Searchable Combobox

**marklp89** · 01-15-2010, 12:13 AM

Hey there. I'm trying to create some sort of a drop down menu box that I can type a few letters and it narrows down the entries so that eventually if I type enough, there will only be one option to choose. The reason I want to do this is that I have to use a drop down box with a lot of entries (ie. more than 100) and having to scroll down to find the one I want can take a while. So I'm wondering if there is any way that I can do this. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

**protonLeah** · 01-15-2010, 01:50 AM

I don't know your Excel Version. The example uses an activeX combobox from the controls toolbox. You can put the combobox on top of the cell you want the name to show in (the reference cell) so that the name does not seem to appear twice.

**marklp89** · 01-15-2010, 03:05 AM

Thank you. That is exactly what I am trying to do. I use version 2007. Would it be too much to ask you to take me through setting that up step by step. I'm not very familiar with macros or VB.

Thanks Again.

**DonkeyOte** · 01-15-2010, 03:36 AM

for a general overview of the steps see: http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal10.html

If you're not interested in utilising the ComboBox in conjunction with Data Validation ignore those DV specific sections...

**marklp89** · 01-15-2010, 06:52 PM

ok. thank you

**marklp89** · 01-16-2010, 05:12 PM

Thanks for all your help. I'm still having just one little problem though. I went through the steps on the web page you posted (the contextures one) and I can't get their exact results. When I double click on the validated cell to get the combo box to pop up, it pops up, but there are no items in it. There are items in the validated list that I can scroll through, but when I try using the combo box by double clicking, there is nothing in the combo box to scroll through. Could you please help?

Oh and I should probably also mention that the list of items I am trying to use the combo box on is on another sheet in the same workbook. I don't know if that changes anything.

Thanks again.

**protonLeah** · 01-16-2010, 05:48 PM

Can you post a workbook?
I was under the impression that you had a worksheet form with only one cell into which any of several hundred names would be selected. Are you now saying that you have a column of cells that must use the same combobox/validation list??