question...

[davegugg]

To be fair recording a macro gives you little other than syntax. I remember the first time I tried it I though the macro would work on any sheet but for some reason it just shoved the formula and formatting in the same place every time I ran it. I didn't even realise the VBA editor existed and when I did find it I thought I'd break something if I wasn't careful so closed it very quickly

Dom

Very true, but at least it provides a starting point. Now you can post the code, say what it does, and explain what you'd want it to do different. Instead of "I need code that will transfer data from one sheet to another." Sure, I can give them the code:

Please Login or Register  to view this content.

, but I know if they couldn't figure that out themselves, they're going to come back and ask how to put their sheet names in, how to only copy a certain range to a different range on the second sheet, how to make it dependant upon a criteria in a cell, etc.

Anyway, TGIF!

[Mordred]

My first lesson last year was the recorder. It's a valuable tool for noobs!

[Andrew-R]

I still use the recorder fairly regularly - it's a quick way to find out the exact name of objects, properties or methods you may not have used before (plus, for some reason, I can never remember the syntax of .sort)

[abousetta]

I think that the macro recorder is one of the greatest parts of vba. It allows me to create things as I normally would do in excel and then read the intricate details of how to accomplish this in vba. Usually the code needs to be cut down and made more efficient, but how else would we learn the syntax for new features like the new conditional formatting options that change from version to version of excel.

Also I have heard a lot of people crying foul when the recorder stopped recording anything related to charts in xl07. MS brought it back xl10.

I wish they would make a supper recorder that can create loops and arrays and cool things like that...

abousetta

[Mordred]

I still use the recorder fairly regularly - it's a quick way to find out the exact name of objects, properties or methods you may not have used before (plus, for some reason, I can never remember the syntax of .sort)

Yep! I still use it too!

[6StringJazzer]

I wish Outlook had a macro recorder.

[6StringJazzer]

I finally figured out the formula I needed for conditional formatting:

=IF((A1<5)=TRUE,TRUE,FALSE)

[Whizbang]

=A1<5

This should give you the same result.

[6StringJazzer]

=A1<5

This should give you the same result.

Thanks. Now where is the "that was a joke" smiley?

[daddylonglegs]

Thanks. Now where is the "that was a joke" smiley?

should have used "Joke tags".....

[JOKE=daddylonglegs;5423157]This horse walked into a bar......"Why the long face?" says the barman[/JOKE]

[ChemistB]

Tags we'd like to see.....

Joke Tags
Sarcasm Tags
Formula Tags

[davegugg]

I'd also throw in choke tags, but those would only be used by Braves and RedSox fans!

Hey-O!

[MarvinP]

We need a "Bring In the Calvary" tag and a "This guy is a Troll" Tag.

I hate it when you give 3 possible answers to a question and the OP claims they made a mistake on what they wanted to ask. Or they don't like any of thoes answers and want you to do it some other way. It feels way to much like work about that time.
How about a "Not My Job" tag?

[JBeaucaire]

I had a paid job once I didn't get paid for because he read the code and didn't like the method I used. Although it was 100% accurate and didn't change his sheet visually in any way, operated completely in the background and was almost instantaneous, he gypped me just cause he wanted me to use a different method and I wouldn't redo it.

Seriously, it was like hearing someone say, "I just don't want to see the word "find" in the macro anywhere." ???

[ChemistB]

Then there's the "Overthinking it" tag where you come up with a 3 line equation That you know DDL can do in 10 characters.

[6StringJazzer]

Post #18 in this thread has a few odd properties:

• The thread was solved 19 months ago
• This is post 1 for this user
• The user repeats a sentence from JBeaucaire's post immediately above without attribution
• The content of the post is verging on incoherent

What's up with that?

[Andrew-R]

Did you follow the link? Hours of fun multiplying two numbers together ... if only Excel could do that.

[NBVC]

It's probably spam.

