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OpenOffice.org 3.3
Calc Guide
Using Spreadsheets in OpenOffice.org 3.3
Copyright
This document is Copyright © 2005–2011 by its contributors as listed below. You may
distribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU General Public
License (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html), version 3 or later, or the Creative
Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), version
3.0 or later. Note that Chapter 8, Using the DataPilot, is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution-Share Alike License, version 3.0.
Contributors
Rick Barnes Peter Kupfer Martin Fox
James Andrew Krishna Aradhi Andy Brown
Stephen Buck Bruce Byfield Nicole Cairns
T. J. Frazier Stigant Fyrwitful Ingrid Halama
Spencer E. Harpe Regina Henschel Peter Hillier-Brook
John Kane Kirk Abbott Emma Kirsopp
Jared Kobos Sigrid Kronenberger Shelagh Manton
Alexandre Martins Kashmira Patel Anthony Petrillo
Andrew Pitonyak Iain Roberts Hazel Russman
Gary Schnabl Rob Scott Jacob Starr
Sowbhagya Sundaresan Nikita Telang Barbara M Tobias
John Viestenz Jean Hollis Weber Stefan Weigel
Sharon Whiston Claire Wood Linda Worthington
Michele Zarri Magnus Adielsson Sandeep Samuel Medikonda
Feedback
Please direct any comments or suggestions about this document to:
authors@documentation.openoffice.org
Publication date and software version
Published 18 April 2011. Based on OpenOffice.org 3.3.
You can download
an editable version of this document from
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/
Contents
Copyright................................................................................................................... 2
Note for Mac users.................................................................................................... 8
Chapter 1
Introducing Calc.......................................................................................................... 9
What is Calc?........................................................................................................... 10
Spreadsheets, sheets, and cells...............................................................................10
Parts of the main Calc window................................................................................10
Starting new spreadsheets......................................................................................18
Opening existing spreadsheets................................................................................20
Opening CSV files.................................................................................................... 21
Saving spreadsheets................................................................................................22
Password protection.................................................................................................24
Navigating within spreadsheets..............................................................................26
Selecting items in a sheet or spreadsheet...............................................................29
Working with columns and rows..............................................................................32
Working with sheets.................................................................................................33
Viewing Calc............................................................................................................ 34
Using the Navigator.................................................................................................38
Using document properties......................................................................................40
Chapter 2
Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data....................................................................43
Introduction............................................................................................................. 44
Entering data using the keyboard...........................................................................44
Speeding up data entry............................................................................................ 46
Sharing content between sheets..............................................................................49
Validating cell contents............................................................................................50
Editing data.............................................................................................................. 52
Formatting data....................................................................................................... 53
Autoformatting cells and sheets..............................................................................59
Formatting spreadsheets using themes...................................................................60
Using conditional formatting...................................................................................60
Hiding and showing data.........................................................................................61
Sorting records........................................................................................................ 63
Finding and replacing in Calc..................................................................................65
Chapter 3
Creating Charts and Graphs......................................................................................69
Introduction............................................................................................................. 70
Creating a chart....................................................................................................... 70
Editing charts...........................................................................................................74
Formatting charts....................................................................................................79
Formatting 3D charts...............................................................................................82
Formatting the chart elements................................................................................85
OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide 3
Adding drawing objects to charts............................................................................87
Resizing and moving the chart................................................................................88
Gallery of chart types...............................................................................................89
Chapter 4
Using Styles and Templates in Calc...........................................................................98
What is a template?.................................................................................................99
What are styles?....................................................................................................... 99
Types of styles in Calc..............................................................................................99
Accessing styles..................................................................................................... 100
Applying cell styles................................................................................................101
Applying page styles.............................................................................................. 102
Modifying styles..................................................................................................... 103
Creating new (custom) styles.................................................................................106
Copying and moving styles....................................................................................107
Deleting styles....................................................................................................... 109
Creating a spreadsheet from a template...............................................................109
Creating a template...............................................................................................110
Editing a template.................................................................................................. 111
Adding templates using the Extension Manager...................................................113
Setting a default template.....................................................................................113
Associating a spreadsheet with a different template.............................................114
Organizing templates............................................................................................. 115
Chapter 5
Using Graphics in Calc.............................................................................................117
Graphics in Calc.....................................................................................................118
Adding graphics (images)......................................................................................118
Modifying images...................................................................................................123
Using the picture context menu.............................................................................128
Using Calc’s drawing tools....................................................................................130
Positioning graphics............................................................................................... 133
Creating an image map..........................................................................................136
Chapter 6
Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing..........................................................................138
Quick printing........................................................................................................ 139
Controlling printing............................................................................................... 139
Using print ranges................................................................................................. 142
Page breaks............................................................................................................ 145
Printing options setup in page styles.....................................................................146
Headers and footers............................................................................................... 148
Exporting to PDF................................................................................................... 151
Exporting to XHTML..............................................................................................157
Saving as Web pages (HTML)................................................................................157
E-mailing spreadsheets..........................................................................................157
Digital signing of documents.................................................................................157
4 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Removing personal data........................................................................................158
Chapter 7
Using Formulas and Functions................................................................................159
Introduction........................................................................................................... 160
Setting up a spreadsheet.......................................................................................160
Creating formulas.................................................................................................. 161
Understanding functions........................................................................................175
Strategies for creating formulas and functions.....................................................180
Finding and fixing errors.......................................................................................182
Examples of functions............................................................................................187
Using regular expressions in functions..................................................................191
Advanced functions................................................................................................192
Chapter 8
Using the DataPilot.................................................................................................. 193
Introduction........................................................................................................... 194
Examples with step by step descriptions...............................................................194
DataPilot functions in detail...................................................................................214
Function GETPIVOTDATA......................................................................................236
Chapter 9
Data Analysis........................................................................................................... 240
Introduction........................................................................................................... 241
Consolidating data................................................................................................. 241
Creating subtotals.................................................................................................. 243
Using “what if” scenarios......................................................................................245
Using other “what if” tools....................................................................................249
Working backwards using Goal Seek.....................................................................254
Using the Solver.....................................................................................................256
Chapter 10
Linking Calc Data...................................................................................................... 259
Why use multiple sheets?.......................................................................................260
Setting up multiple sheets.....................................................................................260
Referencing other sheets in the spreadsheet........................................................263
Referencing other documents: links to sheets in other spreadsheets...................266
Hyperlinks and URLs............................................................................................. 267
Linking to external data.........................................................................................270
Linking to registered data sources........................................................................274
Embedding spreadsheets.......................................................................................278
Chapter 11
Sharing and Reviewing Documents..........................................................................283
Introduction........................................................................................................... 284
Sharing documents (collaboration)........................................................................284
Recording changes.................................................................................................286
Adding comments to changes................................................................................288
Adding other comments.........................................................................................290
OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide 5
Reviewing changes................................................................................................291
Merging documents............................................................................................... 294
Comparing documents........................................................................................... 295
Saving versions...................................................................................................... 295
Chapter 12
Calc Macros............................................................................................................ 298
Introduction........................................................................................................... 299
Using the macro recorder......................................................................................299
Write your own functions.......................................................................................303
Accessing cells directly..........................................................................................310
Sorting................................................................................................................... 311
Conclusion.............................................................................................................. 312
Chapter 13
Calc as a Simple Database.......................................................................................313
Introduction........................................................................................................... 314
Associating a range with a name...........................................................................315
Sorting................................................................................................................... 320
Filters..................................................................................................................... 322
Calc functions similar to database functions.........................................................330
Database-specific functions...................................................................................339
Conclusion.............................................................................................................. 340
Chapter 14
Setting up and Customizing Calc.............................................................................341
Introduction........................................................................................................... 342
Choosing options that affect all of OOo.................................................................342
Choosing options for loading and saving documents.............................................347
Choosing options for Calc......................................................................................350
Controlling Calc’s AutoCorrect functions..............................................................358
Customizing the user interface..............................................................................358
Adding functionality with extensions.....................................................................366
Appendix A
Keyboard Shortcuts..................................................................................................369
Introduction........................................................................................................... 370
Navigation and selection shortcuts........................................................................370
Function and arrow key shortcuts.........................................................................371
Cell formatting shortcuts.......................................................................................373
DataPilot shortcuts................................................................................................374
Appendix B
Description of Functions..........................................................................................375
Functions available in Calc....................................................................................376
Mathematical functions.........................................................................................376
Financial analysis functions...................................................................................381
Statistical analysis functions..................................................................................393
Date and time functions.........................................................................................401
6 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Logical functions.................................................................................................... 404
Informational functions..........................................................................................405
Database functions................................................................................................ 407
Array functions......................................................................................................408
Spreadsheet functions...........................................................................................410
Text functions......................................................................................................... 414
Add-in functions..................................................................................................... 417
Appendix C
Calc Error Codes......................................................................................................421
Introduction to Calc error codes............................................................................422
Error codes displayed within cells.........................................................................423
General error codes...............................................................................................424
Index.......................................................................................................................... 427
OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide 7
Note for Mac users
Some keystrokes and menu items are different on a Mac from those used in Windows
and Linux. The table below gives some common substitutions for the instructions in
this chapter. For a more detailed list, see the application Help.
Windows/Linux Mac equivalent Effect
Tools > Options
menu selection
OpenOffice.org >
Preferences
Access setup options
Right-click Control+click Open context menu
Ctrl (Control) z (Command) Used with other keys
F5 Shift+z+F5 Open the Navigator
F11 z+TOpen Styles & Formatting window
8 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 1
Introducing Calc
What is Calc?
Calc is the spreadsheet component of OpenOffice.org (OOo). You can enter data
(usually numerical) in a spreadsheet and then manipulate this data to produce certain
results.
Alternatively, you can enter data and then use Calc in a ‘What if...’ manner by
changing some of the data and observing the results without having to retype the
entire spreadsheet or sheet.
Other features provided by Calc include:
•Functions, which can be used to create formulas to perform complex
calculations on data
•Database functions, to arrange, store, and filter data
•Dynamic charts; a wide range of 2D and 3D charts
•Macros, for recording and executing repetitive tasks; scripting languages
supported include OpenOffice.org Basic, Python, BeanShell, and JavaScript
•Ability to open, edit, and save Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
•Import and export of spreadsheets in multiple formats, including HTML, CSV,
PDF, and PostScript
Note
If you want to use macros written in Microsoft Excel using the VBA
macro code in OOo, you must first edit the code in the OOo Basic IDE
editor. See Chapter 12 (Calc Macros).
Spreadsheets, sheets, and cells
Calc works with elements called spreadsheets. Spreadsheets consist of a number of
individual sheets, each sheet containing cells arranged in rows and columns. A
particular cell is identified by its row number and column letter.
Cells hold the individual elements—text, numbers, formulas, and so on—that make up
the data to display and manipulate.
Each spreadsheet can have many sheets, and each sheet can have many individual
cells. In Calc 3.3, each sheet can have a maximum of 1,048,576 (65,536 rows in Calc
3.2 and earlier) and a maximum of 1024 columns
Parts of the main Calc window
When Calc is started, the main window looks similar to Figure 1.
Note
If any part of the Calc window in Figure 1 is not shown, you can display it
using the View menu. For example, View > Status Bar will toggle (show
or hide) the Status Bar. It is not always necessary to display all the parts,
as shown; show or hide any of them, as desired.
10 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 1: Parts of the Calc window
Title bar
The Title bar, located at the top, shows the name of the current spreadsheet. When
the spreadsheet is newly created, its name is Untitled X, where X is a number. When
you save a spreadsheet for the first time, you are prompted to enter a name of your
choice.
Menu bar
Under the Title bar is the Menu bar. When you choose one of the menus, a submenu
appears with other options. You can modify the Menu bar, as discussed in Chapter 14
(Setting Up and Customizing Calc).
•File contains commands that apply to the entire document such as Open,
Save, Wizards, Export as PDF, and Digital Signatures.
•Edit contains commands for editing the document such as Undo, Changes,
Compare Document, and Find and Replace.
•View contains commands for modifying how the Calc user interface looks such
as Toolbars, Full Screen, and Zoom.
•Insert contains commands for inserting elements such as cells, rows,
columns, sheets, and pictures into a spreadsheet.
•Format contains commands for modifying the layout of a spreadsheet such as
Styles and Formatting, Paragraph, and Merge Cells.
•Tools contains functions such as Spelling, Share Document, Cell Contents,
Gallery, and Macros.
•Data contains commands for manipulating data in your spreadsheet such as
Define Range, Sort, Filter, and DataPilot.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 11
•Window contains commands for the display window such as New Window,
Split, and Freeze.
•Help contains links to the Help file bundled with the software, What's This?,
Support, Registration, and Check for Updates.
Toolbars
Calc has several types of toolbars: docked (fixed in place), floating, and tear-off.
