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Any Excel Experts in here? — Parallax Forums

Any Excel Experts in here?

NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
edited 2013-12-28 07:02 in General Discussion
I need a bit of help with a medication spreadsheet I need to work up for my brother. Is there anyone that knows about the =NOW() feature in Excel? I need to know how to make it update the time on it's own with no user input. I found a couple things on Google but I am confused as to how to accomplish it in Excel 2010.

Better yet, does anyone know of a free medication tracking program? That would save me a ton of time.

Comments

  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
    edited 2013-12-27 17:02
    The .... =TODAY() .... might also be useful. As with the =NOW() feature it will only update on a refresh or reload. There may be a way to set auto sheet updates, but it would be a global function that affects other functions across the board.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2013-12-27 17:12
    If the worksheet is reopened every day the NOW function should automatically update at each open (unless automatic calculation is turned off).

    Or is the worksheet open continually? If so, while Excel does support VBA timer events and a few other things that could make this work, given what appears to be a critical health-related application. I would strongly suggest writing a little VB or C# app that will provide the necessary reminders and tracking. Such a program would give you a lot more control, and it could run continually on the desktop.

    I don't know what's available, but CodeProject and the other open source code repositories are full of this stuff. Personally, I wouldn't run a compiled EXE I found from a random Web source. I'd want to review it and compile it myself.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-12-27 21:53
    WTF? You are going to put your brothers health in the hands of a spreadsheet?

    Seriously, this needs some explaining.
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2013-12-28 03:55
    Windows has a task scheduler (scheduled tasks in XP). As the name implies, task scheduler kicks off a process on a configured interval.

    Take a look at the scheduler and see if it sparks any ideas. Task Scheduler can be found in control panel -> administrative tools. On XP it's in the start menu -> Accessories -> System tools or Administrator tools.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2013-12-28 07:02
    Mike G wrote: »
    Windows has a task scheduler (scheduled tasks in XP). As the name implies, task scheduler kicks off a process on a configured interval.

    Take a look at the scheduler and see if it sparks any ideas. Task Scheduler can be found in control panel -> administrative tools. On XP it's in the start menu -> Accessories -> System tools or Administrator tools.

    There is also a command line program to handle scheduling tasks - "schtasks.exe"

    This would allow you to set up tasks programmatically using a script or other program language.

    http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/schtasks.mspx?mfr=true
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