sorting and locking rows

Originally Posted by DanMnz

(newbie so terms may be wrong)

If I have a large database of information and wish to filter columns, is there a way to lock particular columns to they don't change. For instance:

If I have 10 columns, and 500 rows, can I filter based on column 2 but make sure when it alphabeticalizes that rows 1 and 5 don't filter, ever, but allow the other 8 rows to filter accordingly ?

Hi,

If you 'filter' then you select Rows to display (or not display).

You cannot filter a portion of a row, nor can you select for filter non-contiguous columns, thus your question seems invalid.

You can Filter - select from other columns and leave columns 1 & 5 set to 'All'

Does this help?
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Originally Posted by DanMnz

Yes, thank you, that answer does help me.

"non-contiguous columns" is where the problem is. Thought I could find a way around that, but I guess I cannot.

Thank you.

If the book is reasonably stable you could use some VBA code on a 'Worksheet_Change' trigger to test and remove any criteria that had been applied to Criteria1 or Criteria5 such as for

Selection.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="Monday"
you would clear by using
Selection.AutoFilter Field:=1
but if you are not versed in VB then this could be fraught with danger.

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Originally Posted by DanMnz

I'm great in visual basic 6, but never tried to use it with excel. I'll look into that. thank you.

ok - try Tools, Record New Macro, and perform any function that you require to give you the basics of VBA code for that process, it's a good start (the Help is ok for supplying parameters if you know what you want to do, but pretty ordinary as a learning tool)

http://www.excelforum.com/showthread.php?t=584092 has links to useful reading for all stages of development.

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