Literal format for formulas? (2k)

[gtbaldw]

Is there a way to format a cell so that a formula is displayed literally, rather than its computed value?

Tools / Options / View and checking "Formulas" does this globally, but I'd like to be able to do the same display format with individual cell(s), not all of them.

[HansV]

Not as far as I know. You could prefix an individual formula with an apostrophe ' but of course that means that the value of the cell will be the text of the formula.

[JohnBF]

As Hans says, it isn't possible for a single cell to display its formula and return its value. However, in an adjacent cell you could use this user-defined function to display the formula:

Public Function ShowFormula(rngIn As Range) As String
If rngIn.HasFormula Then
ShowFormula = rngIn.Formula
Else
ShowFormula = rngIn.Value
End If
End Function

If you add this to your Personal.xls, you'll need to use the following syntax:

=Personal.xls!ShowFormula(<cell address or cell range name>)

[gtbaldw]

John,
Thank you! The ShowFormula UDF is exactly what I needed...
George

[sdckapr]

You can format the individual cell as "TEXT" and it will display its formula. This is similar to adding an apostrophe. It does lose its "value" and it acts like a string

Steve

[macropod]

Hi George,

Another way to do this is to copy the formula into the cell's comment box. This avoids any complications that might arise if there is something useful in the adjacent cell, though any comments you might already have would get clobbered instead. Another thing to note is that, by default, worksheet comments don