Filters: multi-criteria cells ?

[Alex Leibovici]

A filtering question:

Is it possible to have some rows selected by a filter on more then one
criteria?

For example, in the column "A" I have the text strings "string1",
"string2", "string3", "string4", multiple times. If I set a
AutoFilter, I will be able to select all rows which contain in its
first cell one of those texts strings, from a drop-down list.

Now, I would like to have a specific row to be selected on, for
example, _either_ "string2" _or_ "string4", and I would like to have
this by simply choosing "string2" (or "string4") from the drop-down
criteria list.

Is this possible? Maybe, by assigning to its first cell, somehow, both
strings (string2 and string4) ???

I am aware about the "Custom..." from the drop-down criteria list, but
its function is _not_ what I am looking for.

Also, the Advanced Filter option is not quite what I am looking for,
because the selection is not as simple as selecting from a drop-down
list.

TIA

Alex

 

[Frank Kabel]

Hi Alex
AFAIK you'll have to use the custom filter or have to create your own
filter listboxes with own VBA code (which would be a lot of effort).
One question: Why is 'custom filter' not suitable for you?

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

A dummy column that has a formula that indicated whether to show the row or
not would be the only way that would allow a simple selection

if F2
=if(or(A2="String2",A2="String4","String2 or String4","")

filled down the column as an example.

Then filter on column F.

Still, this would have to be set up for each unique combination that you
want to filter on.

 

[Alex Leibovici]

Hi Alex
AFAIK you'll have to use the custom filter or have to create your own
filter listboxes with own VBA code (which would be a lot of effort).
One question: Why is 'custom filter' not suitable for you?

Because it will be the user who will have to define it.

Besides, we found quite an accepatble solution: vertically split the
cell (in fact, verically merging all cells in two sequential rows,
except in column A) and put each alternate values ("string2" and
"string4", in my example) in its sub-cell:

----------------------------------------------------
| string2 | | |
|----------| data | data |
| string4 | | |
----------------------------------------------------

With this we get the desired effect with AutoFilter-ing.

Thanks for your interest.


Alex