C1 appears blank, but ISBLANK(c1) returns false

[Guest]

Please help:

C388=IF(ISBLANK(INDIRECT(C189)),"",INDIRECT(C189))
When I look at C388, it appears blank. However, when I select
C388 and click "Edit Formula" [I have Excel 2000],
I am told that
Logical test ISBLANK(INDIRECT(C189)) = VOLATILE

When I set BB388=ISBLANK(C388), it returns FALSE. I expected it to return
TRUE,
because C189 evaluates to C1, and C1 is blank, so INDIRECT(C189) should be
blank.

Why does BB388=ISBLANK(C388), returns FALSE? Is there a way to make it to
(correctly) return TRUE?

Thank you

 

[Guest]

Hi

I use Excel 2K too, and I've set up a similar scenario and it works as
expected!
B1 is blank
In A1 I've got "B1"
In A2 I've got =IF(ISBLANK(INDIRECT(A1)),"",INDIRECT(A1))
If anything is in B1, it returns the value, and if B1 is blank it returns a
blank
(My logical test also returns Volatile)

 

[Bob Phillips]

Is there a space in there?

Try =LEN(cell)

 

[Guest]

Looks like there WAS a space in there!

Thanks a lot, Bob and Andy!!

 

[Guest]

Isblank returns a negative for any cell with an equaition in it even if the
display is blank.
countblank however counts cells with nothing displayed (as long as the
display has not been formatted out)
try for your B388 logic equation
=(countblank(c388)=1)
this will give you a true for a blank appearing C388