Comparing Arrays

[KL]

Hi there,

I am trying to compare two fixed arrays and each of the two parts of the
formula seem to return the correct values, but the equation itself doesn't
seem to work as desired:

=VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!$C$1:$J$10,{1;5;6;7;8},FALSE)=INDIRECT({"B1","F1","G1","H1","J1"})

when pressing F9 while in formula bar it looks like this:

={"d";"d";"d";"d";"d"}={"d","e","d","d","d"}

but the final result is:

={#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!;#VALUE!,
#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!;#VALUE!,#VALUE!,
#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!;#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,
#VALUE!,#VALUE!;#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!}
(looks like each element in one array is compared to each element in the
other)

which yields =TRUE (???)

If I use SUMPRODUCT:

=SUMPRODUCT(--(VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!$C$1:$J$10,{1;5;6;7;8},FALSE)=INDIRECT({"B1","F1","G1","H1","J1"})))

the interim results are the same, only the final result is =#VALUE!

Both formulas work identically whether array-entered or not.

What I am trying to do is to compare the two arrays in this way:

d=d=TRUE
d=e=FALSE
d=d=TRUE
d=d=TRUE
d=d=TRUE
=FALSE

Any ideas please?

Thanks,
KL

 

[Bernie Deitrick]

KL,

Well, one problem is that you are comparing a vertical array with a
horizontal array.

Try using commas instead of semicolons in your first array. That takes care
of the large resultant array, and when you F( your way through, it works
better.

But I don't have any luck array entering the INDIRECT part into multiple
cells, so there may be some problem using that in an array formula. But
Harlan Grove will weigh in soon, to correct any mistakes I make here <vbg>

Other than that, I can't help you.

Bernie
MS Excel MVP

 

[KL]

Bernie,

Thank you for your observation. Unfortunatelly it is just my oversight when
putting the formula in this post as I was playing around with the
verticality and horizontality of the arrays and apparently have copied the
incorrect version in the rush. But you are right - correcting it fixes the
number of results. However, those results are still returning errors.

Thanks again, hope Harlan, Aladin or someone else could jump in later.
KL

 

[Biff]

Hi!

Can't get indirect to generate an array in that form.

Not the solution you were looking for but you could always
do the monster formula like this:

=AND(VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!C1:J10,5,0)=F1,VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!
C1:J10,6,0)=G1,....etc,etc)

Since B1 will always equal B1 can't you just eliminate
that from the formula?

Biff

 

[hrlngrv - ExcelForums.com]

KL wrote..

I am trying to compare two fixed arrays and each of the two part of th
formula seem to return the correct values, but the equation itsel doesn'
seem to work as desired

when pressing F9 while in formula bar it looks like this

but the final result is

={#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!
VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!
#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!
#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!
#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!,#VALUE!

..

You've already been told to use a horizontal array of column indice
as 3rd argument to VLOOKUP, so {1,5,6,7,8}. Alternatively, you coul
use a vertical array of textrefs to INDIRECT, s
{"B1";"F1";"G1";"H1";"J1"}. Either will make the two resulting arra
the same shape/orientation, and will reduce the result of th
comparison to either a simple horizontal or veritcal array

As for the #VALUE! results, INDIRECT when passed an array firs
argument returns somehting that works like an array of rang
references. In some situations those will appear to work as operands
in other situations (such as array formulas) they won't. Since i
appears these cells will evaluate to text, wrap the INDIRECT cal
inside T(). So try the formul

=VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!$C$1:$J$10,{1;5;6;7;8},0
=T(INDIRECT({"B1";"F1";"G1";"H1";"J1"})

 

[KL]

hrlngrv,

Thanks a bunch - that works. Now out of curiosity: what should I be doing if
I have numbers or a mix of numbers and text?

Apreciate your help,
KL

 

[Harlan Grove]

Thanks a bunch - that works. Now out of curiosity: what should I be doing
if I have numbers or a mix of numbers and text? ....

If there's an unpredictable mix of text and numbers, the most robust way to
handle that would be

=(VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!$C$1:$J$10,{1;5;6;7;8},0)
=T(INDIRECT({"B1";"F1";"G1";"H1";"J1"})))
+(VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!$C$1:$J$10,{1;5;6;7;8},0)
=N(INDIRECT({"B1";"F1";"G1";"H1";"J1"})))

which will return 1s instead of TRUEs and 0s instead of FALSEs.

 

[Domenic]

Twice I've tried to post my reply and both times it seems I was
unsuccessful. Here goes a third time, hopefully without any problems...


Try the following array formula that needs to be block-entered:

=VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!$C$1:$J$10,{1;5;6;7;8},0)=CHOOS
E({1;2;3;4;5},B1,F1,G1,H1,J1)

Or to have the formula return TRUE or FALSE, depeding on whether each
value in the first array equals the second array...

=SUMPRODUCT(--(VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!$C$1:$J$10,{1;5;6;7;8},0)=CHOOS
E({1;2;3;4;5},B1,F1,G1,H1,J1)))=5

Hope this helps!

 

[KL]

Harlan,

Thanks a lot - works like charm.

KL

...

If there's an unpredictable mix of text and numbers, the most robust way
to
handle that would be

=(VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!$C$1:$J$10,{1;5;6;7;8},0)
=T(INDIRECT({"B1";"F1";"G1";"H1";"J1"})))
+(VLOOKUP(B1,Sheet2!$C$1:$J$10,{1;5;6;7;8},0)
=N(INDIRECT({"B1";"F1";"G1";"H1";"J1"})))

which will return 1s instead of TRUEs and 0s instead of FALSEs.

 

[KL]

Domenic,

This one is great! Both work without array-entering (I don't need to see the
values to manipulate them). Apart from that the second formula is relatively
short it also allows to use the cell references dynamically.

Cheers,
KL