[Andrew-R]

I thought it would be spam as well, but it seems to be a non-commercial site.

While you're here, your fast typing spoiled my Friday afternoon fun in this thread ... http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...s-of-data.html

[NBVC]

Sorry... I like yours better though, if that helps

[romperstomper]

Oh well - I dumped the post and poster.

[alansidman]

wrong forum. Sorry guys. Having a senior moment.

[JBeaucaire]

...your fast typing spoiled my Friday afternoon fun in this thread ... http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...s-of-data.html

Oh man, you guys, that made my day. If someone posts a picture of a problem, post a picture of the answer... hehe.

[Andrew-R]

Not particularly a bad thread, but, honestly, who looks at that requirement and thinks that a bunch of CONCATENATE statements is the way to go?

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...-the-cell.html

That said, it does annoy me that the CONCATENATE function can't just be given a range. OK, it's trivial to write a UDF with that functionality, but why doesn't CONCATENATE do it as standard?

[royUK]

This one doesn't get the message

[royUK]

Andrew, maybe

Please Login or Register  to view this content.

needs error handling & playing with

[Andrew-R]

I'm having a grumpy Sunday afternoon, so I'm tempted to say something to the OP in this thread

They've made 43 posts to this forum, each time asking a fairly simple question and getting a pretty immediate response and when they do they mark their thread solved, but, so far as I can see, they've never even posted to confirm that the solution works or to say 'thanks' to whoever has helped them out.

Is it just me, or is that a bit annoying?

[snb]

You can do so using this link:

[Andrew-R]

Thanks for stepping in, snb.

I can understand people finding this forum via Google, getting a problem solved and then never returning, but asking that many questions without any feedback at all does seem to be abusing the good-will of those on here.

[TMS]

@Andrew: I responded to a query from this OP and pointed him/her to Chip Pearson's site ... so I guess I can't take all the credit for answering the question. But the thread was marked as Solved with no closure, thank you, or "k!$$ my 4r$e" (as my dear old dad used to say) ... and no rep as far as I can recall.

I guess we learn from this and choose to ignore posts from this individual. I've added DorothyFan1 to my Ignore List so I won't be tempted in the future.

Although it cannot be guaranteed or expected, I feel that a thank you, particularly with positive rep, makes it all feel worth while

Regards

[Andrew-R]

I agree - I don't expect everybody I help out to write a thesis on how great I am, but certainly for the more complex solutions it would be nice to know that we did fix the problem.

OK, I think Dorothy just got me in a bad mood, as it was only a 1 line macro that I posted, but now that I've set up my profile to auto-subscribe me to threads I post in it's a bit depressing to see the number where my post remains the last one.

[Philb1]

It's good to know that the people here have a sense of humour. Most forums are oh so serious, or take delight in talking down to you. Haven't seen that here

[quekbc]

This is where having a "sarcasm" tag would play a big role in interpreting this message.

[teylyn]

I don't quite see the sarcasm in that. The OP wants something that can only be achieved with VBA, but they don't want VBA in the solution. There's no sarcasm implied in the answer "You can't do that without VBA". It's just a fact.

In the meantime, a suggestion involving VBA has been posted, after the OP has asked for a kid-glove approach.

[quekbc]

Haha, fair enough. I tend to read too much into messages.

As English is not my native language, enlighten me, what's a kid-glove approach?

[teylyn]

English is not my first language, either, by the way.

Kid glove

[quekbc]

Well played.

[Andrew-R]

As English is not my native language, enlighten me, what's a kid-glove approach?

To "treat with kid-gloves" means to be very gentle with, perhaps even excessively careful.

[romperstomper]

Unless you are a goat, in which case it's altogether more sinister.

[quekbc]

This is starting to sound like Kill It, Cook It, Eat It.

[JBeaucaire]

[lecture mode]
"Kid glove" is one of the many, many idioms that has been misused for so long people now think it means the thing the mistakers have been using it for.

