Posted: 3/19/2005 1:50:54 PM EDT
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Ok.. A query for those in the know. Keep in mind, I know little to just about nothing regarding using Excel and please answer in 'dummy terms'  Here's my quandry : I have two "object lists", they're .txt files and each is different. What I want to DO, is compare the two, and extract a result. Say for instance, extract all the objects that are in 'List A', but NOT in 'List B'. So far, I have both lists imported, set as text entries, and in seperate columns, next to each other, like this : LIST 1 | LIST 2 -------------------------- Thing 1 | Thing 1 ----------|---------------- Thing 2 | Thing 3 ----------|---------------- Thing 3 | Thing 4 ----------|---------------- Thing 4 | ----------|---------------- Thing 5 | -------------------------- (Crappy representation I know, But hopefully you get the idea.) How do I go about comparing the two columns in either direction, and getting the result ? Like if I wanted it to tell me the objects IN List 1, but NOT in List 2... Answer here would be Thing 2 & Thing 5, obviously. Conversely, Things IN List 2, but NOT in List 1......... I assume this is an easily done procedure, but as I said, I know almost nothing about Excel and and am pretty much shooting from the hip here. Appreciate anyone's help muchly, who can answer this for me ! Thanks, JB  |
Umm.... Guess the part about me being a doofus didn't translate well Appreciate the reply. Any chance I can get that in dumb people language ? As I mentioned, I don't really know what the hell I'm doing, to begin with. So have NO clue what to do with that info you posted. sorry..... Never had any reason to use Excel before, so all that might as well be Borg, to a dope like me, haha  |
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here's a file img220.exs.cx/img220/7893/example2hv.jpg I changed the extension from .xls to .jpg so I could leach hosting off of imageshack. Save it and change the extension back to .xls. I'm sure there are better ways of doing this, but this is one way. |
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Still totally lost  Looking at your example, I THINK I understand what it shows in columns B & E, assuming "#N/A" means the 'difference', but what I'm looking for is a way to create a NEW list, with JUST the names of the files that are different. Like if I wanted to figure out what's NOT in "List 2" from my example above, it would give me something similar to this ? Results ---------- Thing 2 ---------- Thing 5 ---------- See what I mean ? Can Excel DO this ? Compare two different lists (columns) and create a NEW list (column) with only the names of the missing objects ? The zeros and #N/A doesn't really help me.... I need the actual names in the columns, as the result. Thanks |
I don't know if there is a simple function that does it all in one go. What I usually do is what was in the file I gave you. Then I copy the columns with the 0 and n/a and paste them over themselves as values (to get rid of the formulas) (highlight column b, ctrl-v, then choose paste special from the edit menu and pick values) then I'd sort columns a and b by column b then delete all of the rows with zeros in column b a now contains your list of things in column a that aren't on the list in column d |
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Well, if I can figure that out, I guess I could try it. This is the first time I've ever USED Excel though, so I'm really rather clueless. Maybe someone else can suggest something, or explain it a different way, so I'll understand what you mean. Man this crap makes me feel dumb  *grumbles* |
ok, take your mouse and drag it over all of the zeros and #n/a in column B to highlight them go to the edit menu and pick copy then go to the edit menue and pick paste special tick the box next to values and hit ok now do the same thing for column E now click on cell B2 now select sort from the data menu in the box that pops up, make sure "no header row" is checked, then in the first pulldown choose column B now hit ok this should sort columns A and B by the values in column B Now you've got your list in cells A5 and A6, so you can delete the other crap do the same for columns D and E |
Well, don't feel bad, since I ALREADY feel like a DUMBass...  You totally lost me now. I give up. The stuff you're telling me to do, makes absolutely no sense to me. Haven't got a clue. Unless there's some UBER-easy way to do this, I give up.... Not like I know what the hell I'm doing anyways. Guess I'll need to learn some basics first. Oh well..... Thanks for trying though. *sits in corner with dumbass hat on* 
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