SET.NAME

Macro Sheets Only

Defines a name on a macro sheet to refer to a value. The SET.NAME function is useful for storing values while the macro is calculating.

Syntax

SET.NAME(name_text, value)

Name_text is the name in the form of text that refers to value.

Value is the value you want to store in name_text.

• If value is omitted, the name name_text is deleted.
• If value is a reference, name_text is defined to refer to that reference.

Remarks

• If you want to define a name as a constant value, you can use the following syntax instead of SET.NAME:

  name_text=value

  See the first two examples following.

• SET.NAME defines names as absolute references, even if a relative reference is specified. See the third and fourth examples following.
• If you want name_text to refer permanently to the value of a referenced cell rather than to the reference itself, you must use the DEREF function. Use of DEREF prevents name_text from referring to a new value every time the contents of the referenced cell changes. See the last example following.

Tips

• If you need to return an array to a macro sheet (for example, if the macro needs a list of all open windows), assign a name to the array instead of placing the array information in a range of cells. For example:

  SET.NAME("OpenDocuments", WINDOWS()) or
  SET.NAME("OpenDocuments", {"WORKSHEET1", "WORKSHEET2"})

  You can then use the INDEX function with the name you have defined to access items in the array stored in the name.

• When you're debugging a macro and want to know the current value assigned to a name created by SET.NAME, you can halt the macro, choose Define from the Name submenu on the Insert menu, and select the name from the Define Name dialog box.

Examples

Each of these formulas defines the name Counter to refer to the constant number 1 on the macro sheet:

SET.NAME("Counter", 1)
Counter=1

Each of these formulas redefines Counter to refer to the current value of Counter plus 1:

SET.NAME("Counter", Counter+1)
Counter=Counter+1

The following macro formula defines the name Reference to refer to cell $A$1:

SET.NAME("Reference", A1)

The following macro formula defines the name Results to refer to the cells $A$1:$C$3:

SET.NAME("Results", A1:C3)

The following macro formula defines the name Range as the current selection:

SET.NAME("Range", SELECTION())

If $A$1 contains the value 2, the following macro formula defines the name Index to refer to the constant value 2:

SET.NAME("Index", DEREF(A1))

Related Functions

DEFINE.NAME Defines a name on the active worksheet or macro sheet

SET.VALUE Sets the value of a cell on a macro sheet

List of Control Functions