post this! drop down cell problem

**LTUser54** · 07-10-2008, 10:09 AM

Update on my drop down cell problem:

I want to have a few cells with drop downs. I followed MS Help instructions, which were not too much of a pain in the butt. After experimenting I got the drop down cells to work, but you wouldn't know there are there. I colored them & bordered them, but unless you click on them you don't see the drop-down arrow on the right side of the cell. Even mouse-over doesn't work. I want the cells to be "visible" as having drop-down menus. I did some more digging online:

According to this URL: http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...B-CB4E0ADB133C NB: URL appears truncated when I preview the post

I have to use a combobox? What kinda BS is that??? Jeeze - who WROTE this software? now do you get why I really dislike Excel? That said, for right now it's the standard - too bad it's such a low standard (with all sincere respect for the Excel Masters).

I can't believe how complicated MS makes this! Don't they realize memory is cheap? Having the code to have menu driven functionality to accomplish tasks is a boon to users? Don't they realize they are wasting millions of hours of workforce time every day by having such a bad product? Sheesh!
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Anyway, now I'm trying to figure out how to put the right listfillrange into the freakin combobox properties so I can have a drop down list and an arrow to the right of the cell/combobox/thingy.

Any help with this is truly welcome.
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(and my last minor rant...) *$&#^#^%%^&%^&$^#&!!!!!!!

**NBVC** · 07-10-2008, 10:50 AM

I am sure that all software packages have their annoyances...

Excel is an excellent software and for the most part there is, at least, a workaround to most issues...

... where there is a will there is a way....

If you are using combobox from the Forms toolbar, then right-click the combobox and select Format Control... In the Control tab enter range.

If you are using combobox from the Controls toolbar, then right-click the combobox and select Properties... Enter the input range in the ListFillRange field.

**Steve-B** · 07-10-2008, 11:42 AM

You need some relaxation music my friend....

**shg** · 07-10-2008, 11:25 PM

I'm thinking medication ...

**LTUser54** · 07-11-2008, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by shg

I'm thinking medication ...

thanks for a reply that made me smile! I appreciate it. Maybe I wouldn't need meds if Excel were easier to use, no?

I appreciate your post - yet I remain a staunch critic of Excel because it is so flawed. If I didn't see the potential for Excel I'd just walk away from the whole subject of what bugs me. Excel is not user friendly. I have no time and less interest in learning VBA/macros, etc to accomplish tasks. There are milllions like me. Macros are a nightmare for me. I hate them and I see no real reason why in 2008 (yes, it's 2008 people!) Excel can't be an easy to use menu driven program. For those who scrtually enjoy programming - keep the old version. Let us civilians have somehting easy to use!!

I have had a bunch of friends from MIT - all Computer Science majors from "the smart fraternity", so I appreciate the skills needed for code.

MS seems (to me) to have a HUGE blind spot about the short-comings of their products. I think they are just too big and really can't maneuver to actually improve Excel, etc., whether due to internal beaurocracy, lack of interest, or whatever. After all, they still make money, so my fix a profitable difficuilt to use product? They seem to be following the General Motors model of business.

I want to say that the mods and Excel experts really impress me. I have great respect for their skills, dedication and knowledge.

I just wish I didn't have to labor so hard to get Excel to do what I want. It is EXTEMELY frustrating. God forbid you try to get Excel to do something it can't do (ad chartreuse-pink to a cell? Dream on), let alone want to have a function or result it actually cannot perform. Fat chance MS will let you know their beloved product is less than 100% perfect.

I am sophisticated enough to know programming can be highly complex. Still, why can't Excel be BETTER, menu-driven, user friendly, capable of explaining to a layman (average user) what's going on if they are curious.

Oh, and don't get me started on MS's Help search algorithm, apparently it was written in 1898.

Anyway, this is FAR from a vent or rant, just a sincere explanation...

Thanks.