Docked toolbars can be moved to different locations or made to float, and floating
toolbars can be docked.
Four toolbars are located under the Menu bar by default: the Standard toolbar, the
Find toolbar, the Formatting toolbar, and the Formula Bar.
The icons (buttons) on these toolbars provide a wide range of common commands
and functions. You can also modify these toolbars, as discussed in Chapter 14
(Setting Up and Customizing Calc).
Placing the mouse pointer over any of the icons displays a small box, called a tooltip.
It gives a brief explanation of the icon’s function. For a more detailed explanation,
choose Help > What’s This? and hover the mouse pointer over the icon. To turn this
feature off again, click once or press the Esc key twice. Tips and extended tips can be
turned on or off from Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > General.
Displaying or hiding toolbars
To display or hide toolbars, choose View > Toolbars, then click on the name of a
toolbar in the list. An active toolbar shows a check mark beside its name. Tear-off
toolbars are not listed in the View menu.
Palettes and tear-off toolbars
Toolbar icons with a small triangle to the right will display palettes, tear-off toolbars,
and other ways of selecting things, depending on the icon.
An example of a palette is shown in Figure 2. It is displayed by clicking the small
triangle to the right of the Borders toolbar icon.
Figure 2: Toolbar palette
An example of a tear-off toolbar is shown in Figure 3. Tear-off toolbars can be floating
or docked along an edge of the screen or in one of the existing toolbar areas. To move
a floating tear-off toolbar, drag it by the title bar.
12 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 3: Example of a tear-off toolbar
Moving toolbars
To move a docked toolbar, place the mouse pointer over the toolbar handle, hold
down the left mouse button, drag the toolbar to the new location, and then release
the mouse button.
Figure 4: Moving a docked toolbar
To move a floating toolbar, click on its title bar and drag it to a new location, as
shown in Figure 3.
Docking/floating windows and toolbars
Toolbars and some windows, such as the Navigator and the Styles and Formatting
window, are dockable. You can move, resize, or dock them to an edge.
To dock a window or toolbar, hold down the Control key and double-click on the
frame of the floating window (or in a vacant area near the icons at the top of the
floating window) to dock it in its last position.
To undock a window, hold down the Control key and double-click on the frame (or a
vacant area near the icons at the top) of the docked window.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 13
Figure 5: Control+double-click to dock or undock
Customizing toolbars
You can customize toolbars in several ways, including choosing which icons are
visible and locking the position of a docked toolbar.
To access a toolbar’s customization options, use the down-arrow at the end of the
toolbar or on its title bar (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Customizing toolbars
To show or hide icons defined for the selected toolbar, choose Visible Buttons from
the drop-down menu. Visible icons are indicated by a border around the icon (Figure
7). Click on icons to hide or show them on the toolbar.
You can also add icons and create new toolbars, as described in Chapter 16.
Figure 7: Selection of visible toolbar icons
Formatting toolbar
In the Formatting toolbar, the three boxes on the left are the Apply Style, Font
Name, and Font Size lists (see Figure 8). They show the current settings for the
selected cell or area. (The Apply Style list may not be visible by default.) Click the
down-arrow to the right of each box to open the list.
14 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 8: Apply Style, Font Name and Font Size lists
Note
If any of the icons (buttons) in Figure 8 is not shown, you can display it by
clicking the small triangle at the right end of the Formatting toolbar,
selecting Visible Buttons in the drop-down menu, and selecting the
desired icon (for example, Apply Style) in the drop-down list. It is not
always necessary to display all the toolbar buttons, as shown; show or
hide any of them, as desired.
Formula Bar
On the left hand side of the Formula Bar is a small text box, called the Name Box,
with a letter and number combination in it, such as D7. This combination, called the
cell reference, is the column letter and row number of the selected cell.
Figure 9: Formula Bar
To the right of the Name Box are the Function Wizard, Sum, and Function buttons.
Clicking the Function Wizard button opens a dialog from which you can search
through a list of available functions. This can be very useful because it also shows
how the functions are formatted.
In a spreadsheet the term function covers much more than just mathematical
functions. See Chapter 7 (Using Formulas and Functions) for more details.
Clicking the Sum button inserts a formula into the current cell that totals the
numbers in the cells above the current cell. If there are no numbers above the
current cell, then the cells to the left are placed in the Sum formula.
Clicking the Function button inserts an equals (=) sign into the selected cell and the
Input line, thereby enabling the cell to accept a formula.
When you enter new data into a cell, the Sum and Equals buttons change to Cancel
and Accept buttons .
The contents of the current cell (data, formula, or function) are displayed in the
Input line, which is the remainder of the Formula Bar. You can either edit the cell
contents of the current cell there, or you can do that in the current cell. To edit inside
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 15
the Input line area, click in the area, then type your changes. To edit within the
current cell, just double-click the cell.
Right-click (context) menus
Right-click on a cell, graphic, or other object to open a context menu. Often the
context menu is the fastest and easiest way to reach a function. If you’re not sure
where in the menus or toolbars a function is located, you may be able to find it by
right-clicking.
Individual cells
The main section of the screen displays the cells in the form of a grid, with each cell
being at the intersection of a column and a row.
At the top of the columns and at the left end of the rows are a series of gray boxes
containing letters and numbers. These are the column and row headers. The columns
start at A and go on to the right, and the rows start at 1 and go down.
These column and row headers form the cell references that appear in the Name Box
on the Formula Bar (see Figure 9). You can turn these headers off by selecting View
> Column & Row Headers.
Sheet tabs
At the bottom of the grid of cells are the sheet tabs. These tabs enable access to each
individual sheet, with the visible (active) sheet having a white tab. Clicking on
another sheet tab displays that sheet, and its tab turns white. You can also select
multiple sheet tabs at once by holding down the Control key while you click the
names.
From Calc 3.3, you can choose colors for the different sheet tabs. Right-click on a tab
and choose Tab Color from the pop-up menu to open a palette of colors. To add new
colors to the palette, see “Color options” in Chapter 14 (Setting up and Customizing
Calc).
Figure 10: Choose tab color
16 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Status bar
The Calc status bar provides information about the spreadsheet and convenient ways
to quickly change some of its features.
Figure 11: Left end of Calc status bar
Figure 12: Right end of Calc status bar
Sheet sequence number ( )
Shows the sequence number of the current sheet and the total number of sheets
in the spreadsheet. The sequence number may not correspond with the name on
the sheet tab.
Page style ( )
Shows the page style of the current sheet. To edit the page style, double-click on
this field. The Page Style dialog opens.
Insert mode ( )
Click to toggle between INSRT (Insert) and OVER (Overwrite) modes when typing.
This field is blank when the spreadsheet is not in a typing mode (for example,
when selecting cells).
Selection mode ( )
Click to toggle between STD (Standard), EXT (Extend), and ADD (Add) selection.
EXT is an alternative to Shift+click when selecting cells. See page 29 for more
information.
Unsaved changes ( )
An asterisk (*) appears here if changes to the spreadsheet have not been saved.
Digital signature ( )
If the document has not been digitally signed, double-clicking in this area opens
the Digital Signatures dialog, where you can sign the document. See Chapter 6
(Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing) for more about digital signatures.
If the document has been digitally signed, an icon shows in this area. You can
double-click the icon to view the certificate. A document can be digitally signed
only after it has been saved.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 17
Cell or object information ( )
Displays information about the selected items. When a group of cells is selected,
the sum of the contents is displayed by default; you can right-click on this field
and select other functions, such as the average value, maximum value, minimum
value, or count (number of items selected).
When the cursor is on an object such as a picture or chart, the information shown
includes the size of the object and its location.
Zoom ( )
To change the view magnification, drag the Zoom slider or click on the + and –
signs. You can also right-click on the zoom level percentage to select a
magnification value or double-click to open the Zoom & View Layout dialog.
Starting new spreadsheets
You can start a new, blank document in Calc in several ways.
•From the operating system menu, in the same way that you start other
programs. When OOo was installed on your computer, in most cases a menu
entry for each component was added to your system menu. If you are using a
Mac, you should see the OpenOffice.org icon in the Applications folder. When
you double-click this icon, OOo opens at the Start Center (Figure 14).
•From the Quickstarter, which is found in Windows, some Linux distributions,
and (in a slightly different form) in Mac OS X. The Quickstarter is an icon that
is placed in the system tray or the dock during system startup. It indicates that
OpenOffice.org has been loaded and is ready to use.
Right-click the Quickstarter icon (Figure 13) in the system tray to open a pop-
up menu from which you can open a new document, open the Templates and
Documents dialog box, or choose an existing document to open. You can also
double-click the Quickstarter icon to display the Templates and Documents
dialog box.
See Chapter 1 (Introducing OpenOffice.org) in the Getting Started guide for
more information about using the Quickstarter.
Figure 13: Quickstarter pop-up menu on Windows XP
18 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
•From the Start Center. When OOo is open but no document is open (for
example, if you close all the open documents but leave the program running),
the Start Center is shown. Click one of the icons to open a new document of
that type, or click the Templates icon to start a new document using a
template. If a document is already open in OOo, the new document opens in a
new window.
Figure 14: OpenOffice.org Start Center
When OOo is open, you can also start a new document in one of the following ways.
•Press the Control+N keys.
•Use File > New > Spreadsheet.
•Click the New button on the main toolbar.
Starting a new document from a template
Calc documents can also be created from templates. Follow the above procedures,
but instead of choosing Spreadsheet, choose the Templates icon from the Start
Center or File > New >Templates and Documents from the Menu bar or toolbar.
On the Templates and Documents window (Figure 15), navigate to the appropriate
folder and double-click on the required template. A new spreadsheet, based on the
selected template, opens.
A new OpenOffice.org installation does not contain many templates, but you can add
more by downloading them from http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/ and
installing them as described in Chapter 14 (Setting Up and Customizing Calc).
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 19
Figure 15: Starting a new spreadsheet from a template
Opening existing spreadsheets
When no document is open, the Start Center (Figure 14) provides an icon for opening
an existing document or choosing from a list of recently-edited documents.
You can also open an existing document in one of the following ways. If a document is
already open in OOo, the second document opens in a new window.
•Choose File > Open....
•Click the Open button on the main toolbar.
•Press Control+O on the keyboard.
•Use File > Recent Documents to display the last 10 files that were opened in
any of the OOo components.
•Use the Open Document or Recent Documents selections on the
Quickstarter.
In each case, the Open dialog box appears. Select the file you want, and then click
Open. If a document is already open in OOo, the second document opens in a new
window.
If you have associated Microsoft Office file formats with OpenOffice.org, you can also
open these files by double-clicking on them.
20 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Opening CSV files
Comma-separated-values (CSV) files are text files that contain the cell contents of a
single sheet. Each line in a CSV file represents a row in a spreadsheet. Commas,
semicolons, or other characters are used to separate the cells. Text is entered in
quotation marks; numbers are entered without quotation marks.
To open a CSV file in Calc:
1) Choose File > Open.
2) Locate the CSV file that you want to open.
3) If the file has a *.csv extension, select the file and click Open.
4) If the file has another extension (for example, *.txt), select the file, select Text
CSV (*csv;*txt;*xls) in the File type box (scroll down into the spreadsheet
section to find it) and then click Open.
5) On the Text Import dialog (Figure 16), select the Separator options to divide
the text in the file into columns.
You can preview the layout of the imported data at the bottom of the dialog.
Right-click a column in the preview to set the format or to hide the column.
If the CSV file uses a text delimiter character that is not in the Text delimiter
list, click in the box, and type the character.
Figure 16: Text Import dialog, with Comma (,) selected as the separator and double
quotation mark (“) as the text delimiter.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 21
6) In OOo 3.3, two new options are available when importing CSV files that
contain data separated by specific characters.
These options determine whether quoted data will always be imported as text,
and whether Calc will automatically detect all number formats, including
special number formats such as dates, time, and scientific notation. The
detection depends on the language settings.
7) Click OK to open the file.
Caution If you do not select Text CSV (*csv;*txt;*xls) as the file type when
opening the file, the document opens in Writer, not Calc.
Saving spreadsheets
Spreadsheets can be saved in three ways.
•Press Control+S.
•Choose File > Save (or Save All or Save As).
•Click the Save button on the main toolbar.
If the spreadsheet has not been saved previously, then each of these actions will open
the Save As dialog. There you can specify the spreadsheet name and the location in
which to save it.
Note
If the spreadsheet has been previously saved, then saving it using the
Save (or Save All) command will overwrite an existing copy. However,
you can save the spreadsheet in a different location or with a different
name by selecting File > Save As.
Saving a document automatically
You can choose to have Calc save your spreadsheet automatically at regular intervals.
Automatic saving, like manual saving, overwrites the last saved state of the file. To
set up automatic file saving:
1) Choose Tools > Options > Load/Save > General.
2) Click on Save AutoRecovery information every and set the time interval.