Kid-glove does almost mean "treat a person/topic gently", but in context it originally meant "treat gently so as to not offend or antagonize", like trying to deal with your new Mother-in-law. It was mostly a political term. It doesn't actually mean "teach step by step".... which is, as noted, a common use nowadays.

One of the more famous common misused phrases is "begs the question"... I've heard that THREE times this week alone on various television shows... misused every time, and all three times by "characters" that are depicted as smarter than normal people (ironic, huh?). People think it means "leads me to ask the next question".... which it certainly does not mean.

"Begging the question" means to use as "fact" something that is not "fact" (or has yet to be proven so) to further your argument. It's means "circular reasoning".

"The Bible is true because it was written by God". (I'm a Christian, so I fully understand how this commonly spoken Christian statement is "begging the question.")

"All murder is wrong, abortion is murder, so abortion is wrong." (The middle part begs the question.)

(Both examples above are meant to demonstrate the problem, not ignite debate on religion or abortion, they're just good clear examples)
[/lecturemode]

Anyway, there you go.... The only idiom that comes to mind for this situation might be "Lead this horse to water"....

[Andrew-R]

With all due respect, idioms mean whatever they are understood to mean. Begging the question has been used in the context of prompting or suggesting the next question for so long now that it's probably futile to insist on its original meaning. To do risks sounding like one of those retired Majors who writes to the newspapers to complain that 'gay' means happy and that any other use is incorrect

I do feel your pain. I still twitch when I hear "enormity" used to mean "very big" or somebody slaps down "It's the exception that proves the rule" as if means the opposite to its actual meaning, but language marches on and we march with it.

[quekbc]

O_O

I bow to thy wisdom

[ChemistB]

one of the many, many idioms that has been misused for so long people now think it means the thing the mistakers have been using it for.

The one that drives me crazy is "literally" as in, "I literally just about died" or "He literally flew out of there."
As per Andrew's comments, it does now mean exactly the opposite of what it orginally meant (as in figuratively, not literally). I just don't buy it.

[davegugg]

I can't decide if the guy in this thread just doesn't know much and is seriously trying to come up with a solution, or if he/she is just trying to put down enough junk to convince me to do it for him. Did he really think Application.WorksheetFunction.Sum() was going to get him a random number? I could help more, but if he really is studying for a test he's not going to have a shot unless he can figure this stuff out using a Help file. He didn't even follow my advice about the Rand function and the use of an array. For now, I think I'll just let he think about it while a mod comes in and tells him to add some code tags.

[ConneXionLost]

As requested.

[Domski]

Is it just me?

http://www.excelforum.com/search.php?searchid=3488928

Dom

[romperstomper]

Is what just you?

[Domski]

I just find most of the comments a little 'odd' would be a nice way of putting it when read in context with the rest of the threads.

Dom

[davegugg]

I think you may have posted the wrong link up there Dom.

[TMS]

@Dom: the URL doesn't work for me ... is that what you're asking?

[romperstomper]

Does that link work for you then?

[Domski]

Must just work for me as it's a search I generated.

Post #4: http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...f-formula.html
Post #2: http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...l-average.html

Dom

[TMS]

@Dom: so you refer to donaldsmith1978? No, I don't think it's just you. Nice of him to contribute to the discussion but it doesn't seem to add a lot of value. Interesting how the posts appear to be completely ignored. ;-)

[Whizbang]

I expect it is probably a bot, pulling random Excel phrases. If his signatures were enabled, I bet it'd have at least a couple of links.

[Domski]

Can we keep it as a pet?

Dom

[romperstomper]

Nope - he gone now. (his address appeared repeatedly in a list of spammer IPs.)

[snb]

I was hesitating putting this post into the joke thread or into this one.

[royUK]

This one deserves a prize

[Domski]

Not sure where to go with this one other than nowhere:

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-2007...rcentages.html

Dom

[Andrew-R]

That's brilliant, Domski. When I clicked on the JPEG I was, foolishly, expecting a screen-shot.

