How to count rows between 2 non empty cells with their intermediary empty cells in Google Sheets?

Question

I'm trying to count each rows of empty cells between two non-empy cells and adding the upper non empty-cell count (or the lower non-empty cells count) to the result when the empty cells/rows numbers are variable and irregular in this manner:

A1 Empty
A2 Non-empty
A3 Empty
A4 Empty
A5 Empty
A6 Empty
A7 Non-empty

(with A2 to A5 being irregular — could be any number of intermediary empty rows/cells — i.e. 10, 2, 30, 5, etc., and variable — could be located in any location within Column A)

The result should return as follow:

=IFS(

AND(A2="",A3=""),"",

AND(A2="",A3<>""),"",

AND(A2<>"",A3<>""),ROWS(A2),

AND(A2<>"",A3=""),ROWS(A2:UP TO NEXT NON-EMPTY ROW BENEATH (NOT COMPRISED (or minus the next non-empty row(-1)))

How do we program Google Sheets to count rows "UP TO NEXT NON-EMPTY ROW BENEATH (NOT COMPRISED (or minus the next ono empty row(-1)) when the emppty intermediary rows' count is variable/unknown for each occurence and irregular/can be any number of intremediary rows?

I have this data as example:

So far, I've come up with this partial solution:

=IFS(AND(A2="",A3=""),"", AND(A2="",A3<>""),"", AND(A2<>"",A3<>""),ROWS(A2), AND(A2<>"",A3=""),ROWS(A2:UP TO NEXT NON-EMPTY ROW BENEATH (NOT COMPRISED (or minus the next non-empty row(-1)))))

The expected result should return as follows:

The Sheet copy: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eLXdFINKVtS5Fxon8mIQDmBUTZokyY_Fb6tfWJRDOVI/edit?usp=sharing

Answer 1

Well I think you can do it a bit more elegantly using a reverse lookup. The idea is to sort the data on descending order of row number, then use a match with -1 as the last parameter, which is equivalent to searching from the end of the data for the next non-blank.

=ArrayFormula(iferror(if(A2:A="","",rows(A2:A)+2-match(row(A2:A)+1,
query(SORT({IF(A2:A<>"",row(A2:A),""),row(A2:A)},2,false),"select Col1"),-1)-row(A2:A)),1))

If you wanted to keep it simple and just use a pull-down formula, an ordinary match is enough:

=ArrayFormula(iferror(if(A2="","",match(true,A3:A<>"",0)),1))

(it still has to be entered as an array formula because A3:A<>"" is an array of True and False)

Answer 2

I found a solution with a Monster formula but with simple iterative logics, and up to 50 intermediary blanks (for more only need to make the formula larger).

What I was lookind for was simply to print the cells/rows count of intermediary empty cells between 2 non-empty cells + adding to the count either the 1st non-empty cell or the last non-empty cell.

So for example if cell A1 and cell A9 have 8 empty cells between them, then return 8+1 (or 10-1).

The logics used is simple: probe how many possible empty cells there can be between each 2 non-empty cells counting the 1st non-empty as well within column A (in the formula below the possibility is up to 50 empty cells), and for each case return the intermediary rows -1 (the last row).

The formula:

=IFS(AND(A1="",A2=""),"",AND(A1="",A2<>""),"",AND(A1<>"",A2<>""),ROWS(A1),AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3<>""),ROWS(A1:A3)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4<>""),ROWS(A1:A4)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5<>""),ROWS(A1:A5)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6<>""),ROWS(A1:A6)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7<>""),ROWS(A1:A7)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8<>""),ROWS(A1:A8)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9<>""),ROWS(A1:A9)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10<>""),ROWS(A1:A10)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11<>""),ROWS(A1:A11)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12<>""),ROWS(A1:A12)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13<>""),ROWS(A1:A13)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14<>""),ROWS(A1:A14)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15<>""),ROWS(A1:A15)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16<>""),ROWS(A1:A16)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17<>""),ROWS(A1:A17)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18<>""),ROWS(A1:A18)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19<>""),ROWS(A1:A19)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20<>""),ROWS(A1:A20)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21<>""),ROWS(A1:A21)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22<>""),ROWS(A1:A22)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23<>""),ROWS(A1:A23)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24<>""),ROWS(A1:A24)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25<>""),ROWS(A1:A25)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26<>""),ROWS(A1:A26)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27<>""),ROWS(A1:A27)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28<>""),ROWS(A1:A28)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29<>""),ROWS(A1:A29)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30<>""),ROWS(A1:A30)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31<>""),ROWS(A1:A31)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32<>""),ROWS(A1:A32)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33<>""),ROWS(A1:A33)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34<>""),ROWS(A1:A34)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35<>""),ROWS(A1:A35)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36<>""),ROWS(A1:A36)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37<>""),ROWS(A1:A37)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38<>""),ROWS(A1:A38)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39<>""),ROWS(A1:A39)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40<>""),ROWS(A1:A40)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41<>""),ROWS(A1:A41)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41="",A42<>""),ROWS(A1:A42)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41="",A42="",A43<>""),ROWS(A1:A43)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41="",A42="",A43="",A44<>""),ROWS(A1:A44)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41="",A42="",A43="",A44="",A45<>""),ROWS(A1:A45)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41="",A42="",A43="",A44="",A45="",A46<>""),ROWS(A1:A46)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41="",A42="",A43="",A44="",A45="",A46="",A47<>""),ROWS(A1:A47)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41="",A42="",A43="",A44="",A45="",A46="",A47="",A48<>""),ROWS(A1:A48)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41="",A42="",A43="",A44="",A45="",A46="",A47="",A48="",A49<>""),ROWS(A1:A49)-1,AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4="",A5="",A6="",A7="",A8="",A9="",A10="",A11="",A12="",A13="",A14="",A15="",A16="",A17="",A18="",A19="",A20="",A21="",A22="",A23="",A24="",A25="",A26="",A27="",A28="",A29="",A30="",A31="",A32="",A33="",A34="",A35="",A36="",A37="",A38="",A39="",A40="",A41="",A42="",A43="",A44="",A45="",A46="",A47="",A48="",A49="",A50<>""),ROWS(A1:A50)-1)