The default value is 15 minutes. Enter the value you want by typing it or by
pressing the up or down arrow keys.
Saving as a Microsoft Excel document
If you need to exchange files with users of Microsoft Excel, they may not know how to
open and save *.ods files. Only Microsoft Excel 2007 with Service Pack 2 (SP2) can do
this. Users of Microsoft Excel 2007, 2003, XP, and 2000 can also download and install
a free OpenDocument Format (ODF) plugin from Sun Microsystems, available from
Softpedia, http://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/Other-Office-Tools/Sun-ODF-
Plugin-for-Microsoft-Office.shtml.
22 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Some users of Microsoft Excel may be unwilling or unable to receive *.ods files.
(Perhaps their employer does not allow them to install the plug-in.) In this case, you
can save a document as a Excel file (*.xls or *.xlsx).
1) Important—First save your spreadsheet in the file format used by
OpenOffice.org, *.ods. If you do not, any changes you may have made since the
last time you saved it will only appear in the Microsoft Excel version of the
document.
2) Then choose File > Save As.
3) On the Save As dialog (Figure 17), in the File type (or Save as type) drop-
down menu, select the type of Excel format you need. Click Save.
Figure 17. Saving a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel format
Caution From this point on, all changes you make to the spreadsheet will occur
only in the Microsoft Excel document. You have changed the name and
file type of your document. If you want to go back to working with the
*.ods version of your spreadsheet, you must open it again.
Tip
To have Calc save documents by default in a Microsoft Excel file format,
go to Tools > Options > Load/Save > General. In the section named
Default file format and ODF settings, under Document type, select
Spreadsheet, then under Always save as, select your preferred file
format.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 23
Saving as a CSV file
To save a spreadsheet as a comma separated value (CSV) file:
1) Choose File > Save As.
2) In the File name box, type a name for the file.
3) In the File type list, select Text CSV (*.csv;*.txt;*.xls) and click Save.
You may see the message box shown below. Click Keep Current Format.
4) In the Export of text files dialog, select the options you want and then click
OK.
Figure 18: Choosing options when exporting to Text CSV
Saving in other formats
Calc can save spreadsheets in a range of formats, including HTML (Web pages),
through the Save As dialog. Calc can also export spreadsheets to the PDF and
XHTML file formats. See Chapter 6 (Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing) for more
information.
Password protection
Calc provides two levels of document protection: read-protect (file cannot be viewed
without a password) and write-protect (file can be viewed in read-only mode but
cannot be changed without a password). Thus you can make the content available for
reading by a selected group of people and for reading and editing by a different
group. This behavior is compatible with Microsoft Excel file protection.
24 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
1) Use File > Save As when saving the document. (You can also use File > Save
the first time you save a new document.)
2) On the Save As dialog, type the file name, select the Save with password
option, and then click Save.
3) The Set Password dialog opens.
Figure 19: Two levels of password protection
Here you have several choices:
•To read-protect the document, type a password in the two fields at the top
of the dialog box.
•To write-protect the document, click the More Options button and select
the Open file read-only checkbox.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 25
•To write-protect the document but allow selected people to edit it, select
the Open file read-only checkbox and type a password in the two boxes at
the bottom of the dialog box.
4) Click OK to save the file. If either pair of passwords do not match, you receive
an error message. Close the message box to return to the Set Password dialog
box and enter the password again.
Caution OOo uses a very strong encryption mechanism that makes it almost
impossible to recover the contents of a document if you lose the
password.
Navigating within spreadsheets
Calc provides many ways to navigate within a spreadsheet from cell to cell and sheet
to sheet. You can generally use whatever method you prefer.
Going to a particular cell
Using the mouse
Place the mouse pointer over the cell and click.
Using a cell reference
Click on the little inverted black triangle just to the right of the Name Box (Figure
9). The existing cell reference will be highlighted. Type the cell reference of the
cell you want to go to and press Enter. Cell references are case insensitive: a3 or
A3, for example, are the same. Or just click into the Name Box, backspace over
the existing cell reference, and type in the cell reference you want and press
Enter.
Using the Navigator
Click on the Navigator button in the Standard toolbar (or press F5) to display the
Navigator. Type the cell reference into the top two fields, labeled Column and
Row, and press Enter. In Figure 32 on page 39, the Navigator would select cell A7.
For more about using the Navigator, see page 38.
Moving from cell to cell
In the spreadsheet, one cell normally has a darker black border. This black border
indicates where the focus is (see Figure 20). The focus indicates which cell is enabled
to receive input. If a group of cells is selected, they have a highlight color (usually
gray), with the focus cell having a dark border.
Using the mouse
To move the focus using the mouse, simply move the mouse pointer to the cell
where you want the focus to be and click the left mouse button. This action
changes the focus to the new cell. This method is most useful when the two cells
are a large distance apart.
26 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 20. (left) One selected cell and (right) a group of selected cells
Using the Tab and Enter keys
•Pressing Enter or Shift+Enter moves the focus down or up, respectively.
•Pressing Tab or Shift+Tab moves the focus to the right or to the left,
respectively.
Using the arrow keys
Pressing the arrow keys on the keyboard moves the focus in the direction of the
arrows.
Using Home, End, Page Up and Page Down
•Home moves the focus to the start of a row.
•End moves the focus to the column furthest to the right that contains data.
•Page Down moves the display down one complete screen and Page Up moves
the display up one complete screen.
•Combinations of Control (often represented on keyboards as Ctrl) and Alt with
Home, End, Page Down (PgDn), Page Up (PgUp), and the arrow keys move the
focus of the current cell in other ways. Table 1 describes the keyboard
shortcuts for moving about a spreadsheet.
Tip Use one of the four Alt+Arrow key combinations to resize the height or
width of a cell. (For example: Alt+↓ increases the height of a cell.)
Table 1. Moving from cell to cell using the keyboard
Key Combination Movement
→Right one cell
←Left one cell
↑Up one cell
↓Down one cell
Control+→To the next column to the right containing data in that row
or to Column AMJ
Control+←To the next column to the left containing data in that row or
to Column A
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 27
Key Combination Movement
Control+↑To the next row above containing data in that column or to
Row 1
Control+↓To the next row below containing data in that column or to
Row 65536
Control+Home To Cell A1
Control+End To lower right-hand corner of the rectangular area
containing data
Alt+Page Downn One screen to the right (if possible)
Alt+Page Up One screen to the left (if possible)
Control+Page Down One sheet to the right (in sheet tabs)
Control+Page Up One sheet to the left (in sheet tabs)
Tab To the next cell on the right
Shift+Tab To the next cell on the left
Enter Down one cell (unless changed by user)
Shift+Enter Up one cell (unless changed by user)
Customizing the effects of the Enter key
You can customize the direction in which the Enter key moves the focus, by selecting
Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > General.
The four choices for the direction of the Enter key are shown on the right hand side
of Figure 21. It can move the focus down, right, up, or left. Depending on the file
being used or on the type of data being entered, setting a different direction can be
useful.
Figure 21: Customizing the effect of the Enter key
The Enter key can also be used to switch into and out of the editing mode. Use the
first two options under Input settings in Figure 21 to change the Enter key settings.
Moving from sheet to sheet
Each sheet in a spreadsheet is independent of the others, though they can be linked
with references from one sheet to another. There are three ways to navigate between
different sheets in a spreadsheet.
28 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Using the keyboard
Pressing Control+Page Down moves one sheet to the right and pressing
Control+Page Up moves one sheet to the left.
Using the mouse
Clicking on one of the sheet tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet selects that
sheet.
If you have a lot of sheets, then some of the sheet tabs may be hidden behind the
horizontal scroll bar at the bottom of the screen. If this is the case, then the four
buttons at the left of the sheet tabs can move the tabs into view. Figure 22 shows
how to do this.
Figure 22. Sheet tab arrows
Notice that the sheets here are not numbered in order. Sheet numbering is
arbitrary; you can name a sheet as you wish.
Note
The sheet tab arrows that appear in Figure 22 only appear if you have
some sheet tabs that can not be seen. Otherwise, they appear faded as
in Figure 1.
Selecting items in a sheet or spreadsheet
Selecting cells
Cells can be selected in a variety of combinations and quantities.
Single cell
Left-click in the cell. The result will look like the left side of Figure 20. You can verify
your selection by looking in the Name Box.
Range of contiguous cells
A range of cells can be selected using the keyboard or the mouse.
To select a range of cells by dragging the mouse:
1) Click in a cell.
2) Press and hold down the left mouse button.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 29
Move to the first sheet
Move left one sheet
Move right one sheet
Move to the last sheet
Sheet tabs
3) Move the mouse around the screen.
4) Once the desired block of cells is highlighted, release the left mouse button.
To select a range of cells without dragging the mouse:
1) Click in the cell which is to be one corner of the range of cells.
2) Move the mouse to the opposite corner of the range of cells.
3) Hold down the Shift key and click.
Tip
You can also select a contiguous range of cells by first clicking in the
STD field on the status bar and changing it to EXT, before clicking in
the opposite corner of the range of cells in step 3 above. If you use this
method, be sure to change EXT back to STD or you may find yourself
extending the selection unintentionally.
To select a range of cells without using the mouse:
1) Select the cell that will be one of the corners in the range of cells.
2) While holding down the Shift key, use the cursor arrows to select the rest of
the range.
The result of any of these methods looks like the right side of Figure 20.
Tip
You can also directly select a range of cells using the Name Box. Click
into the Name Box as described in “Using a cell reference” on page 26.
To select a range of cells, enter the cell reference for the upper left-
hand cell, followed by a colon (:), and then the lower right-hand cell
reference. For example, to select the range that would go from A3 to
C6, you would enter A3:C6.
Range of noncontiguous cells
1) Select the cell or range of cells using one of the methods above.
2) Move the mouse pointer to the start of the next range or single cell.
3) Hold down the Control key and click or click-and-drag to select another range
of cells to add to the first range.
4) Repeat as necessary.
Tip
You can also select a noncontiguous range of cells by first clicking
twice in the STD field on the status bar to change it to ADD, before
clicking on a cell that you want to add to the range of cells in step 3
above. This method works best when adding single cells to a range. If
you use this method, be sure to change ADD back to STD or you may
find yourself adding more selections unintentionally.
Selecting columns and rows
Entire columns and rows can be selected very quickly in OOo.
Single column or row
To select a single column, click on the column identifier letter (see Figure 1).
To select a single row, click on the row identifier number.
30 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Multiple columns or rows
To select multiple columns or rows that are contiguous:
1) Click on the first column or row in the group.
2) Hold down the Shift key.
3) Click the last column or row in the group.
To select multiple columns or rows that are not contiguous:
1) Click on the first column or row in the group.
2) Hold down the Control key.
3) Click on all of the subsequent columns or rows while holding down the Control
key.
Entire sheet
To select the entire sheet, click on the small box between the A column header and
the 1 row header.
Figure 23. Select All box
You can also press Control+A to select the entire sheet.
Selecting sheets
You can select either one or multiple sheets. It can be advantageous to select multiple
sheets at times when you want to make changes to many sheets at once.
Single sheet
Click on the sheet tab for the sheet you want to select. The active sheet becomes
white (see Figure 22).
Multiple contiguous sheets
To select multiple contiguous sheets:
1) Click on the sheet tab for the first desired sheet.
2) Move the mouse pointer over the sheet tab for the last desired sheet.
3) Hold down the Shift key and click on the sheet tab.
All the tabs between these two sheets will turn white. Any actions that you perform
will now affect all highlighted sheets.
Multiple noncontiguous sheets
To select multiple noncontiguous sheets:
1) Click on the sheet tab for the first desired sheet.
2) Move the mouse pointer over the sheet tab for the second desired sheet.
3) Hold down the Control key and click on the sheet tab.
4) Repeat as necessary.
The selected tabs will turn white. Any actions that you perform will now affect all
highlighted sheets.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 31
Select All
All sheets
Right-click any one of the sheet tabs and choose Select All Sheets from the pop-up
menu.
Working with columns and rows
Inserting columns and rows
Columns and rows can be inserted individually or in groups.
Note
When you insert a single new column, it is inserted to the left of the
highlighted column. When you insert a single new row, it is inserted
above the highlighted row.
Cells in the new columns or rows are formatted like the corresponding
cells in the column or row before (or to the left of) which the new
column or row is inserted.
Single column or row
Using the Insert menu:
1) Select the cell, column, or row where you want the new column or row
inserted.
2) Choose either Insert > Columns or Insert > Rows.
Using the mouse:
1) Select the cell, column, or row where you want the new column or row
inserted.
2) Right-click the header of the column or row.
3) Choose Insert Rows or Insert Columns.
Multiple columns or rows
Multiple columns or rows can be inserted at once rather than inserting them one at a
time.
