conditional formatting help please

Hi Karen,
Perhaps "help" was not the only content in those cells, as that would make
=SEARCH("help",$A1)
work where the following would fail
=$A1="help"

The formula specified is relative to the active cell, so the C.F.
will only select the correct rows if a cell on the first row is
the active cell when entering the formula.
---

"*k*" wrote in message ...

sure does..... thanks for that :-) much appreciated


On Fri, 18 Jun 2004 07:38:29 -0500, Domenic wrote: ...

Select your data
Format Conditional Formatting Formula Is
=SEARCH("help",$A1)
Choose your formatting
Click Ok

Hope this helps!

On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 12:00:16 -0400, "David McRitchie"
wrote:

Hi Karen,
Perhaps "help" was not the only content in those cells, as that would make
=SEARCH("help",$A1)
work where the following would fail
=$A1="help"

The formula specified is relative to the active cell, so the C.F.
will only select the correct rows if a cell on the first row is
the active cell when entering the formula.

sorry i wasnt very clear was I......... blush

what i have is

a b c d e
1name dept enqiry type priority
2
3 help
4 help

so that if d1 = help then a1 to e1 are red

so in this case lines 3 and 4 cells a to e would be red

hope that is better ?

thanks
K

If I understand what you're looking for, try this:

Labels in row 1, from A1 to E1.
Now, select A2:E2,
Where the focus is in A2 (white) and the rest are black.
Then,
Format ConditionalFormat
Click "FormulaIs",
And enter this formula:
=SEARCH("help",$D2)

Set your format as you wish to red,
Then OK OK

NOW ... Hold Ctrl and hit Enter.

You should now have your formula entered in the five cells in row 2.

Enter some test data to make sure that row 2 is working as you wish.
When you're satisfied that it's working correctly, clear the test data so
that row 2 is now empty again.

Now, select A2:E2 all over again.
With the five cells selected, click the fill handle at the bottom right of
E2, and drag down the entire selection, to copy as far as needed.

Hopefully, you now have what you're looking for.
--
HTH,

RD

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"*k*" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 12:00:16 -0400, "David McRitchie"
wrote:

Hi Karen,
Perhaps "help" was not the only content in those cells, as that would
make
=SEARCH("help",$A1)
work where the following would fail
=$A1="help"

The formula specified is relative to the active cell, so the C.F.
will only select the correct rows if a cell on the first row is
the active cell when entering the formula.

sorry i wasnt very clear was I......... blush

what i have is

a b c d e
1name dept enqiry type priority
2
3 help
4 help

so that if d1 = help then a1 to e1 are red

so in this case lines 3 and 4 cells a to e would be red

hope that is better ?

thanks
K

Hi Karen,
Select A1, Ctrl+A to select all cells
Formula is based on the active cell, and since the
Column is absolute -- just need any cell on Row 1 as the active cell.

Format, Conditonal Formatting,
Formula is: =$D1="help"
format button pattern -- red

Conditional Formatting
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/condfmt.htm
---
HTH,
David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP - Excel [site changed Nov. 2001]
My Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm
Search Page: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/search.htm

"*k*" wrote in message ...
On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 12:00:16 -0400, "David McRitchie"
wrote:

Hi Karen,
Perhaps "help" was not the only content in those cells, as that would make
=SEARCH("help",$A1)
work where the following would fail
=$A1="help"

The formula specified is relative to the active cell, so the C.F.
will only select the correct rows if a cell on the first row is
the active cell when entering the formula.

sorry i wasnt very clear was I......... blush

what i have is

a b c d e
1name dept enqiry type priority
2
3 help
4 help

so that if d1 = help then a1 to e1 are red

so in this case lines 3 and 4 cells a to e would be red

hope that is better ?

thanks
K