[6StringJazzer]

I hereby throw myself on the mercy of the court. See posts #6 and 8 and render your verdict.

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-general/802124-help-with-changing-value-automatically-over-time.html

[daddylonglegs]

I'm tempted to reply with my moderator hat on - that's borderline rule breaking......and if not rule breaking then impolite and unnecessary - I agree with you 6string, you have simply offered a better version of the code and explained why it's better.

I don't do VBA generally but that's exactly the sort of thing I'd do in another context....

keep on excelling

[shg]

We get deathly tired of your compact, efficient, clever formulas ...

[daddylonglegs]

I know - I'm thinking of giving it up and taking up the guitar instead......

[shg]

An excellent choice. Please send me your 3000-page formulary, and I will carry on on your behalf, claiming them as my own.

[darkyam]

I'm with shg and dll. If it weren't for mods and other gurus improving on my formulas, I'd still be using array formulas for everything and helper columns so I could do vlookups rather than index/match. Maybe he just got a little frustrated if it seems like it's happening on every thread he posts in.

[snb]

@6SJ

for my 'verdict' see here

[darkyam]

This is almost the definition of much ado about nothing. How are we on post #12 with nearly all of that time discussing just how to upload a workbook?

[darkyam]

And Overreaction of the Year Award goes to...(drum roll please)...:http://www.excelforum.com/excel-work...ml#post2655827

[alansidman]

@darkyam. There was no short fuse there. Just an instant implosion. Let's hope he finds out how to act before he gets into the working world.

[romperstomper]

Per your sig, I think he was just "yesterday's nut".

[darkyam]

Maybe, but let's hope he perseveres only if he also grows up oak-like.

[tigeravatar]

I don't even know what to say to this guy. The answer is in his original thread, which I posted a link to in his duplicate thread.
http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...html?p=2671837

[Andrew-R]

This one gave me a chuckle this morning.

He's obviously twigged that I make all of my formula needlessly complicated in a vain attempt to make myself look clever.

[JBeaucaire]

Andrew, I don't think that is the case. We are used to looking at multi-tiered structured formulas and reading them from the inside out. Most people are not, so it all reads as "OMG" to them the first time through.

Explanations are cumbersome to provide. Sometimes we explain it (like you did), other times we just offer more hard to read at first answers (like snb did).

[abousetta]

A picture worth =SQRT(POWER(10,6)) words.Picture1.jpg

[martindwilson]

bad thread this is really bad probably the worst i've seen

[6StringJazzer]

He's obviously twigged that I make all of my formula needlessly complicated in a vain attempt to make myself look clever.

To paraphrase Einstein, we make the formulas as simple as possible but no simpler.

[Domski]

The isn't really a bad thread but it originally caught my eye as I thought the OP was declaring that they 'wrote the book on Excel'.

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-misc...in-excel.html?

How far would you get before you realised Excel was a rubbish place to do something like that?

Dom

[Mordred]

@Dom, I still don't understand completely what it is that OP wants! Is he writing a book or is he working with a workbook lol? Should someone jump in and tell him that Excel doesn't pick the paper for you?

[ChemistB]

Why would he write a book using Excel? Everyone knows Access is the perfect tool for writing long manuscripts!

[JBeaucaire]

...Or PhotoShop....

[Domski]

Wouldn't you use PhotoShop to make a bad book seem better than it really is?

Dom

[Kyle123]

I think I'd select paint for a book, easier than word for getting round all that pesky auto-formatting

[Andrew-R]

In my day we had a DOS prompt and...

Type con > mybook.txt

[Mordred]

How about a pen and paper?

[Domski]

Wash your mouth out!!!

[JBeaucaire]

How about a pen and paper?

I don't believe we should suggest mythical solutions. Nobody believes in that...