1) Highlight the required number of columns or rows by holding down the left
mouse button on the first one and then dragging across the required number
of identifiers.
2) Proceed as for inserting a single column or row above.
Deleting columns and rows
Columns and rows can be deleted individually or in groups.
Single column or row
A single column or row can be deleted by using the mouse:
1) Select the column or row to be deleted.
2) Choose Edit > Delete Cells from the menu bar.
Or,
1) Right-click on the column or row header.
2) Choose Delete Columns or Delete Rows from the pop-up menu.
32 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Multiple columns or rows
Multiple columns or rows can be deleted at once rather than deleting them one at a
time.
1) Highlight the required columns or rows by holding down the left mouse button
on the first one and then dragging across the required number of identifiers.
2) Proceed as for deleting a single column or row above.
Tip
Instead of deleting a row or column, you may wish to delete the
contents of the cells but keep the empty row or column. See Chapter 2
(Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data) for instructions.
Working with sheets
Like any other Calc element, sheets can be inserted, deleted, and renamed.
Inserting new sheets
There are several ways to insert a new sheet. The first step for all of the methods is
to select the sheets that the new sheet will be inserted next to. Then any of the
following options can be used.
•Choose Insert > Sheet from the menu bar.
•Right-click on the sheet tab and choose Insert Sheet.
•Click in an empty space at the end of the line of sheet tabs.
Figure 24. Creating a new sheet
Each method will open the Insert Sheet dialog (Figure 25). Here you can select
whether the new sheet is to go before or after the selected sheet and how many
sheets you want to insert. If you are inserting only one sheet, there is the opportunity
to give the sheet a name.
Deleting sheets
Sheets can be deleted individually or in groups.
Single sheet
Right-click on the tab of the sheet you want to delete and choose Delete Sheet
from the pop-up menu, or choose Edit > Sheet > Delete from the Menu bar.
Either way, an alert will ask if you want to delete the sheet permanently. Click Yes.
Multiple sheets
To delete multiple sheets, select them as described earlier, then either right-click
over one of the tabs and choose Delete Sheet from the pop-up menu, or choose
Edit > Sheet > Delete from the Menu bar.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 33
Click here to insert
a new sheet
Figure 25: Insert Sheet dialog
Renaming sheets
The default name for the a new sheet is SheetX, where X is a number. While this
works for a small spreadsheet with only a few sheets, it becomes awkward when
there are many sheets.
To give a sheet a more meaningful name, you can:
•Enter the name in the Name box when you create the sheet, or
•Right-click on a sheet tab and choose Rename Sheet from the pop-up menu;
replace the existing name with a different one.
•(New in OOo3.1) Double-click on a sheet tab to pop up the Rename Sheet
dialog.
Note
Sheet names must start with either a letter or a number; other
characters including spaces are not allowed. Apart from the first
character of the sheet name, allowed characters are letters, numbers,
spaces, and the underscore character. Attempting to rename a sheet
with an invalid name will produce an error message.
Viewing Calc
Using Zoom
Use the zoom function to change the view to show more or fewer cells in the window.
In addition to using the Zoom slider (new in OOo 3.1) on the Status bar (see page 18),
you can open the Zoom dialog and make a selection on the left-hand side.
•Choose View > Zoom from the Menu bar, or
•Double-click on the percentage figure in the Status bar at the bottom of the
window.
34 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 26. Zoom dialog
Optimal
Resizes the display to fit the width of the selected cells. To use this option, you
must first highlight a range of cells.
Fit Width and Height
Displays the entire page on your screen.
Fit Width
Displays the complete width of the document page. The top and bottom edges of
the page may not be visible.
100%
Displays the document at its actual size.
Variable
Enter a zoom percentage of your choice.
Freezing rows and columns
Freezing locks a number of rows at the top of a spreadsheet or a number of columns
on the left of a spreadsheet or both. Then when scrolling around within the sheet, any
frozen columns and rows remain in view.
Figure 27 shows some frozen rows and columns. The heavier horizontal line between
rows 3 and 14 and the heavier vertical line between columns C and H denote the
frozen areas. Rows 4 through 13 and columns D through G have been scrolled off the
page. The first three rows and columns remained because they are frozen into place.
You can set the freeze point at one row, one column, or both a row and a column as in
Figure 27.
Freezing single rows or columns
1) Click on the header for the row below where you want the freeze or for the
column to the right of where you want the freeze.
2) Choose Window > Freeze.
A dark line appears, indicating where the freeze is put.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 35
Figure 27. Frozen rows and columns
Freezing a row and a column
1) Click into the cell that is immediately below the row you want frozen and
immediately to the right of the column you want frozen.
2) Choose Window > Freeze.
Two lines appear on the screen, a horizontal line above this cell and a vertical
line to the left of this cell. Now as you scroll around the screen, everything
above and to the left of these lines will remain in view.
Unfreezing
To unfreeze rows or columns, choose Window > Freeze. The check mark by Freeze
will vanish.
Splitting the screen
Another way to change the view is by splitting the
window, also known as splitting the screen. The
screen can be split horizontally, vertically, or both.
You can therefore have up to four portions of the
spreadsheet in view at any one time.
Why would you want to do this? An example would
be a large spreadsheet in which one of the cells
has a number in it that is used by three formulas
in other cells. Using the split-screen technique,
you can position the cell containing the number in
one section and each of the cells with formulas in
the other sections. Then you can change the
number in the cell and watch how it affects each
of the formulas.
36 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 28. Split screen example
Splitting the screen horizontally
To split the screen horizontally:
1) Move the mouse pointer into the vertical scroll bar, on the right-hand side of
the screen, and place it over the small button at the top with the black
triangle.
Figure 29. Split screen bar on vertical scroll bar
2) Immediately above this button, you will see a thick black line (Figure 29).
Move the mouse pointer over this line, and it turns into a line with two arrows
(Figure 30).
Figure 30. Split-screen bar on vertical
scroll bar with cursor
3) Hold down the left mouse button. A gray line appears, running across the
page. Drag the mouse downwards and this line follows.
4) Release the mouse button and the screen splits into two views, each with its
own vertical scroll bar. You can scroll the upper and lower parts independently.
Notice in Figure 28, the Beta and the A0 values are in the upper part of the window
and other calculations are in the lower part. Thus, you can make changes to the Beta
and A0 values and watch their effects on the calculations in the lower half of the
window.
Tip
You can also split the screen using a menu command. Click in a cell
immediately below and to the right of where you wish the screen to be
split, and choose Window > Split.
Splitting the screen vertically
To split the screen vertically:
1) Move the mouse pointer into the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom of the
screen and place it over the small button on the right with the black triangle.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 37
Split screen bar
Figure 31: Split bar on horizontal scroll bar
2) Immediately to the right of this button is a thick black line (Figure 31). Move
the mouse pointer over this line and it turns into a line with two arrows.
3) Hold down the left mouse button, and a gray line appears, running up the
page. Drag the mouse to the left and this line follows.
4) Release the mouse button, and the screen is split into two views, each with its
own horizontal scroll bar. You can scroll the left and right parts of the window
independently.
Removing split views
To remove a split view, do any of the following:
•Double-click on each split line.
•Click on and drag the split lines back to their places at the ends of the scroll
bars.
•Choose Window > Split to remove all split lines at the same time.
Using the Navigator
In addition to the cell reference boxes (labeled Column and Row), the Navigator
provides several other ways to move quickly through a spreadsheet and find specific
items.
To open the Navigator, click its icon on the Standard toolbar, or press F5, or
choose View > Navigator on the Menu bar, or double-click on the Sheet Sequence
Number in the Status Bar. You can dock the Navigator to either side of the
main Calc window or leave it floating. (To dock or float the Navigator, hold down the
Control key and double-click in an empty area near the icons at the top.)
The Navigator displays lists of all the objects in a spreadsheet document, grouped
into categories. If an indicator (plus sign or arrow) appears next to a category, at
least one object of this kind exists. To open a category and see the list of items, click
on the indicator.
To hide the list of categories and show only the icons at the top, click the Contents
icon . Click this icon again to show the list.
Table 2 summarizes the functions of the icons at the top of the Navigator.
38 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Split screen bar
Figure 32: The Navigator in Calc
Table 2: Function of icons in the Navigator
Icon Action
Data Range. Specifies the current data range denoted by the position of
the cell cursor.
Start/End. Moves to the cell at the beginning or end of the current data
range, which you can highlight using the Data Range button.
Contents. Shows or hides the list of categories.
Toggle. Switches between showing all categories and showing only the
selected category.
Displays all available scenarios. Double-click a name to apply that
scenario. See Chapter 9 (Data Analysis) for more information.
Drag Mode. Choose hyperlink, link, or copy. See “Choosing a drag mode”
for details.
Moving quickly through a document
The Navigator provides several convenient ways to move around a document and find
items in it:
•To jump to a specific cell in the current sheet, type its cell reference in the
Column and Row boxes at the top of the Navigator and press the Enter key; for
example, in Figure 32 the cell reference is A7.
•When a category is showing the list of objects in it, double-click on an object to
jump directly to that object’s location in the document.
•To see the content in only one category, highlight that category and click the
Toggle icon. Click the icon again to display all the categories.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 39
•Use the Start and End icons to jump to the first or last cell in the selected
data range.
Tip
Ranges, scenarios, pictures, and other objects are much easier to find if
you have given them informative names when creating them, instead of
keeping Calc’s default Graphics 1, Graphics 2, Object 1, and so on, which
may not correspond to the position of the object in the document.
Choosing a drag mode
Sets the drag and drop options for inserting items into a document using the
Navigator.
Insert as Hyperlink
Creates a hyperlink when you drag and drop an item into the current document.
Insert as Link
Inserts the selected item as a link where you drag and drop an object into the
current document.
Insert as Copy
Inserts a copy of the selected item where you drag and drop in the current
document. You cannot drag and drop copies of graphics, OLE objects, or indexes.
Using document properties
To open the Properties dialog for a document, choose File > Properties.
The Properties dialog has six tabs. The information on the General page and the
Statistics page is generated by the program. Other information (the name of the
person on the Created and Modified lines of the General page) is derived from the
User Data page in Tools > Options.
The Internet page is relevant only to HTML documents. The file sharing options on
the Security page are discussed elsewhere in this book.
Use the Description and Custom Properties pages to hold:
•Metadata to assist in classifying, sorting, storing, and retrieving documents.
Some of this metadata is exported to the closest equivalent in HTML and PDF;
some fields have no equivalent and are not exported.
•Information that changes. You can store data for use in fields in your
document; for example, the title of the document, contact information for a
project participant, or the name of a product might change during the course
of a project.
This dialog can be used in a template, where the field names can serve as reminders
to users of information they need to include.
You can return to this dialog at any time and change the information you entered.
When you do so, all of the references to that information will change wherever they
appear in the document. For example, on the Description page (Figure 33) you might
need to change the contents of the Title field from the draft title to the final title.
40 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 33: The Description page of the document’s Properties dialog
Use the Custom Properties page (Figure 34) to store information that does not fit into
the fields supplied on the other pages of this dialog box.
Figure 34: Custom Properties page, showing drop-down lists of names and types
When the Custom Properties page is first opened in a new document, it may be blank.
However, if the new document is based on a template, this page may contain fields.
Click Add to insert a row of boxes into which you can enter your custom properties.
•The Name box includes a drop-down list of typical choices; scroll down to see
all the choices. If none of the choices meet your needs, you can type a new
name into the box.
•In the Type column, you can choose from text, date+time, date, number,
duration, or yes/no for each field. You cannot create new types.
Chapter 1 Introducing Calc 41
•In the Value column, type or select what you want to appear in the document
where this field is used. Choices may be limited to specific data types
depending on the selection in the Type column; for example, if the Type
selection is Date, the Value for that property is limited to a date.
To remove a custom property, click the button at the end of the row.
Tip
To change the format of the Date value, go to Tools > Options >
Languages and change the Locale setting. Be careful! This change
affects all open documents, not just the current one.
42 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 2
Entering, Editing, and
Formatting Data
Introduction
You can enter data into Calc in several ways: using the keyboard, the mouse
(dragging and dropping), the Fill tool, and selection lists. Calc also provides the
ability to enter information into multiple sheets of the same document at the same
time.
After entering data, you can format and display it in various ways.
Entering data using the keyboard
Most data entry in Calc can be accomplished using the keyboard.
Entering numbers
Click in the cell and type in the number using the number keys on either the main
keyboard or the numeric keypad.
To enter a negative number, either type a minus (–) sign in front of it or enclose it in
parentheses (brackets), like this: (1234).
By default, numbers are right-aligned and negative numbers have a leading minus
symbol.
Entering text
Click in the cell and type the text. Text is left-aligned by default.
Entering numbers as text
If a number is entered in the format 01481, Calc will drop the leading 0. (Exception:
see Tip below.) To preserve the leading zero, for example for telephone area codes,
type an apostrophe before the number, like this: '01481.
