Error `Cell range not allowed.` when using named expression defined as a cell range directly in a cell

Discussed in https://github.com/handsontable/hyperformula/discussions/1532

^{Originally posted by jablko August 12, 2025}
Is it possible to replace the formula ={Sheet1!$A:$A} with a named range i.e. =myRange? Is there a trick I don't yet know?

The following:

import { HyperFormula } from "hyperformula";
// Named expressions can be used in any formula by referencing their names. Use
// them anywhere you would normally use a cell reference, range, or constant
// value.
// https://hyperformula.handsontable.com/guide/named-expressions.html#using-named-expressions-in-formulas
const row = [
  "={1;2}", // Target column
  "=myCell", // Works: named cell
  "={Sheet1!$A:$A}", // Works: range
  "=myRange", // Fails: identical range
  "=TRANSPOSE(TRANSPOSE({Sheet1!$A:$A}))", // Works: array formula
  "=myFormula", // Fails: identical array formula
  "=TRANSPOSE(TRANSPOSE(myRange))", // Fails: identical array formula
  "=SUM(myRange)", // Works: aggregate range
  "=SUM(myFormula)", // Works: aggregate formula
];
const options = {
  licenseKey: "gpl-v3",
  useArrayArithmetic: true,
};
const namedExpressions = [
  { name: "myCell", expression: "=Sheet1!$A$1" },
  { name: "myRange", expression: "={Sheet1!$A:$A}" },
  { name: "myFormula", expression: "=TRANSPOSE(TRANSPOSE({Sheet1!$A:$A}))" },
];
const hf = HyperFormula.buildFromArray([row], options, namedExpressions);
const start = { sheet: 0, row: 0, col: 0 };
const end = { sheet: 0, row: 0, col: row.length - 1 };
const result = hf.getRangeValues({ start, end });
console.log(result);

Prints:

[
  [
    1,
    1,
    1,
    DetailedCellError {
      value: '#VALUE!',
      address: undefined,
      type: 'VALUE',
      message: 'Cell range not allowed.'
    },
    1,
    DetailedCellError {
      value: '#VALUE!',
      address: undefined,
      type: 'VALUE',
      message: 'Cell range not allowed.'
    },
    DetailedCellError {
      value: '#VALUE!',
      address: undefined,
      type: 'VALUE',
      message: 'Cell range not allowed.'
    },
    3,
    3
  ]
]

@sequba analysis:

It is possible to define a named expression that corresponds to a range:

hf.addNamedExpression('myRange', '=Sheet1!$A:$A');

And it seems to be working inside formulas:

hf.setCellContents(addr, '=SUM(myRange)');

But for some reason, it returns an error when you try to use it directly in a cell:

hf.setCellContents(addr, '=myRange'); // ERROR: 'Cell range not allowed.'

It looks like a bug in HyperFormula that we need to examine closely to determine why it works this way.

Reproduce the behavior with HyperFormula.buildFromArray, addNamedExpression, and setCellContents using the named range and formula examples in the issue. Trace named-expression evaluation from those entry points; done means a range or array expression used directly in a cell no longer returns “Cell range not allowed.” while aggregate uses such as SUM(myRange) continue to work.