Have a list if descriptions to go in a list of cells

R

Ricky Hunt

That's as best a description as I could come up with in a short space. First
I know a little Excel, basically just what I've learned through the Help
file each time I needed a problem solved. I was a computer programmer for
years (and I know someone will say write a program to do it) but due to
chronic illnesses my mind isn't what it once was. I could probably figure it
out but it would take a lot longer than I imagine Excel could do it if the
commands are there and someone could point me to them.

The project is a songbook. Each song is numbered but not necessarily in the
same row as the song #: meaning song# 61 won't be in row 61 and I can't
resort them temporarily where they would be since the songs aren't
sequential (i.e.. the first three songs are numbered, 2, 3, 5). What I need
to do is assign a description for what the song is good for (Christmas,
Patriotic, etc.). I have a list of the song numbers and what they are suited
for (all this is coming from a printed songbook and I'm making a spreadsheet
to make picking songs, keeping up with what we've used, etc.).

So lets say all the song numbers are in column A, and descriptions start in
column D. Is there a way to type a list of numbers (temporarily) in another
unused column and have something (like a for-next loop) to "run through"
each number in the list, find that song number (which they are sorted
numerically so a binary search would be ideal), and put a "catagory" I've
put (in another temporary column) into Col D.

That would be great but there's one extra step (problem) some songs fit in
more than one catagory it would need to ask "if col x not empty", then check
col x+1 for emptiness, until you find the first empty column and place the
catagory there.

Once I had that formula or whatever down I could just change the list of
songs and change the catagory to finish filling in the rest of them.

If someone could help I would be so grateful or even point me to what
commands to use would incredibly helpful (especially how to transverse a
column of numbers, command to search another column (sorted) for that
number, and the command to reference "the next cell" to see if it's empty
(i.e. how do you reference "the next column", then the next, etc. without
using absolute referencing).

TIA
Ricky
 
O

Otto Moehrbach

Ricky
I'll try to help you with that. Send me your file or a sample of it.
Include a few examples of what you want with step-by-step explanations of
how to do what you want done with each example. Don't try to program it,
just give me a step-by-step of what you do if you were doing it manually.
My email is (e-mail address removed). Remove the "extra" from this
address. HTH Otto
 
R

Ricky Hunt

Will do ASAP. Thanks.

Otto Moehrbach said:
Ricky
I'll try to help you with that. Send me your file or a sample of it.
Include a few examples of what you want with step-by-step explanations of
how to do what you want done with each example. Don't try to program it,
just give me a step-by-step of what you do if you were doing it manually.
My email is (e-mail address removed). Remove the "extra" from this
address. HTH Otto
 

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