The data is now treated as text and displayed exactly as entered. Typically, formulas
will treat the entry as a zero and functions will ignore it.
Tip
Numbers can have leading zeros and still be regarded as numbers (as
opposed to text) if the cell is formatted appropriately. Right-click on the
cell and chose Format Cells > Numbers. Adjust the Leading zeros
setting to add leading zeros to numbers.
Note
When a plain apostrophe is used to allow a leading 0 to be displayed, it
is not visible in the cell after the Enter key is pressed. If “smart quotes”
are used for apostrophes, the apostrophe remains visible in the cell.
To choose this type of apostrophe, use Tools > AutoCorrect Options
> Localized Options. Select the Replace option for apostrophes to
activate this function. The selection of the apostrophe type affects both
Calc and Writer.
44 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Caution When a number is formatted as text, take care that the cell containing
the number is not used in a formula because Calc will ignore the value.
Entering dates and times
Select the cell and type the date or time. You can separate the date elements with a
slash (/) or a hyphen (–) or use text such as 10 Oct 03. Calc recognizes a variety of
date formats. You can separate time elements with colons such as 10:43:45.
Entering special characters
A “special” character is one not found on a standard English keyboard. For example,
© ¾ æ ç ñ ö ø ¢ are all special characters. To insert a special character:
1) Place the cursor in your document where you want the character to appear.
2) Click Insert > Special Character to open the Special Characters dialog
(Figure 35).
3) Select the characters (from any font or mixture of fonts) you wish to insert, in
order; then click OK. The selected characters are shown in the bottom left of
the dialog. As you select each character, it is shown alone at the bottom right,
along with the numerical code for that character.
Note Different fonts include different special characters. If you do not find a
particular special character you want, try changing the Font selection.
Figure 35: The Special Characters dialog
Inserting dashes
To enter en and em dashes, you can use the Replace dashes option under Tools >
AutoCorrect Options > Options tab. This option replaces two hyphens, under
certain conditions, with the corresponding dash.
In the following table, the A and B represent text consisting of letters A to z or digits
0 to 9.
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 45
Text that you type: Result
A - B (A, space, minus, space, B) A – B (A, space, en-dash, space, B)
A -- B (A, space, minus, minus, space, B) A – B (A, space, en-dash, space, B)
A--B (A, minus, minus, B) A—B (A, em-dash, B)
A-B (A, minus, B) A-B (unchanged)
A -B (A, space, minus, B) A -B (unchanged)
A --B (A, space, minus, minus, B) A –B (A, space, en-dash, B)
Deactivating automatic changes
Calc automatically applies many changes during data input, unless you deactivate
those changes. You can also immediately undo any automatic changes with Ctrl+Z.
AutoCorrect changes
Automatic correction of typing errors, replacement of straight quotation marks by
curly (custom) quotes, and starting cell content with an uppercase (capital) letter
are controlled by Tools > AutoCorrect Options. Go to the Options or Replace
tabs to deactivate any of the features that you do not want. On the Replace tab,
you can also delete unwanted word pairs and add new ones as required.
AutoInput
When you are typing in a cell, Calc automatically suggests matching input found
in the same column. To turn the AutoInput on and off, set or remove the check
mark in front of Tools > Cell Contents > AutoInput.
Automatic date conversion
Calc automatically converts certain entries to dates. To ensure that an entry that
looks like a date is interpreted as text, type an apostrophe at the beginning of the
entry. The apostrophe is not displayed in the cell.
Speeding up data entry
Entering data into a spreadsheet can be very labor-intensive, but Calc provides
several tools for removing some of the drudgery from input.
The most basic ability is to drop and drag the contents of one cell to another with a
mouse. Many people also find AutoInput helpful. Calc also includes several other
tools for automating input, especially of repetitive material. They include the Fill tool,
selection lists, and the ability to input information into multiple sheets of the same
document.
Using the Fill tool on cells
At its simplest, the Fill tool is a way to duplicate existing content. Start by selecting
the cell to copy, then drag the mouse in any direction (or hold down the Shift key and
click in the last cell you want to fill), and then choose Edit > Fill and the direction in
which you want to copy: Up, Down, Left or Right.
46 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Caution Choices that are not available are grayed out, but you can still choose
the opposite direction from what you intend, which could cause you to
overwrite cells accidentally.
Tip
A shortcut way to fill cells is to grab the “handle” in the lower right-
hand corner of the cell and drag it in the direction you want to fill. If
the cell contains a number, the number will fill in series. If the cell
contains text, the same text will fill in the direction you chose.
Figure 36: Using the Fill tool
Using a fill series
A more complex use of the Fill tool is to use a fill series. The default lists are for the
full and abbreviated days of the week and the months of the year, but you can create
your own lists as well.
To add a fill series to a spreadsheet, select the cells to fill, choose Edit > Fill >
Series. In the Fill Series dialog, select AutoFill as the Series type, and enter as the
Start value an item from any defined series. The selected cells then fill in the other
items on the list sequentially, repeating from the top of the list when they reach the
end of the list.
Figure 37: Specifying the start of a fill series (result is in Figure 38)
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 47
Figure 38: Result of fill series
selection shown in Figure 37
You can also use Edit > Fill > Series to create a one-time fill series for numbers by
entering the start and end values and the increment. For example, if you entered
start and end values of 1 and 7 with an increment of 2, you would get the sequence of
1, 3, 5, 7.
In all these cases, the Fill tool creates only a momentary connection between the
cells. Once they are filled, the cells have no further connection with one another.
Defining a fill series
To define your own fill series, go to Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > Sort
Lists. This dialog shows the previously-defined series in the Lists box on the left, and
the contents of the highlighted list in the Entries box.
Figure 39: Predefined fill series
Click New. The Entries box is cleared. Type the series for the new list in the Entries
box (one entry per line), and then click Add.
48 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 40: Defining a new fill series
Using selection lists
Selection lists are available only for text, and are limited to using
only text that has already been entered in the same column.
To use a selection list, select a blank cell and press Ctrl+D. A
drop-down list appears on any cell in the same column that either
has at least one text character or whose format is defined as text.
Click on the entry you require.
Sharing content between sheets
You might want to enter the same information in the same cell on multiple sheets, for
example to set up standard listings for a group of individuals or organizations.
Instead of entering the list on each sheet individually, you can enter it in all the
sheets at once. To do this, select all the sheets (Edit > Sheet > Select), then enter
the information in the current one.
Caution This technique overwrites any information that is already in the cells
on the other sheets—without any warning. For this reason, when you
are finished, be sure to deselect all the sheets except the one you want
to edit. (Ctrl+click on a sheet tab to select or deselect the sheet.)
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 49
Validating cell contents
When creating spreadsheets for other people to use, you may want to make sure they
enter data that is valid or appropriate for the cell. You can also use validation in your
own work as a guide to entering data that is either complex or rarely used.
Fill series and selection lists can handle some types of data, but they are limited to
predefined information. To validate new data entered by a user, select a cell and use
Data > Validity to define the type of contents that can be entered in that cell. For
example, a cell might require a date or a whole number, with no alphabetic
characters or decimal points; or a cell may not be left empty.
Depending on how validation is set up, the tool can also define the range of values
that can be entered and provide help messages that explain the content rules you
have set up for the cell and what users should do when they enter invalid content.
You can also set the cell to refuse invalid content, accept it with a warning, or—if you
are especially well-organized—start a macro when an error is entered.
Validation is most useful for cells containing functions. If cells are set to accept
invalid content with a warning, rather than refusing it, you can use Tools >
Detective > Mark Invalid Data to find the cells with invalid data. The Detective
function marks any cells containing invalid data with a circle.
Note that a validity rule is considered part of a cell’s format. If you select Format or
Delete All from the Delete Contents window, then it is removed. (Repeating the
Detective’s Mark Invalid Data command removes the invalid data circle, because the
data is no longer invalid.) If you want to copy a validity rule with the rest of the cell,
use Edit > Paste Special > Paste Formats or Paste All.
Figure 41 shows the choices for a typical validity test. Note the Allow blank cells
option under the Allow list.
Figure 41: Typical validity test choices
The validity test options vary with the type of data selected from the Allow list. For
example, Figure 42 shows the choices when a cell must contain a cell range.
50 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 42: Validity choices for a cell range
To provide input help for a cell, use the Input Help page of the Validity dialog (Figure
43). To show an error message when an invalid value is entered, use the Error Alert
page (Figure 44). Be sure to write something helpful, explaining what a valid entry
should contain—not just “Invalid data—try again” or something similar.
Figure 43: Defining input help for a cell
Figure 44: Defining an error message for a cell with invalid data
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 51
Editing data
Editing data is done is in much the same way as entering it. The first step is to select
the cell containing the data to be edited.
Removing data from a cell
Data can be removed (deleted) from a cell in several ways.
Removing data only
The data alone can be removed from a cell without removing any of the formatting
of the cell. Click in the cell to select it, and then press the Backspace key.
Removing data and formatting
The data and the formatting can be removed from a cell at the same time. Press
the Delete key (or right-click and choose Delete Contents, or use Edit > Delete
Contents) to open the Delete Contents dialog (Figure 45). From this dialog,
different aspects of the cell can be deleted. To delete everything in a cell (contents
and format), check Delete all.
Figure 45: Delete Contents dialog
Replacing all the data in a cell
To remove data and insert new data, simply type over the old data. The new data will
retain the original formatting.
Changing part of the data in a cell
Sometimes it is necessary to change the contents of a cell without removing all of the
contents, for example when the phrase “See Dick run” is in a cell and it needs to be
changed to “See Dick run fast.” It is often useful to do this without deleting the old
cell contents first.
The process is the similar to the one described above, but you need to place the
cursor inside the cell. You can do this in two ways.
52 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Using the keyboard
After selecting the appropriate cell, press the F2 key and the cursor is placed at
the end of the cell. Then use the keyboard arrow keys to move the cursor through
the text in the cell.
Using the mouse
Using the mouse, either double-click on the appropriate cell (to select it and place
the cursor in it for editing), or single-click to select the cell and then move the
mouse pointer up to the input line and click into it to place the cursor for editing.
Formatting data
The data in Calc can be formatted in several ways. It can either be edited as part of a
cell style so that it is automatically applied, or it can be applied manually to the cell.
Some manual formatting can be applied using toolbar icons. For more control and
extra options, select the appropriate cell or cells range, right-click on it, and select
Format Cells. All of the format options are discussed below.
Note
All the settings discussed in this section can also be set as a part of the
cell style. See Chapter 4 (Using Styles and Templates) for more
information.
Formatting multiple lines of text
Multiple lines of text can be entered into a single cell using automatic wrapping or
manual line breaks. Each method is useful for different situations.
Using automatic wrapping
To set text to wrap at the end of the cell, right-click on the cell and select Format
Cells (or choose Format > Cells from the menu bar, or press Ctrl+1). On the
Alignment tab (Figure 47), under Properties, select Wrap text automatically. The
results are shown below (Figure 46).
Figure 46: Automatic text wrap
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 53
Figure 47: Format Cells > Alignment dialog
Using manual line breaks
To insert a manual line break while typing in a cell, press Ctrl+Enter. This method
does not work with the cursor in the input line. When editing text, first double-click
the cell, then single-click at the position where you want the line break.
When a manual line break is entered, the cell width does not change. Figure 48
shows the results of using two manual line breaks after the first line of text.
Figure 48: Cell with manual line breaks
Shrinking text to fit the cell
The font size of the data in a cell can automatically adjust to fit in a cell. To do this,
select the Shrink to fit cell option in the Format Cells dialog (Figure 47). Figure 49
shows the results.
Figure 49: Shrinking font size to fit cells
54 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Formatting numbers
Several different number formats can be applied to cells by using icons on the
Formatting toolbar. Select the cell, then click the relevant icon. Some icons may not
be visible in a default setup; click the down-arrow at the end of the Formatting bar
and select other icons to display.
Figure 50: Number format icons. Left to right: currency, percentage,
date, exponential, standard, add decimal place, delete decimal place.
In OOo 3.3, numbers formatted with the General number format will display as many
decimal digits as required. In former versions of OOo, a maximum of 2 decimal digits
were displayed with the General number format.
For more control or to select other number formats, use the Numbers tab (Figure 51)
of the Format Cells dialog.
•Apply any of the data types in the Category list to the data.
•Control the number of decimal places and leading zeros.
•Enter a custom format code.
The Language setting controls the local settings for the different formats such as the
date order and the currency marker.
Figure 51: Format Cells > Numbers
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 55
Formatting the font
To quickly choose the font used in a cell, select the cell, then click the arrow next to
the Font Name box on the Formatting toolbar and choose a font from the list.
