Inserting Simple Check Boxes and Option Button in Forms 1

[Montemayor]

I am in need of some simple and clear instructions on employing Check Boxes and Option Buttons in my Excel Forms and Specification Sheets. These features are real time savers and "no-brainer" types of accurate user input.

However, I've not been able to depend on Microsoft for clear instruction on how to employ these items in my specification sheets. I would appreciate any leads or recommendations on how or where to find this basic information.

Thanks

Art Montemayor
Spring, TX

 

[GearmanPE]

Go to DATA>VALIDATION>ALLOW and select the options you wish. If you use LIST, than you will be asked for the cells with the list. The list can be text or numbers. When the user makes the selection, the exact value from the list is inserted into the validated cell.

The above dialog box also allows for naming the drop-down menu and a baloon pop-up that lets you explain the data entry.

Its a good idea to use validated data if the answer is going to be in an IF statment, eleminates typos and case erors for the user.

 

[Montemayor]

GearmanPE:

Thanks for the information, but I'm already familiar with drop-down boxes and lists. What I'm looking for information on is Check Boxes and Option Buttons.

Art Montemayor
Spring, TX

 

[iken]

Firstly the check boxes.

These are on the forms control bar (I'll asume you know this and have this displayed already).

Click on the check box item, and then draw a box using mouse in worksheet in approx. location by dragging mouse (the location of check box is movable)

Right click the check box and click on format control. In cell link box either type cell link or click far right coloured botton, and then click in cell to be linked, hit enter.

Click on check box, and notice value of true or false change relating to check box.

The option button is almost the same as the check box.
Differeing in that option buttons are grouped together (only one option button can be checked. You can group serveral option buttons together using the group box, which makes one set of option buttons seperate from the others.

With the valuse in linked cells, you can then make reference via IF statements and the like.

Give this a play and see what you come up with.

If you need more info just ask.

 

[joerd]

If you use the Control Toolbox toolbar instead of the Forms toolbar, there is no need for a group box.
The Forms toolbar is a sort of legacy from earlier versions of Excel, with which you can do some amazing things. However, starting Excel 5.0 (I think) the Control Toolbox was added, which gives access to the Office controls, giving you more flexibility and options, and a modernized look.
When you select a control, say an option button, you can click on the "Properties" button to display - guess what - its properties, such as color, size, position, status (checked/unchecked/mixed), etc.
One of the properties for an option button is GroupName. All option buttons with the same GroupName are connected, such that only one of them can be selected. Selecting a different option button in the same group will deselect the others.
Good luck experimenting...

Cheers,
Joerd

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.