Forum Discussion
Wider Excel discussion
Hi David,
Craig Hatmaker is including some thunks in his BXL 5g modules.
I am getting comfortable with using thunks to reference arrays that I want to access within a calculation. If I am not allowed an array of ranges/arrays, sobeit; I will use an array of functions. What I would like some support on is getting Microsoft to implement a built-in function that evaluates and stacks an array of thunks as EVALTHUNKARRλ does. Our function is full of tricks and works pretty well but I can't help thinking that it would perform better and be more acceptable to the user community as a built-in function.
On an entirely different track, something else I would like is
= VSTACK(
STYLE(result, "Output"),
STYLE(BYCOL(result, SUM), "Total")
)which could give nicely formatted output without resorting to the nightmare world of conditional formatting!
I like the idea of a robust STYLE function to replace legacy conditional formatting. A client had asked me the other day if I thought conditional formatting would be updated any time soon. I suspect most legacy features that open with the old dialogue menu are likely going to stay the same with improvements added as new features altogether - such as a STYLE function.
Granted, I think such a function would likely only be used by a developer. I'm finding most functions introduced since the advent of dynamic arrays are not on most organizations' radars. This is good in a sense that one does not usually stumble upon Lambda, for example, similar to how one could find macros. Much less things to break! Though I believe Excel is still very much underestimated in what it's capable of doing.
I suspect that the Styles functionality within Excel is grossly underused. The actual default values chosen by Microsoft are ridiculous but the basis for a better structured use of formatting is there. To be able to invoke the formatting by formula as an alternative to the GUI would open up new possibilities for the 'one formula sheet'.
I agree. I think what's missing here are shortcut keys for each and every one of the default 47 styles!
Sometimes defining and naming your own styles is better. I once had a workbook crash because the VBA referenced default styles. The default names all changed when the workbook was used in Japan but my code didn't update. It was only the custom names and formats that went through without error.