Is there a way to name a variable with more than a single letter such as AA instead of just A?

The default behaviours ensures that there is no confusion when multiplication signs are removed. If you do not wish enforce this naming convention (e.g. if you would like equations to read like PRICE = QUANTITY x TIME) you may end the Named Cell with just a single "=" character rather than the usual two " =" characters. You should also set the EQS() parameter "Multiplication= 1" so that multiplication signs are always shown.

E.g. XLC will enforce automatic subscripting of a cell named "A1 =" because there is a space before the final "=" character; XLC will ignore the formatting of an unconventionally named cell like"COST1=" which will be drawn into equations with this formatting because there is not a space before the final "=" character.

Read more here: www.excelcalcs.com/xlc/xlc-help-and-tutorials/name-equations/

When naming a variable in the 'no-space' manner - i.e. "=" rather than " =" - my underscore characters disappear and the subsequent character is subscripted. I have attached a picture that hopefully illustrates the case.

Two questions:

- Is this a 'hidden' feature of ExcelCalcs, or something Microsoft have cooked up?

- Is there any way I can disable it or otherwise work around?

This is actually the way we way we intended XLC to work. There are a number of special characters:
"_" will subscript the proceeding character (and then delete itself)
"^" will superscript the proceeding character (and then delete itself)
"|" will change the proceeding character to its Greek equivalent (and then delete itself)

The idea is that typing mathematical equations is made easier (it can be a bit time consuming using native Excel). The same rules are used in out text processing button and can be used with ordinary cells, chart titles, text in shapes etc.

However I can see in your case when you want to use the "_" character in a name it must be frustrating. May I suggest that you use another character rather than "_" like "-" or "."

Thanks for another good question - I think other uses may benefit from reading this.