Tip
To choose whether to show the font names in their font or in plain text,
go to Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > View and select or
deselect the Show preview of fonts option in the Font Lists section. For
more information, see Chapter 14 (Setting Up and Customizing Calc).
To choose the size of the font, click the arrow next to the
Font Size box on the Formatting toolbar. For other
formatting, you can use the Bold, Italic, or Underline icons.
To choose a font color, click the arrow next to the Font
Color icon to display a color palette. Click on the required
color.
(To define custom colors, use Tools > Options >
OpenOffice.org > Colors. See Chapter 14 for more
information.)
To specify the language of the cell (useful because it allows
different languages to exist in the same document and be
spell checked correctly), use the Font tab of the Format
Cells dialog. See Chapter 4 for more information.
Choosing font effects
The Font Effects tab (Figure 52) of the Format Cells dialog offers more font options.
Overlining and underlining
You can choose from a variety of overlining and underlining options (solid lines,
dots, short and long dashes, in various combinations) and the color of the line.
Strikethrough
The strikethrough options include lines, slashes, and Xs.
Relief
The relief options are embossed (raised text), engraved (sunken text), outline, and
shadow.
Figure 52: Format Cells > Font Effects
56 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Setting cell alignment and orientation
Some of the cell alignment and orientation icons are not shown by default on the
Formatting toolbar. To show them, click on the small arrow at the right-hand end of
the toolbar and select them from the list of icons.
Figure 53: Cell alignment and orientation
Some of the alignment and orientation icons are available only if you have Asian or
CTL (Complex Text Layout) languages enabled (in Tools > Options > Language
Settings > Languages). If you choose an unavailable icon from the list, it does not
appear on the toolbar.
For more control and other choices, use the Alignment tab (Figure 47) of the Format
Cells dialog to set the horizontal and vertical alignment and rotate the text. If you
have Asian languages enabled, then the Text orientation section shows an extra
option (labeled Asian layout mode) under the Vertically stacked option, as shown
in Figure 54.
Figure 54: Asian layout mode option
The difference in results between having Asian layout mode on or off is shown in
Figure 55.
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 57
Figure 55: Types of vertical stacking
Formatting the cell borders
To quickly choose a line style and color for the borders of a cell, click the small
arrows next to the Line Style and Line Color icons on the Formatting toolbar. If the
Line Style and Line Color icons are not displayed in the formatting toolbar, select
the down arrow on the right side of the bar, then select Visible Buttons. In each
case, a palette of choices is displayed.
For more control, including the spacing between the cell borders and the text, use
the Borders tab of the Format Cells dialog. There you can also define a shadow. See
Chapter 4 for details.
Note
The cell border properties apply to a cell, and can only be changed if
you are editing that cell. For example, if cell C3 has a top border
(which would be equivalent visually to a bottom border on C2), that
border can only be removed by selecting C3. It cannot be removed in
C2.
Formatting the cell background
To quickly choose a background color for a cell, click the small arrow next to the
Background Color icon on the Formatting toolbar. A palette of color choices, similar
to the Font Color palette, is displayed.
(To define custom colors, use Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > Colors. See
Chapter 14 for more information.)
You can also use the Background tab of the Format Cells dialog. See Chapter 4 for
details.
58 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Autoformatting cells and sheets
You can use the AutoFormat feature to quickly apply a set of cell formats to a sheet or
a selected cell range.
1) Select the cells that you want to format, including the column and row
headers.
2) Choose Format > AutoFormat.
3) To select which properties (number format, font, alignment, borders, pattern,
autofit width and height) to include in an AutoFormat, click More. Select or
deselect the required options. Click OK.
Figure 56: Choosing an AutoFormat
If you do not see any change in color of the cell contents, choose View > Value
Highlighting from the menu bar. This function only affects cells with numerical
data.
Note If the selected cell range does not have column and row headers,
AutoFormat is not available.
Defining a new AutoFormat
You can define a new AutoFormat that is available to all spreadsheets.
1) Format a sheet.
2) Choose Edit > Select All.
3) Choose Format > AutoFormat. The Add button is now active.
4) Click Add.
5) In the Name box of the Add AutoFormat dialog, type a meaningful name for the
new format.
6) Click OK to save. The new format is now available in the Format list in the
AutoFormat dialog.
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 59
Formatting spreadsheets using themes
Calc comes with a predefined set of formatting themes that you can apply to your
spreadsheets.
It is not possible to add themes to Calc, and they cannot be modified. However, you
can modify their styles after you apply them to a spreadsheet.
To apply a theme to a spreadsheet:
1) Click the Choose Themes icon in the Tools toolbar. If this toolbar is not
visible, you can show it using View > Toolbars > Tools. The Theme Selection
dialog appears. This dialog lists the available themes for the whole
spreadsheet.
2) In the Theme Selection dialog, select the theme that you want to apply to the
spreadsheet. As soon as you select a theme, some of the properties of the
custom styles are applied to the open spreadsheet and are immediately visible.
3) Click OK. If you wish, you can now go to the Styles and Formatting window to
modify specific styles. These modifications do not change the theme; they only
change the appearance of this specific spreadsheet document.
Using conditional formatting
You can set up cell formats to change depending on conditions that you specify. For
example, in a table of numbers, you can show all the values above the average in
green and all those below the average in red.
Note To apply conditional formatting, AutoCalculate must be enabled. Choose
Tools > Cell Contents > AutoCalculate.
Conditional formatting depends upon the use of styles. If you are not familiar with
styles, please refer to Chapter 4. An easy way to set up the required styles is to
format a cell the way you want it and click the New Style from Selection icon in the
Styles and Formatting window.
After the styles are set up, here is how to use them.
1) In your spreadsheet, select the cells to which you want to apply conditional
formatting.
2) Choose Format > Conditional Formatting from the menu bar.
3) On the Conditional Formatting dialog (Figure 57), enter the conditions. Click
OK to save. The selected cells are now formatted in the relevant style.
Cell value is / Formula is
Specifies whether conditional formatting is dependent on a cell value or on a
formula. If you select cell value is, the Cell Value Condition box is displayed, as
shown in the example. Here you can choose from conditions including less than,
greater than, between, and others.
60 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Parameter field
Enter a reference, value, or formula in the parameter field, or in both parameter
fields if you have selected a condition that requires two parameters. You can also
enter formulas containing relative references.
Figure 57: Conditional formatting dialog
Cell style
Choose the cell style to be applied if the specified condition matches. The style
must have been defined previously.
See the Help for more information and examples of use.
To apply the same conditional formatting later to other
cells:
1) Select one of the cells that has been assigned
conditional formatting.
2) Copy the cell to the clipboard.
3) Select the cells that are to receive this same
formatting.
4) Choose Edit > Paste Special.
5) On the Paste Special dialog, in the Selection area,
select only the Formats option. Make sure all
other options are not selected. Click OK.
Hiding and showing data
When elements are hidden, they are neither visible nor printed, but can still be
selected for copying if you select the elements around them. For example, if column B
is hidden, it is copied when you select columns A and C. When you need a hidden
element again, you can reverse the process, and show the element.
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 61
To hide or show sheets, rows, and columns, use the options on the Format menu or
the right-click (context) menu. For example, to hide a row, first select the row, and
then choose Format > Row > Hide (or right-click and choose Hide).
To hide or show selected cells, choose Format > Cells from the menu bar (or right-
click and choose Format Cells). On the Format Cells dialog, go to the Cell Protection
tab.
Figure 58: Hiding or showing cells
Outline group controls
If you are continually hiding and showing the same cells, you can simplify the process
by creating outline groups, which add a set of controls for hiding and showing the
cells in the group that are quick to use and always available.
If the contents of cells fall into a regular pattern, such as four cells followed by a
total, then you can use Data > Group and Outline > AutoOutline to have Calc add
outline controls based on the pattern. Otherwise, you can set outline groups manually
by selecting the cells for grouping, then choosing Data > Group and Outline >
Group. On the Group dialog, you can choose whether to group the selected cells by
rows or columns.
When you close the dialog, the outline group controls are visible between either the
row or column headers and the edges of the editing window. The controls resemble
the tree-structure of a file-manager in appearance, and can be hidden by selecting
Data > Group and Outline > Hide Details. They are strictly for online use, and do
not print.
The basic outline controls have plus or minus signs at the start of the group to show
or hide hidden cells. However, if outline groups are nested, the controls have
numbered buttons for hiding the different levels.
If you no longer need a group, place the mouse cursor in any cell in it and select
Data > Group and Outline > Ungroup. To remove all groups on a sheet, select
Data > Group and Outline > Remove.
62 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 59: Outline group controls
Filtering which cells are visible
A filter is a list of conditions that each entry has to meet in order to be displayed. You
can set three types of filters from the Data > Filter sub-menu.
Automatic filters add a drop-down list to the top row of a column that contains
commonly used filters. They are quick and convenient and almost as useful with text
as with numbers, because the list includes every unique entry in the selected cells.
In addition to these unique entries, automatic filters include the option to display all
entries, the ten highest numerical values, and all cells that are empty or not empty, as
well as a standard filter that you can customize (see below). However, they are
somewhat limited. In particular, they do not allow regular expressions, so you cannot
use them to display cell contents that are similar but not identical.
Standard filters are more complex than automatic filters. You can set as many as
three conditions as a filter, combining them with the operators AND and OR.
Standard filters are mostly useful for numbers, although a few of the conditional
operators, such as = and < > can also be used for text.
Other conditional operators for standard filters include options to display the largest
or smallest values, or a percentage of them. Useful in themselves, standard filters
take on added value when they are used to further refine automatic filters.
Advanced filters are structured similarly to standard filters. The differences are that
advanced filters are not limited to three conditions, and their criteria are not entered
in a dialog. Instead, advanced filters are entered in a blank area of a sheet, then
referenced by the advanced filter tool in order to apply them.
Sorting records
Sorting rearranges the visible cells on the sheet. In Calc, you can sort by up to three
criteria, which are applied one after another. Sorts are handy when you are searching
for a particular item, and become even more powerful after you have filtered data.
In addition, sorting is often useful when you add new information. When a list is long,
it is usually easier to add new information at the bottom of the sheet, rather than
inserting rows in the proper places. After you have added the information, you can
sort it to update the sheet.
Highlight the cells to be sorted, then select Data > Sort to open the Sort
dialog (Figure 60) or click the Sort Ascending or Sort Descending
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 63
toolbar buttons. Using the dialog, you can sort the selected cells using up to three
columns, in either ascending (A-Z, 1-9) or descending (Z-A, 9-1) order.
Tip
You can define a custom sort order if the supplied alphanumeric ones do
not fit your requirements. See “Defining a fill series” on page 48 for
instructions.
Figure 60: Choosing the criteria and order of sorting
On the Options tab of the Sort dialog (Figure 61), you can choose the following
options.
Figure 61: Options for sorting
64 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Case sensitive
If two entries are otherwise identical, one with an upper case letter is placed
before one with a lower case letter in the same position if the sort is descending; if
the sort is ascending, then the entry with an upper case letter is placed after one
with a lower case letter in the same position.
Range contains column labels
Does not include the column heading in the sort.
Include formats
A cell's formatting is moved with its contents. If formatting is used to distinguish
different types of cells, then use this option.
Copy sort results to
Sets a spreadsheet address to which to copy the sort results. If a range is
specified that does not have the necessary number of cells, then cells are added. If
a range contains cells that already have content, then the sort fails.
Custom sort order
Select the box, then choose from the drop-down list one of the sort orders defined
in Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > Sort Lists.
Direction
Sets whether rows or columns are sorted. The default is to sort by columns unless
the selected cells are in a single column.
Finding and replacing in Calc
Calc has two ways to find text within a document: the Find toolbar for fast text
searching and the Find & Replace dialog.
Using the Find toolbar
The Find toolbar is located by default on the right-hand end of the Standard toolbar.
You can hide or show the Find toolbar using View > Toolbars > Find.
Type a search term in the Find box, and then click the Find Next (down-arrow) or
Find Previous (up-arrow) button. To find other occurrences of the same term,
continue clicking the button.
Using the Find & Replace dialog
To display the Find & Replace dialog (Figure 62), use the keyboard shortcut
Control+F or choose Edit > Find & Replace from the menu bar.
In spreadsheet documents you can search for text, formulas, and styles. You can
navigate from one occurrence to the next using Find, or you can highlight all
matching cells at once using Find All, then apply another format or replace the cell
contents by other content.
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 65
Text and numbers in cells may have been entered directly or may be the result of a
calculation. The search method you use depends on the type of data you are
searching for.
Tip
Cell contents can be formatted in different ways. For example, a number
can be formatted as a currency, to be displayed with a currency symbol.
You see the currency symbol in the cell, but you cannot search for it.
By default, Calc searches the current sheet. To search through all sheets of the
document, click More Options, then select Search in all sheets option.
