[mso] Re: Check for repeating combinations?
- From: "Ray Blake" <ray@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2003 07:56:48 -0000
If the sorting thing is a problem, there's a way you can do without,
although it'll be a little slower with a large amount of data. Still, if
it's a once-only action...
First, you'd need to turn the three fields (or six, or ten, or whatever)
into a single string. In E1, enter:
=b1 & c1 & d1
Replicate this down the length of the data to the last row (I'll be
assuming row 30000 in this example.)
Now, you'll want a formula in F1 like this:
=IF(COUNTIF($E$1:$E$30000,E1)>1,"Duplicate","")
Note which of the references is absolute (dollar signs); this is
important. Now you can replicate this down then length of the data. If
you want to make a formula which will grow as the table of data does,
you could used dynamic named ranges. Let me know if you want to go that
way and I'll help you do it.
Of course, in a table of data that big, knowing there's a duplicate
doesn't help you find its partner, especially if there are many
duplicate pairs, or even sets. This is where Andrew's method scores,
because the dupicate sets will all be togther in the sorted data. What
I'd do, though, if you find a dupe, is to do a find operation (ctrl+F)
on the column E value, which will take you straight to the other
instances of that string.
Whether you use Andrew's method or mine, though, there's no reason why
you need to be scanning the whole length of the data looking for
'Duplicates' to appear in Column E (A's method) or F (mine). Here are 2
ideas for making it easier.
1. You could autofilter the list to show only entries with 'duplicate'
in the appropriate column
2. You could put a formula in - say - G1 as follows:
=countif(e1:e30000,"Duplicate")
(Replace the es with fs if you're using my method.)
All the best.
Ray
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-----Original Message-----
From: mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Andrew
Sent: 27 December 2003 04:33
To: mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [mso] Re: Check for repeating combinations?
Robert: ... Thank you, I believe this is going to work, by jove!
LOL - it'll work PROVIDED your colour names are all entered exactly the
same - selected from a drop-down menu or otherwise.
Don't forget (as I did the first time I did something similar) that as
soon
as you sort on your serial number again (col A) it'll all change unless
you
use ' Paste Special, Values ' to retain the values on each row!
Andrew
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