Using formula highlighting

[Allen]

Hi all,

The I have been watching the exchanges in the excel boards and noticed no one ever seems to use the formula syntax highlighting we enabled a month ago.

I was wondering if there was any reason for that?

=if(B2<>"",vlookup(B2,A:C,3,0),"")

Just looking for feedback.

[#2]

@Allen Well, I've been using it from the moment I noticed that I could choose the type of code I wanted to include. But, I believe many new users are just not aware of what the button id for. That it allows them to enter a piece of code in a structured manner, that makes it stand out from the body text of the message they are typing.

As a frequent user of this particular button I would like to share some thoughts with you. When I press it, I see this:

Clicking the button will reveal no less than 26 options to choose from, of which only three are relevant to the Excel community (Excel formula, PowerQuery and Visual Basic). And they are "miles apart" in the alphabetical sort order. Would be nice to make the list dependant on the space in which it is used, or at least default it to the most relevant option for that space. And perhaps make the text above the button a bit more descriptive with regards to what the (first time) user is supposed to do, like "Enter Code language you wish to insert below"

[#3]

@Allen , quite many don't use "insert code" at all. Perhaps don't know such button exists. From ones who uses I guess part doesn't care about formatting, part doesn't recognise that "Language" menu exists.

By a chance, as for me font used for Excel is bit large, I'd make it some smaller.

[#4]

@Riny_van_Eekelen 

Thank you for your feedback, we can not control the list of languages by community sadly so given that constraint we felt that an alphabetical list was the most logical way to organize it so users can find the language they are looking for. Grouping them together by similar languages, while it sounds good in theory, becomes a problem when the same language is used in multiple disciplines.

I will take a look and see what text we can inject in to the paste in code dialogue that might make it clearer.

Again I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. 

[#5]

@Sergei Baklan 

Ok so there maybe something about discoverability, interesting. Thanks Sergei.

I will see what we can do about the font size.

[#6]

Hi @Allen, 

I regret to admit that I'm one of those didn't know of the existence of the formula syntax highlighting until I incidentally read your post here. Henceforth, I shall use it whenever the need arises. 

In fact, I started using such capability in my reply here a few minutes ago: 

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/excel/extract-a-number-for-a-cell/m-p/1425461

Cheers, 

Twifoo

[#7]

@Allen , bit more about font size - it more or less normal (from my point of view) while replying, after reply is submitted code font becomes bigger. At least for Excel formulas language.

[#8]

@Sergei Baklan 

Interesting I just tested it, its the same size and weight as the text in a normal paragraph.

Do you feel it should be smaller?

[#9]

@Allen 

Let me test here

Excel:

=TRIM(IFERROR(
     RIGHT(
       $H$3:INDEX($H$3:$H$100,COUNTA($H$3:$H$100)),
       LEN($H$3:INDEX($H$3:$H$100,COUNTA($H$3:$H$100))) -
       FIND("-",$H$3:INDEX($H$3:$H$100,COUNTA($H$3:$H$100)))),
 $H$3:INDEX($H$3:$H$100,COUNTA($H$3:$H$100))))

Java

=TRIM(IFERROR(
     RIGHT(
       $H$3:INDEX($H$3:$H$100,COUNTA($H$3:$H$100)),
       LEN($H$3:INDEX($H$3:$H$100,COUNTA($H$3:$H$100))) -
       FIND("-",$H$3:INDEX($H$3:$H$100,COUNTA($H$3:$H$100)))),
 $H$3:INDEX($H$3:$H$100,COUNTA($H$3:$H$100))))

On the right that's in editor window, on the left Preview (or published) - IMHO, they are in different font size