Caution Use Replace All with caution; otherwise, you may end up with some
highly embarrassing mistakes. A mistake with Replace All might
require a manual, word-by-word search to fix, if it is not discovered in
time to undo it.
Figure 62: Expanded Find & Replace dialog
66 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Finding and replacing formulas or values
You can use the Find & Replace dialog to search in formulas or in the displayed
values that result from a calculation.
1) To open the Find & Replace dialog, use the keyboard shortcut Control+F or
select Edit > Find & Replace.
2) Click More Options to expand the dialog.
3) Select Formulas or Values in the Search in drop-down list.
•Formulas finds parts of the formulas.
•Values finds the results of the calculations.
4) Type the text you want to find in the Search for box.
5) To replace the text with different text, type the new text in the Replace with
box.
6) When you have set up your search, click Find. To replace text, click Replace
instead.
Finding and replacing text
1) Open the Find & Replace dialog, click More Options to expand the dialog,
and select Values or Notes in the Search in drop-down list.
2) Type the text you want to find in the Search for box.
3) To replace the text with different text, type the new text in the Replace with
box.
4) Click Find, Find All, Replace, or Replace All.
When you click Find, Calc selects the next cell that contains your text. You can edit
the text, then click Find again to advance to the next found cell. If you closed the
dialog, you can press Ctrl+Shift+F to find the next cell without opening the dialog.
When you click Find All, Calc selects all cells that contain your entry. Now you can,
for example, apply a cell style to all of them at once.
Finding and replacing cell styles
To quickly change all the paragraphs of one (unwanted) style to another (preferred)
style:
1) On the expanded Find & Replace dialog, select Search for Styles. The Search
for and Replace with boxes now contain a list of styles.
2) Select the styles you want to search for and replace.
3) Click Find, Find All, Replace, or Replace All.
Using wildcards (regular expressions)
Wildcards (also known as regular expressions) are combinations of characters that
instruct OOo how to search for something. Regular expressions are very powerful but
not very intuitive. They can save time and effort by combining multiple finds into one.
To use wildcards and regular expressions when searching and replacing:
1) On the Find & Replace dialog, click More Options to see more choices. On
this expanded dialog, select the Regular expressions option.
2) Type the search text, including the wildcards, in the Search for box and the
replacement text (if any) in the Replace with box.
Chapter 2 Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data 67
3) Click Find, Find All, Replace, or Replace All (not recommended).
Tip The online help describes many of the regular expressions and their
uses.
The following points may be of interest to Calc users:
•In Calc, regular expressions are applied separately to each cell. This means
that a search for r.d will match red in cell A1 but will not match r in cell A2
and d (or ed) in cell A3. (The regular expression r.d means the system will try
to match r followed by any other character followed by d.)
•When a match is found, the entire cell is highlighted but only the text found
will be replaced. For example, searching for brown will result in highlighting a
cell containing redbrown clay, and choosing nothing in the Replace with box
leaves the cell containing red clay.
•If Find is used twice in a row, and the second time the Current selection only
box is activated, then the second search will evaluate the whole of each
selected cell, not just the strings that caused the cells to be selected in the first
search. For example, searching for joh?n, then activating Current selection
only and searching for sm.th will find cells containing Jon Smith and
Smythers, Johnathon.
•If a cell contains a hard line break (entered by Ctrl+Enter), it may be found by
using the regular expression \n. For example, if a cell contains red [hard line
break] clay then searching for d\nc and entering nothing in the Replace with
box leaves the cell containing relay.
•The hard line break acts to mark “end of text” (similar to “end of paragraph” in
Writer), found by the regular expression special character $, in addition to the
end of text in the cell. For example, if a cell contains red [hard line break]
clay then a search for d$ replacing with al leaves the cell with real [hard line
break] clay. Note that with this syntax the hard line break is not replaced.
•Using \n in the Replace with box will replace with the literal characters \n, not
a hard line break.
•The Find & Replace dialog has an option to search within formulas, values, or
notes. This option applies to any search, not just one using regular
expressions. Searching with the Formulas option for SUM would find a cell
containing the formula =SUM(A1:A6) as well as a cell containing the simple
text SUMMARY.
•Searching for the regular expression ^$ will not find empty cells. This is
intentional, to avoid performance issues when selecting a huge number of
cells. Note that empty cells will not be found even if you are only searching a
selection.
•Finding cell contents using the regular expression .+ (or similar) and replacing
them with & effectively re-enters the cell contents without any formatting. This
technique can be used to remove formatting automatically applied by Calc
when importing data from the clipboard or from badly formatted files. For
example, to convert text strings consisting of digits into actual numbers, first
format the cells as numbers and then perform the search and replace.
See Chapter 7 (Using Formulas and Functions) for the use of regular expressions
within formulas.
68 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 3
Creating Charts and
Graphs
Presenting information visually
Introduction
Charts and graphs are often powerful ways to convey information to the reader.
OpenOffice.org Calc offers a variety of chart and graph formats for your data.
Using Calc, you can customize charts and graphs to a considerable extent. Many of
these options enable you to present your information in the best and clearest manner.
For readers who are interested in effective ways to present information graphically,
two excellent introductions to the topic are William S. Cleveland’s The elements of
graphing data, 2nd edition, Hobart Press (1994) and Edward R. Tufte’s The Visual
Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd edition, Graphics Press (2001).
Creating a chart
To demonstrate the process of making charts and graphs in Calc, we will use the
small table of data in Figure 63.
Figure 63: Table of data for charting examples
To create a chart, first highlight (select) the data to be included in the chart. The
selection does not need to be in a single block, as shown in Figure 64; you can also
choose individual cells or groups of cells (columns or rows). See Chapter 1
(Introducing Calc) for more about selecting cells and ranges of cells.
Figure 64: Selecting data for plotting
70 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Next, open the Chart Wizard dialog using one of two methods.
•Choose Insert > Chart from the menu bar.
•Or, click the Chart icon on the main toolbar.
Figure 65: Insert chart from main toolbar
Either method inserts a sample chart on the worksheet, opens the Formatting toolbar,
and opens the Chart Wizard, as shown in Figure 66.
Tip
Before choosing the Chart Wizard, place the cursor anywhere in the area
of the data. The Chart Wizard will then do a fairly good job of guessing
the range of the data. Just be careful that you have not included the title
of your chart.
Figure 66: Chart Wizard, Step 1—Choose a chart type
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 71
Choosing a chart type
The Chart Wizard includes a sample chart with your data. This sample chart updates
to reflect the changes you make in the Chart Wizard.
The Chart Wizard has three main parts: a list of steps involved in setting up the chart,
a list of chart types, and the options for each chart type. At any time you can go back
to a previous step and change selections.
Calc offers a choice of 10 basic chart types, with a few options for each type of chart.
The options vary according to the type of chart you pick.
The first tier of choice is for two-dimensional (2D) charts. Only those types which are
suitable for 3D (Column, Bar, Pie, and Area) give you an option to select a 3D look.
On the Choose a chart type page (Figure 66), select a type by clicking on its icon. The
preview updates every time you select a different type of chart, and provides a good
idea of what the finished chart will look like.
The current selection is highlighted (shown with a surrounding box) on the Choose a
chart type page. The chart’s name is shown just below the icons. For the moment, we
will stick to the Column chart and click on Next again.
Changing data ranges and axes labels
In Step 2, Data Range, you can manually correct any mistakes you have made in
selecting the data.
On this page you can also change the way you are plotting the data by using the rows
—rather than the columns—as data series. This is useful if you use a style of chart
such as Donut or Pie to display your data.
Lastly, you can choose whether to use the first row or first column, or both, as labels
on the axes of the chart.
You can confirm what you have done so far by clicking the Finish button, or click
Next to change some more details of the chart.
We will click Next to see what we can do to our chart using the other pages of the
Wizard.
Figure 67: Changing data ranges and axes labels
72 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Selecting data series
Figure 68: Amending data series and ranges
On the Data Series page, you can fine tune the data that you want to include in the
chart. Perhaps you have decided that you do not want to include the data for canoes.
If so, highlight Canoes in the Data series box and click on Remove. Each named
data series has its ranges and its individual Y-values listed. This is useful if you have
very specific requirements for data in your chart, as you can include or leave out
these ranges.
Tip You can click the Shrink button next to the Range for Name box to
work on the spreadsheet itself. This is handy if your data ranges are
larger than ours and the Chart Wizard is in the way.
Another way to plot any unconnected columns of data is to select the first data series
and then select the next series while holding down the Ctrl key. Or you can type the
columns in the text boxes. The columns must be separated by semi-colons. Thus, to
plot B3:B11 against G3:G11, type the selection range as B3:B11;G3:G11.
The two data series you are selecting must be in separate columns or rows.
Otherwise Calc will assume that you are adding to the same data series.
Click Next to deal with titles, legend and grids.
Adding or changing titles, legend, and grids
On the Chart Elements page (Figure 69), you can give your chart a title and, if
desired, a subtitle. Use a title that draws the viewers’ attention to the purpose of the
chart: what you want them to see. For example, a better title for this chart might be
The Performance of Motor and Other Rental Boats.
It may be of benefit to have labels for the x-axis or the y-axis. This is where you give
viewers an idea as to the proportion of your data. For example, if we put Thousands
in the y-axis label of our graph, it changes the scope of the chart entirely. For ease of
estimating data you can also display the x- or y- axis grids by selecting the Display
grids options.
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 73
You can leave out the legend or include it and place it to the left, right, top or bottom.
To confirm your selections and complete the chart, click Finish.
Figure 69: Titles, legend and grids
Editing charts
After you have created a chart, you may find things you would like to change. Calc
provides tools for changing the chart type, chart elements, data ranges, fonts, colors
and many other options, through the Insert and Format menus, the right-click
(context) menu and the Chart toolbar.
Changing the chart type
You can change the chart type at any time. To do so:
1) First select the chart by double-clicking on it. The chart should now be
surrounded by a gray border.
2) Then do one of the following:
•Choose Format > Chart Type from the menu bar.
•Click the chart type icon on the Formatting toolbar.
•Right-click on the chart and choose Chart Type.
In each case, a dialog similar to the one in Figure 66 opens. See page 72 for more
information.
Adding or removing chart elements
Figures 70 and 71 show the elements of 2D and 3D charts.
The default 2D chart includes only two of those elements:
•Chart wall contains the graphic of the chart displaying the data.
•Chart area is the area surrounding the chart graphic. The (optional) chart title
and the legend (key) are in the chart area.
74 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
The default 3D chart also has the chart floor, which is not available in 2D charts.
Figure 70: Elements of 2D chart
Figure 71: Elements of 3D chart
You can add other elements using the commands on the Insert menu. The various
choices open dialogs in which you can specify details.
First select the chart so the green sizing handles are visible. This is done with a
single click on the chart.
The dialogs for Titles, Legend, Axes and Grids are self-explanatory. The others are a
bit more complicated, so we’ll take a look at them here.
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 75
Chart area
Chart wall
Chart title
Legend
Axis labels
Chart floor
Data labels
Data labels put information about each data point on the chart. They can be very
useful for presenting detailed information, but you need to be careful to not create a
chart that is too cluttered to read.
Select the graph as described above and choose Insert > Data Labels. The options
are as follows.
Figure 72: Data Labels dialog
Show value as number
Displays the numeric values of the data points. When selected, this option
activates the Number format... button.
Number format...
Opens the Number Format dialog, where you can select the number format. This
dialog is very similar to the one for formatting numbers in cells, described in
Chapter 2 (Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data).
Show value as percentage
Displays the percentage value of the data points in each column. When selected,
this option activates the Percentage format... button.
Percentage format...
Opens the Number Format dialog, where you can select the percentage format.
Show category
Shows the data point text labels.
Show legend key
Displays the legend icons next to each data point label.
Separator
Selects the separator between multiple text strings for the same object.
76 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Placement
Selects the placement of data labels relative to the objects.
Figure 77 on page 83 shows examples of values as text (neither Show value as
number nor Show value as percentage selected) and values as percentages, as well
as when data values are used as substitutes for legends or in conjunction with them.
Trend lines
When you have a scattered grouping of points in a graph, you may want to show the
relationship of the points. A trend line is what you need. Calc has a good selection of
regression types you can use for trend lines: linear, logarithm, exponential, and
power. Choose the type that comes closest to passing through all of the points.
To insert trend lines for all data series, double-click the chart to enter edit mode.
Choose Insert > Trend Lines, then select the type of trend line from None, Linear,
Logarithmic, Exponential, or Power. You can also choose whether to show the
equation for the trend line and the coefficient of determination (R2).
To insert a trend line for a single data series, first select the data series in the chart,
and then right-click and choose Insert > Trend Line from the context menu. The
dialog for a single trend line is similar to the one below but has a second tab (Line),
where you can choose attributes (style, color, width, and transparency) of the line.
