Paste link versus allowing two cells equal each other?

[Guest]

What is the difference between these methods?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Paste link simply enters a link formula, e.g, copy A1, select B1, and
choose Edit/Paste Special/Paste Link results in B1 containing =$A$1.

"Allowing two cells to equal each other" is rather too ambiguous for me
to be sure what you mean.

 

[Guest]

Thanks a million for your reply,
I'm familiar with using the paste special method. What i meant by the two
cells equalling each other is where you enter the equals sign into we'll say
cell A1 and then select cell B1 and press return.

What is confusing me is why with paste special you get the =Sheet1!$B$1 but
by using the equal sign you get =Sheet1!B1. How do you know which method is
the most appropriate?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

See the "The difference between relative and absolute references" topic
in XL Help.

 

[Guest]

Heya again,
Yeah i know the difference between absolute and relative. What is confusing
me is that the cell that isnt absolute ie: =Sheet1!B1 seems to behave as an
absolute reference. I have moved B1 to several other locations and checked
the result on the the link in cell A1 and it always refers to B1 in both
cases ie: paste special and =. I would have assumed that it wouldn't but it
does. That's either very strange or christmas is catching up on me!!

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Yes, if you move a reference, either by dragging or by cutting and
pasting, XL will always update the reference, just as if you inserted a
row/column.

If you want to always refer to B1, even if you cut and paste, or add
rows, etc., use

=INDIRECT("B1")