Want IF statement to return a real blank

  • Thread starter Thread starter Susan
  • Start date Start date
S

Susan

I am working with large data spreadsheets and write a lot
of IF statements such as =IF(A1>$G$5,"",A1). This gets me
a blank cell which is what I want. However, that blank
isn't "real." There is something in that cell which
returns the VALUE error message when I write an equation
in another cell which references that "blank" cell. What
can I use in place of the "" to get a "real" blank cell?
I am using a work-around by sorting then doing "clear
contents" of the blank cells. Not very efficient.
 
Try this:

=IF(A1>$G$5,,A1)

It will put a zero in the cell; if you don't want zero to display, you can
turn off display of zeroes using Tools | Options.
--
HTH -

-Frank Isaacs
Dolphin Technology Corp.
http://vbapro.com
 
I am working with large data spreadsheets and write a lot
of IF statements such as =IF(A1>$G$5,"",A1). This gets me
a blank cell which is what I want. However, that blank
isn't "real." There is something in that cell which
returns the VALUE error message when I write an equation
in another cell which references that "blank" cell. What
can I use in place of the "" to get a "real" blank cell?
I am using a work-around by sorting then doing "clear
contents" of the blank cells. Not very efficient.
Click to expand...

Well, the formula can't return a "real blank". There will always be something
in the cell (the formula, for one thing).

Perhaps you could test for the null string ("") in your other cell, rather than
testing for a "blank".?


--ron
 
It will just about have to be a work-around of some sort......depending on
exactly what works best for you......you can make it an alien value, color
it white, make the cell "look" blank, but it never will be as long as the
formula is there.....I suppose the "IF" statement could be done with a
clever macro and get you what you want by evaluating the IF condition and
then doing a "clear contents" on the cell......... but that's beyond my
expertize........
hth
Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3
 
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