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248639736.xls.ms_office
ABSOLUTE and RELATIVE REFERENCES
Christy
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ENGINEERING with the SPREADSHEET
Copyright 2006 American Society of Civil Engineers
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
OVERVIEW
Absolute and relative cell referencing are important when copying equations.
A relative reference is not a permanent reference to a particular cell. If a relatively referenced equation is copied
to another position, the cell(s) it refers to will change.
An absolute reference is a permanent reference to a particular cell. When the absolutely referenced equation
is copied to another position, it will still refer to the same cell(s).
Absolute and relative references may be mixed, as can be seen in the examples below. row 20
You can input the $ by hand or press the [F4] key while in edit mode.
Pressing the [F4] key two or three times will cycle the reference through:
absolute column and row =$A$14
relative column and absolute row =A$14
absolute column and relative row =$A14
relative column and relative row =A14
row 30
A B C D E F
1 1 2
2
3 =A1 + B1 A relative reference is not a permanent reference to a
4 particular cell. If a relatively referenced equation is
5 copy 3 4 copied to another position, it will refer to a new cell
6 address.
7 =C5 + D5
row 40
This is useful in creating look-up tables and in
numerical integration.
Figure 10-1 RELATIVE REFERENCING
A B C D E F
1 1 2
2 An absolute reference is a permanent reference to
3 =$A$1+$B$1 a particular cell. When the absolutely referenced
4 equation is copied to another position,
5 copy it will still refer to the same $A $1+$B$1 row 50
6 cell(s).
7 =$A$1+$B$1
Figure 10-2 ABSOLUTE REFERENCING
Samples of Referencing
=B$3+B4
=SUM($B$5:$D$7, B8) where B5 through D7 is a rectangular range of cells
row 60
10
B$14
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ABSOLUTE and RELATIVE REFERENCES
Christy
04:31
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ENGINEERING with the SPREADSHEET
Copyright 2006 American Society of Civil Engineers
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
10
B$14
OVERVIEW -- Continued
The Sample Matrix Here, the row is absolutely referenced and the
Relative reference back to A. columns are relatively referenced.
A B C D A B C D
E F G H E F G H
I J K L I J K L
M N O P M N O P
Figure 10-3 Look at the formula bar. row 70
Then copy this cell to the
rest of the matrix
A B C D A B C D
E F G H A B C D
I J K L A B C D
M N O P A B C D
This is what the above matrix looks like This is what the matrix looks like with
with all of the cells "parked." all of the cells "parked."
=A63 =B63 =C63 =D63 =I$63 =J$63 =K$63 =L$63 row 80
=A64 =B64 =C64 =D64 =I$63 =J$63 =K$63 =L$63
=A65 =B65 =C65 =D65 =I$63 =J$63 =K$63 =L$63
=A66 =B66 =C66 =D66 =I$63 =J$63 =K$63 =L$63
Figure 10-4 Relative Column / Relative Row Array Figure 10-5 Relative Column / Absolute Row Array
Here, the row is relatively referenced and the Row and column for the cell containing A
columns are absolutely referenced. are absolutely referenced.
A B C D A B C D
E F G H E F G H
I J K L I J K L row 90
M N O P M N O P
A A A A A A A A
E E E E A A A A
I I I I A A A A
M M M M A A A A
And with the cells parked. And with the cells parked. row 100
=$A86 =$A86 =$A86 =$A86 =$I$86 =$I$86 =$I$86 =$I$86
=$A87 =$A87 =$A87 =$A87 =$I$86 =$I$86 =$I$86 =$I$86
=$A88 =$A88 =$A88 =$A88 =$I$86 =$I$86 =$I$86 =$I$86
=$A89 =$A89 =$A89 =$A89 =$I$86 =$I$86 =$I$86 =$I$86
Figure 10-6 Relative Column / Relative Row Array Figure 10-7 Absolute Column / Absolute Row Array
park put an apostrophe or hit the spacebar
in front of the equals "=" sign to park
the equation
row 110
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248639736.xls.ms_office
ABSOLUTE and RELATIVE REFERENCES
Christy
04:31
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ENGINEERING with the SPREADSHEET
Copyright 2006 American Society of Civil Engineers
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
10
B$14
MOVING AN ENTIRE MODULE THAT INCLUDES ABSOLUTE REFERENCES
A B C D A B C D
E F G H E F G H
I J K L I J K L
M N O P M N O P
Move the absolutely referenced cell containing A
A is absolutely referenced in this array and the array will still reference the relocated cell.