Here the images sheet of the result:

The Sheet

Can it be done in a simpler way but still with a single formula?

Thanks a lot for your next input!

Answer 3

In the mean time I did some simplification of my previous Monster formula and learned the ArrayFormula application in the process.

1st I tried to shorten the big blank cells intervals into ranges formulations to see if it still worked.

For example I changed:

AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3="",A4<>""),ROWS(A1:A4)-1,

into

AND(A1<>"",A2:A3="",A4<>""),ROWS(A1:A4)-1,

And it shortened my formula from this:

to this:

But then when pasting the new formula I got a #VALUE! error 'an array value could not be found'.

After further tests, I used the ArrayFormula and it worked by adapting the simple 'ranges' previously used to Arrays:

from this

AND(A1<>"",A2:A3="",A4<>""),ROWS(A1:A4)-1,

into this

AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A3=""),A4<>""),ROWS(A1:A4)-1,

With this final result:

=IFS(AND(A1="",A2=""),"",AND(A1="",A2<>""),"",AND(A1<>"",A2<>""),ROWS(A1),AND(A1<>"",A2="",A3<>""),ROWS(A1:A3)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A3=""),A4<>""),ROWS(A1:A4)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A4=""),A5<>""),ROWS(A1:A5)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A5=""),A6<>""),ROWS(A1:A6)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A6=""),A7<>""),ROWS(A1:A7)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A7=""),A8<>""),ROWS(A1:A8)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A8=""),A9<>""),ROWS(A1:A9)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A9=""),A10<>""),ROWS(A1:A10)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A10=""),A11<>""),ROWS(A1:A11)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A11=""),A12<>""),ROWS(A1:A12)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A12=""),A13<>""),ROWS(A1:A13)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A13=""),A14<>""),ROWS(A1:A14)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A14=""),A15<>""),ROWS(A1:A15)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A15=""),A16<>""),ROWS(A1:A16)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A16=""),A17<>""),ROWS(A1:A17)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A17=""),A18<>""),ROWS(A1:A18)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A18=""),A19<>""),ROWS(A1:A19)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A19=""),A20<>""),ROWS(A1:A20)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A20=""),A21<>""),ROWS(A1:A21)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A21=""),A22<>""),ROWS(A1:A22)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A22=""),A23<>""),ROWS(A1:A23)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A23=""),A24<>""),ROWS(A1:A24)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A24=""),A25<>""),ROWS(A1:A25)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A25=""),A26<>""),ROWS(A1:A26)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A26=""),A27<>""),ROWS(A1:A27)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A27=""),A28<>""),ROWS(A1:A28)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A28=""),A29<>""),ROWS(A1:A29)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A29=""),A30<>""),ROWS(A1:A30)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A30=""),A31<>""),ROWS(A1:A31)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A31=""),A32<>""),ROWS(A1:A32)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A32=""),A33<>""),ROWS(A1:A33)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A33=""),A34<>""),ROWS(A1:A34)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A34=""),A35<>""),ROWS(A1:A35)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A35=""),A36<>""),ROWS(A1:A36)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A36=""),A37<>""),ROWS(A1:A37)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A37=""),A38<>""),ROWS(A1:A38)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A38=""),A39<>""),ROWS(A1:A39)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A39=""),A40<>""),ROWS(A1:A40)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A40=""),A41<>""),ROWS(A1:A41)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A41=""),A42<>""),ROWS(A1:A42)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A42=""),A43<>""),ROWS(A1:A43)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A43=""),A44<>""),ROWS(A1:A44)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A44=""),A45<>""),ROWS(A1:A45)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A45=""),A46<>""),ROWS(A1:A46)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A46=""),A47<>""),ROWS(A1:A47)-1,AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A47=""),A48<>""),ROWS(A1:A48)-1, AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A48=""),A49<>""),ROWS(A1:A49)-1, AND(A1<>"",ArrayFormula(A2:A49=""),A50<>""),ROWS(A1:A50)-1)

New Sheet here