++++ SUPPORT FOR HEXADECIMAL DATA IN EXCEL +++++

[SteveO]

Hi,

++++ SUPPORT FOR HEXADECIMAL DATA IN EXCEL +++++

This is currently limited to a couple of functions to
change to and from hex. The programmers in MS (along with
thousands of engineers worldwide) would surely benefit if
excel could natively support hex numbers.

At the very least, could the HEX2DEC function be altered
to do automatic sign extension? We (global org, 100,000+
employees) are finding ourselves creating macro's to take
in a 16-bit hex no, discover if it is signed, and then pad
it out to move the sign up to bit 40.

This is surely more messy than it has to be - does Excel's
internal structure preclude the chances of this
improvement being implemented? Are we being noobish here
and completely missing some concealed hex mode of Excel?

Please let us know

Thanks,

S.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Please let us know

Nearly all of the posters in these groups are users like you - very
rarely do any of the MS folk that may lurk here deign to post.

Since it can be done by macro, there's nothing internal that would
prevent extended hex functions. Feel free to send the suggestion to MS at

(e-mail address removed)

Be sure to put "Excel" in the subject line so that it gets routed to the
appropriate program manager.

Excel developers, however, have shown a now long-term indifference to
creating new functions. I doubt that many of the XL programmers "eat
their own dogfood" - i.e., use XL in their programming - so appealing to
their best interest isn't necessarily going to be effective.

Instead, make a business case for enhanced functionality - how many of
your 100,000+ employees would shell out the upgrade price if the
functions were included?

If it's cost effective, and if they run out of gewgaws to tweak the
interface with, they may work on them.

 

[Harlan Grove]

At the very least, could the HEX2DEC function be altered
to do automatic sign extension? We (global org, 100,000+
employees) are finding ourselves creating macro's to take
in a 16-bit hex no, discover if it is signed, and then pad
it out to move the sign up to bit 40.

....

If you really work for such a major corporation, why is it that no one in
that cast cohort can download one or two scripting languages (heck, Windows
even comes with VBScript/VJScript). Handling hexadecimal reformatting
involves single statement 'programs' in perl.

Seems you're using your empolyers resources (i.e., your time) inefficiently
by whining about what Excel lacks rather than trying to learn the software
in all likelihood already on your PC that could perform tasks like this FAR
MORE EFFICIENTLY than ANY spreadsheet could.

There's probably a simple way to do this in Excel, but how would you tell
if, say, a 4 hexadecimal digit number were signed or not?

 

[Harlan Grove]

Since it can be done by macro, there's nothing internal that would
prevent extended hex functions. Feel free to send the suggestion to MS at

....

Viruses can be spread by macros, but that's no reason to bundle them into
Excel as an internal feature. For myself, if I want a hex editor, I'll use a
hex editor. If I want a spreadsheet, I'll use a spreadsheet. I can't fathom
a good reason to merge their functionality.

If it's cost effective, and if they run out of gewgaws to tweak the
interface with, they may work on them.

....

By all means they should do so rather than waste resources on such trivia as
expanding the number of columns per worksheet or raising or eliminating the
limit of nested function calls.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Since it can be done by macro, there's nothing internal that would
prevent extended hex functions. Feel free to send the suggestion to MS at

...

Viruses can be spread by macros, but that's no reason to bundle them into
Excel as an internal feature. For myself, if I want a hex editor, I'll use a
hex editor. If I want a spreadsheet, I'll use a spreadsheet. I can't fathom
a good reason to merge their functionality.[/QUOTE]

Frankly, I can't either. But XL is a commercial application. If MS will
sell enough added copies of Office/XL by adding hex functions to cover
the cost of development, who am I to say they shouldnt' to it.

OTOH, that's why I recommended presenting a business case. Nothing like
running the numbers to figure out that your pet cause is DOA.

By all means they should do so rather than waste resources on such trivia as
expanding the number of columns per worksheet or raising or eliminating the
limit of nested function calls.

I would hope MS'd apply the same criterion to those as to hex functions.
Up until now, at least, I presume that expanding rows and columns hasn't
made the ROI cut. Whether it gets worked on in the future will, I also
presume, depend on whether it makes a new version of XL worth purchasing
for enough people.

 

[Harlan Grove]

I would hope MS'd apply the same criterion to those as to hex functions.
Up until now, at least, I presume that expanding rows and columns hasn't
made the ROI cut. Whether it gets worked on in the future will, I also
presume, depend on whether it makes a new version of XL worth purchasing
for enough people.

As for people upgrading, if Microsoft just changed the color scheme of the
packaging and made the Task Pain even larger and sold that as a full version
upgrade, at least half the IT purchasing departments would pay for the
upgrade. Oh wait! If they're on the new license plan, they already have.