A A A A A A A A
A A A A A A A A row 120
A A A A A A A A
A A A A A A A A
=$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$H$112=$H$112=$H$112=$H$112
=$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$H$112=$H$112=$H$112=$H$112
=$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$H$112=$H$112=$H$112=$H$112
=$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$H$112=$H$112=$H$112=$H$112
Figure 10-8 Absolute Column / Absolute Row Array Figure 10-9 Relocated Input
A B C D row 130
E F G H
But try to copy the I J K L
entire array. M N O P
A is absolutely referenced in this array
A A A A
A A A A
A A A A
A A A A row 140
Note:
And this is what you get. =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 If you copy this array to another
The referenced cell is still =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 spreadsheet, the array will refer back
cell A112. =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 to cell A112 in the new spreadsheet. In
=$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 =$A$112 this way you create a link between two
spreadsheets. You may not want to
Figure 10-10 The copied array. have done this.
COPYING AN ENTIRE MODULE THAT INCLUDES ABSOLUTE REFERENCES
A. SAVE THE TEMPLATE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO COPY FROM. A B C D row 150
This is to prevent a disaster. E F G H
I J K L
DO NOT SAVE THE SPREADSHEET AFTER THE NEXT STEP. M N O P
B. Remove all range names. Otherwise, you will have unwanted A A A A
references to the spreadsheet you are copying from. A A A A
A A A A
A A A A
Figure 10-11 An array to be copied.
row 160
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ABSOLUTE and RELATIVE REFERENCES
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ENGINEERING with the SPREADSHEET
Copyright 2006 American Society of Civil Engineers
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
10
B$14
COPYING AN ENTIRE MODULE THAT INCLUDES ABSOLUTE REFERENCES -- Continued
C. Highlight the array or module to be copied to another spreadsheet
and invoke the Cut command.
Position your cursor in the other template and press Copy ( [Ctrl] [V] ).
You will have copied the entire array (module) with all references
and absolute references intact.
D. Make sure that transition formula evaluation and Transition formula
entry are checked in the Tools, Options menu or some functions row 170
will not calculate correctly.
ALTERNATIVE: COPY AN ARRAY OR MODULE BACK INTO THE SAME TEMPLATE
A. Open a new (temporary) spreadsheet. Figure 10-12 Cut the array.
row 180
Figure 10-13 The control panel.
Figure 10-14 The control panel menu.
Press OK and bring up the new spreadsheet.
row 210
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248639736.xls.ms_office
ABSOLUTE and RELATIVE REFERENCES
Christy
04:31
#######
ENGINEERING with the SPREADSHEET
Copyright 2006 American Society of Civil Engineers
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
10
B$14
ALTERNATIVE: COPY AN ARRAY OR MODULE BACK INTO THE SAME TEMPLATE -- Continued
B. Highlight and Cut the array.
row 220
C. Reopen your current spreadsheet and press "Yes" when Excel asks you
if you really want to reopen this file discard the changes in you made.
Press "No" and you have made an error that the backup button can't fix.
Figure 10-15 A pop-down menu.
row 230
Figure 10-16 A menu flag.
D. Position your cursor in the template and press Paste
to get this result: row 240
A B C D
E F G H
I J K L
M N O P
A A A A
A A A A row 250
A A A A
A A A A
=$B$241 =$B$241 =$B$241 =$B$241
=$B$241 =$B$241 =$B$241 =$B$241 Figure 10-17 Another pop-down menu.
=$B$241 =$B$241 =$B$241 =$B$241
=$B$241 =$B$241 =$B$241 =$B$241
Figure 10-18 The CUT and PASTE, COPIED Array
row 260