×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Make drop-down icon visible when using Data>Validation

Make drop-down icon visible when using Data>Validation

Make drop-down icon visible when using Data>Validation

(OP)
Hi,

I've made a list using the Data>Validation tool.
I was wondering if it was possible to make the drop-down icon (downward facing arrow) visible when the cell is not selected.

Thanks.

RE: Make drop-down icon visible when using Data>Validation

If you use the form controls instead of data validation, the arrow will always be visable

RE: Make drop-down icon visible when using Data>Validation

I know what you mean - that would make the spreadsheet interface clearer.  I don't think it can be done (other than using a different tool like form tools mentioned... else some funky vba approach).  

There are other visual cues you can use.  I like to make my input cells green. You can also use cell outline and a prompt like "<=choose one" to make the interface clearer.  Attached a very tiny example.

=====================================
Eng-tips forums: The best place on the web for engineering discussions.

RE: Make drop-down icon visible when using Data>Validation

A little different way to do it is to type "choose one" in the cell BEFORE you apply the validation.  Then the prompt is there until you use it to select an entry at which time the error checking begins.  But it could be a little unsettling to a a spreadsheet user when he realizes he can never undo his choice and return to "choose one".

Attached an example.

=====================================
Eng-tips forums: The best place on the web for engineering discussions.

RE: Make drop-down icon visible when using Data>Validation

I guess you could also leave "choose one" in the data list if you were worried about the user's reaction mentioned above.

=====================================
Eng-tips forums: The best place on the web for engineering discussions.

RE: Make drop-down icon visible when using Data>Validation

(OP)
I think I will just do as you say electricpete, the users should be able to figure that out :)

Thanks for the suggestion iken.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources