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Excel userform scroll bar on Surface

coolowl

Member
One thing is holding me back from buying the new Surface tablet. I want to be able to use the scroll bar created within Excel's Userform. I want to be able to touch the scroll bar with my finger, slide the ends up and down through the list of items, or touch in the middle of the scrollbar to jump quickly around in the list. In other words, I want it to work just like it does on the desktop. And please note....I am NOT talking about the scrollbar on the side of the screen within Excel. I know that works. I'm talking about the Userform capability where one can create a box populated with items that will trigger other events depending on which item is selected.

This capability has been questioned before in other threads both in thus forum and others. The replies provide conflicting answers so I don't know whether you can do it or not. One person will say It can be done, and another will say it cannot. I'm not eager to waste $500 to find out which answer was right.

So, if someone definitely knows the answer, perhaps has even made a scrollbar using the userform capability within Microsoft Excel, would they take a moment to convince me it can or cannot be done? It sure would be appreciated. And if it isn't clear what I'm asking please let me know.

Thanks. I really hope this can work because I have $500 burning a hole in my pocket. :)
 
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coolowl

Member
I was thinking of buying the new Surface that comes out next week. It will be the full version of Windows 8.1, but one of the answers to my question on a different forum said that Excel userforms are a sort of add-in to Excel.
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
I was thinking of buying the new Surface that comes out next week. It will be the full version of Windows 8.1, but one of the answers to my question on a different forum said that Excel userforms are a sort of add-in to Excel.
Then it seems the correct question is... Will Excel Userform scrollbar work in Office 365? ... and I assume Office 365 Personal edition.

Although any version of Office could be installed by you with the appropriate license obviating the waste of 500 you might incur additional cost in the event that became necessary.

I don't have an answer at the moment, need to find the feature/function matrix for the array of Office versions... and confirmation of which version you actually get with the Surface 3. If it's the online only (a distinct possibility) that might not be included.
 
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Garyjk

Member
sold my surface and I, too, have ordered a surface 3. but I have excel 2013 on my dell venue pro 8.
I just created a simple userform, made sure it had scrollbars. I could drag the scrollbar with my finger to scroll the form up and down.
 
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coolowl

Member
That is a good sign that the scroll bar works on the touch screen of a laptop. Now, if it will work on the Surface tablet I'm in business! I wonder if I went into a Microsoft store if they'd let me load a file onto a Surface Pro 3 with the userform scrollbar to test it out?

Thank you for the information.
 
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coolowl

Member
The issue is not whether a scrollbar can be created using Excel's Userform. It's whether it works on the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (and the upcoming Surface 3).

Gary confirmed that it works on the touchscreen of a a Dell computer. Now it's just left to decide whether it works on a Surface tablet. My guess is that it will. It would be extremely helpful if someone who owns a Surface Pro 3 and has Excel 2010 or newer would verify that it can.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
Excel is Excel when it comes to the x86/x64 Architecture, the Surface Pro 3 and Surface 3 are normal laptop architectures that are crammed into tablets, if it works on a Dell Venue Pro 8 (which is an older 8" Bay Trail ATOM Tablet) it will work on the Surface Pro 3 and Surface 3.

The RT based tablets used a different CPU Architecture and Office for RT didn't support all functions but that doesn't come into play here, as long as you are using the full Office Suite (Traditional or Office365) it will work....
 
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coolowl

Member
True enough that Excel is Excel. It's how it works on a touch screen Surface tablet that is the issue. When you touch a touch screen and drag your finger the screen moves. This is what we don't want on the scrollbar. The screen has to somehow recognize that the place touched isn't just any old place on the screen, but that there is a tiny little up/down arrow underneath the finger so that something different needs to happen.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
That link is for Excel Online which has functionality similar to the Mobile Apps (iPad, Android and Windows Touch)....

True enough that Excel is Excel. It's how it works on a touch screen Surface tablet that is the issue. When you touch a touch screen and drag your finger the screen moves. This is what we don't want on the scrollbar. The screen has to somehow recognize that the place touched isn't just any old place on the screen, but that there is a tiny little up/down arrow underneath the finger so that something different needs to happen.

If the Scrollbar is in a Userform the HID Driver will honor it....
 
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