Copy cells from row skipping certain lines

[Engispie]

Hi,
I am trying to copy data from Sheet 1 row A into sheet 2 skipping certain cells without creating empty cells. My assumption is to drag the lower right corner while selecting the first two manually copied cells and auto fill with the increment.
A1 and A5 should produce A10, 15 etc but I get A3, 7, 5, 9.

the interval is the same so it should only copy every nth line in that row. everything I found so far gives numerous errors from 508 to #NAME? and REF etc. or does copy the empty cells along with everythin else

[JohnSUN]

Welcome!

@Engispie

A1 and A5 should produce A10, 15 etc

Why? Perhaps should produce A9, 13? Like this?

=INDEX($Sheet1.$A:$A;COLUMN()*4-3)

[Engispie]

@JohnSUN

=INDEX($Sheet1.$A:$A;COLUMN()*4-3)

it should but it doesnt

grabbing the first three cells and dragging them in lower right corner results in this output

[JohnSUN]

So step 7? Well? it will be =INDEX($Sheet1.$A:$A;ROW()*7-2)

[JohnSUN]

There is a simple trick to do what you want
Write $Sheet1.A5 and $Sheet1.A12 in the first two cells - exactly like that, without the = sign. Stretch as much as needed. Now use Ctrl+H to turn them into formulas

[Engispie]

that works. thanks. it resulted in a new problem as I cannot add an empty row at the top to name each column. the first entry gets deleted

[JohnSUN]

Start from row 2?
Subtract step 7 again
=INDEX($Sheet1.$A:$A;ROW()*7-2-7)
or simply
=INDEX($Sheet1.$A:$A;ROW()*7-9)

[Engispie]

unfortunately this results in error 502.

[JohnSUN]

Where? Show us your spreadsheet, please. Also say about your OS and office version