Figure 73: Trend Lines dialog
To delete a single trend line or mean value line, click the line, then press the Del key.
To delete all trend lines, choose Insert > Trend Lines, then select None.
A trend line is shown in the legend automatically.
If you insert a trend line on a chart type that uses categories, such as Line or Column,
then the numbers 1, 2, 3, … are used as x-values to calculate the trend line.
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 77
The trend line has the same color as the corresponding data series. To change the
line properties, select the trend line and choose Format Trend Line. This opens the
Line tab of the Trend Lines dialog.
To show the trend line equation, select the trend line in the chart, right-click to open
the context menu, and choose Insert Trend Line Equation.
When the chart is in edit mode, OpenOffice.org gives you the equation of the trend
line and the correlation coefficient. Click on the trend line to see the information in
the status bar. To show the equation and the correlation coefficient, select the line
and choose Insert R2 and Trend Line Equation.
For more details on the regression equations, see the topic Trend lines in charts in
the Help.
Mean value lines
If you select the Mean Value Lines dialog from the Insert menu, Calc calculates the
average of each selected data series and places a colored line at the correct level in
the chart.
Y error bars
If you are presenting data that has a known possibility of error, such as social surveys
using a particular sampling method, or you want to show the measuring accuracy of
the tool you used, you may wish to show error bars on the chart. Select the chart and
choose Insert > Y Error Bars.
Several options are provided on the Error Bars dialog. You can only choose one
option at a time. You can also choose whether the error indicator shows both positive
and negative errors, or only positive or only negative.
Figure 74: Specifying the parameters of error bars
•Constant Value – you can have separate positive and negative values.
•Percentage – choose the error as a percentage of the data points.
78 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
•In the drop-down list:
–Standard Error – calculates the error based on the numerical data you
provide in the chart
–Variance – shows error calculated on the size of the biggest and smallest
data points
–Standard Deviation – shows error calculated on standard deviation
–Error Margin – you designate the error
•Cell Range – calculates the error based on cell ranges you select. The
Parameters section at the bottom of the dialog changes to allow selection of
the cell ranges.
Formatting charts
The Format menu has many options for formatting and fine-tuning the appearance of
your charts.
Double-click the chart so that it is enclosed by a gray border indicating edit mode;
then, select the chart element that you want to format. Choose Format from the
menu bar, or right-click to display a context menu relevant to the selected element.
The formatting choices are as follows.
Format Selection
Opens a dialog in which you can specify the area fill, borders, transparency,
characters, font effects, and other attributes of the selected element of the chart
(see page 85).
Position and Size
Opens a dialog (see page 88).
Arrangement
Provides two choices: Bring Forward and Send Backward, of which only one
may be active for some items. Use these choices to arrange overlapping data
series.
Title
Formats the titles of the chart and its axes.
Legend
Formats the location, borders, background, and type of the legend.
Axis
Formats the lines that create the chart as well as the font of the text that appears
on both the X and Y axes.
Grid
Formats the lines that create a grid for the chart.
Chart Wall, Chart Floor, Chart Area
These functions are described in the following sections.
Chart Type
Changes what kind of chart is displayed and whether it is two- or three-
dimensional.
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 79
Data Ranges
Explained on page 72 (Figure 67 and Figure 68).
3D View
Formats 3D charts (see page 82).
Note Chart Floor and 3D View are only available for a 3D chart. These
options are unavailable (grayed out) if a 2D chart is selected.
In most cases you need to select the exact element you want to format. Sometimes
this can be tricky to do with the mouse, if the chart has many elements, especially if
some of them are small or overlapping. If you have Tooltips turned on (in Tools >
Options > OpenOffice.org > General > Help, select Tips), then as you move the
mouse over each element, its name appears in the Tooltip. Once you have selected
one element, you can press Tab to move through the other elements until you find the
one you want. The name of the selected element appears in the Status Bar.
Note
Until OOo 3.2.1, axis labels and axis titles were included in the
positioning rectangle of the chart. The space required for those labels
depends on many factors like scaling, font, font size, and so on. To
prevent the data plot itself from changing size and position, the labels are
no longer included in the diagram size, so you can set the position and
size of the plot area directly.
Moving chart elements
You may wish to move or resize individual elements of a chart, independent of other
chart elements. For example, you may wish to move the legend to a different place.
Pie charts allow moving of individual wedges of the pie (in addition to the choice of
“exploding” the entire pie).
1) Double-click the chart so that it is enclosed by a gray border.
2) Double-click any of the elements—the title, the legend, or the chart graphic.
Click and drag to move the element. If the element is already selected, then
move the pointer over the element to get the move icon (small hand), then
click, drag and move the element.
3) Release the mouse button when the element is in the desired position.
80 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Note
If your chart graphic is 3D, round red handles appear which control the
three-dimensional angle of the graphic. You cannot resize or reposition
the graphic while the round red handles are showing. With the round red
handles showing, Shift+Click to get the green resizing handles. You can
now resize and reposition your 3D chart graphic. See the following tip.
Tip
You can resize the chart graphic using its green resizing handles
(Shift+Click, then drag a corner handle to maintain the proportions).
However, you cannot resize the title or the key.
Changing the chart area background
The chart area is the area surrounding the chart graphic, including the (optional)
main title and key.
1) Double-click the chart so that it is enclosed by a gray border.
2) Choose Format > Chart Area or right-click on the chart area and choose
Format Chart Area.
3) On the Chart Area dialog, choose the desired format settings.
On the Area tab, you can change the color, or choose a hatch pattern, bitmap or some
preset gradients. Click on the drop-down box to see the options. Patterns are
probably more useful than color if you have to print out your chart in black and
white.
You can also use the Transparency tab to change the area’s transparency. If you used
a preset gradient from the Area tab, you can see the different parameters of which it
is composed.
Figure 75: Chart Area dialog
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 81
Changing the chart graphic background
The chart wall is the area that contains the chart graphic.
1) Double-click the chart so that it is enclosed by a gray border.
2) Choose Format > Chart Wall. The Chart Wall dialog has the same formatting
options as described in “Changing the chart area background” above.
3) Choose your settings and click OK.
Changing colors
If you need a different color scheme from the default for the charts in all your
documents, go to Tools > Options > Charts > Default Colors, which has a much
wider range of colors to choose from. Changes made in this dialog affect the default
chart colors for any chart you make in future.
Formatting 3D charts
Use Format > 3D View to fine tune 3D charts. The 3D View dialog has three pages,
where you can change the perspective of the chart, determine whether the chart uses
the simple or realistic schemes or your own custom scheme, and the illumination that
controls where the shadows will fall.
Rotation and perspective
To rotate a 3D chart or view it in perspective, enter the required values on the
Perspective tab of the 3D View dialog. You can also rotate 3D charts interactively; see
page 84.
Figure 76: Rotating a chart
Here are some hints for using the Perspective tab:
•Set all angles to 0 for a front view of the chart. Pie charts and donut charts are
shown as circles.
•With Right-angled axes enabled, you can rotate the chart contents only in the X
and Y direction; that is, parallel to the chart borders.
82 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
•An x value of 90, with y and z set to 0, provides a view from the top of the
chart. With x set to –90, the view is from the bottom of the chart.
•The rotations are applied in the following order: x first, then y, and z last.
•When shading is enabled and you rotate a chart, the lights are rotated as if
they are fixed to the chart.
•The rotation axes always relate to the page, not to the chart’s axes. This is
different from some other chart programs.
•Select the Perspective option to view the chart in central perspective as
through a camera lens instead of using a parallel projection.
•Set the focus length in the box next to the Perspective option (it becomes
active when you select the option). 100% gives a perspective view where a far
edge in the chart looks approximately half as big as a near edge.
Appearance
Use the Appearance page to modify some aspects of a 3D chart’s appearance.
Figure 77: Modifying appearance of 3D chart
Select a scheme from the list box. When you select a scheme, the options and the
light sources are set accordingly. If you select or deselect a combination of options
that is not given by the Realistic or Simple schemes, you can create a Custom
scheme.
Select Shading to use the Gouraud method for rendering the surface, which applies
gradients for a smoother, more realistic look. Otherwise, a flat method is used. The
flat method sets a single color and brightness for each polygon. The edges are visible,
soft gradients and spot lights are not possible. Refer to the Draw Guide for more
details on shading.
Select Object Borders to draw lines along the edges.
Select Rounded Edges to smooth the edges of box shapes. In some cases this option
is not available.
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 83
Illumination
Use the Illumination page (Figure 78) to set the light sources for the 3D view. Refer
to the Draw Guide for more details on setting the illumination.
Click any of the eight buttons to switch a directed light source on or off. By default,
the second light source is switched on. It is the first of seven normal, uniform light
sources. The first light source projects a specular light with highlights.
For the selected light source, you can then choose a color and intensity in the list just
below the eight buttons. The brightness values of all lights are added, so use dark
colors when you enable multiple lights.
Figure 78: Setting the illumination
Each light source always points at the middle of the object initially. To change the
position of the light source, use the small preview inside this page. It has two sliders
to set the vertical and horizontal position of the selected light source.
The button in the corner of the small preview switches the internal illumination
model between a sphere and a cube.
Use the Ambient light list to define the ambient light which shines with a uniform
intensity from all directions.
Rotating 3D charts interactively
In addition to using the Perspective page of the 3D View dialog to rotate 3D charts,
you can also rotate them interactively.
Select the Chart Wall, then hover the mouse pointer over a corner handle or the
rotation symbol found in the middle of the chart’s information grid. The cursor
changes to a rotation icon.
Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the corner in the direction you wish. A
dashed outline of the chart is visible while you drag, to help you see how the result
will look.
84 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Formatting the chart elements
Depending on the purpose of your document, for example a screen presentation or a
printed document for a black and white publication, you might wish to use more
detailed control over the different chart elements to give you what you need.
To format an element, left-click on the element that you wish to change, for example
one of the axes. The element will be highlighted with green squares. Then, right-click
and choose an item from the context menu. Each chart element has its own selection
of items. In the next few sections, we explore some of those options.
Formatting axes and inserting grids
Sometimes you need to have a special scale for one of the axes of your chart, or you
need smaller grid intervals, or you want to change the formating of the labels on the
axis. After highlighting the axis you wish to change, right-click and choose one of the
items from the pop-up menu.
Choosing Format > Axis > X Axis or Format > Axis > Y Axis opens the dialog
shown in Figure 79, which in this case is the Scale tab. The fields available on this
dialog depend on the type of chart and whether it is 2D or 3D.
On the Scale tab, you can choose a logarithmic or linear scale (default), how many
marks you need on the line, where the marks are to appear and the increments
(intervals) of the scale. You must first deselect the Automatic option in order to
modify the value for any scale. Selecting the Reverse direction radial creates a
backwards representation of the chart.
On the Label tab (Figure 80), you can choose whether to show or hide the labels and
how to handle them when they won’t all fit neatly into one row (for example, if the
words are too long).
Not shown here are the tabs with options for choosing a font and specific font effects,
formatting the lines, positioning the elements of the line and interval marks, and
selecting effects relating to Asian Typography if this function has been activated in
Tools > Options > Languages.
Figure 79: Formatting axis scales
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 85
Figure 80: Formatting axis labels
Formating data labels
You can choose properties for the labels of the data series. Carefully click on the
chart element, then right-click and choose the property you want to change.
Choosing the command Format Data Labels opens a dialog with several tabs where
you can change the color of the label text, the size of the font, and other attributes.
The Data Label tab is shown in Figure 72.
On the Data Label tab, you can choose whether to:
•Show the labels as text
•Show numeric values as a percentage or a number
•Include the legend box as part of the label
The text for labels is taken from the column labels and it cannot be changed here. If
the text needs to be abbreviated, or if it did not label your graph as you were
expecting, you need to change it in the original data table.
Hierarchical axis labels
Multiple columns of categories are now displayed in a hierarchical manner at the axis
as shown. To get that automatically while creating a chart, make sure that all the first
columns (or rows) contain text and not only numbers. You can also choose to set the
ranges for categories to multiple columns on the Data Series page in the Wizard or
the Data Ranges dialog.
86 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Choosing and formatting symbols
In line and scatter charts the symbols representing the points can be changed to a
different symbol shape or color through the object properties dialog. Select the data
series you wish to change, right-click, and choose Format Data Series from the
context menu. You can reach this dialog by double-clicking the area of data you would
like to change.
On the Line tab of the Data Series dialog, in the Icon section, choose from the drop-
down list Select > Symbols. Here you can choose no symbol, a symbol from an
inbuilt selection, a more exciting range from the gallery, or if you have pictures you
need to use instead, you can insert them using Select > From file.
Figure 81: Symbol selection
Adding drawing objects to charts
(New in OOo 3.3) As in the other OOo components, you can use the drawing toolbar
to add simple shapes such as lines, rectangles, and text objects, or more complex
shapes such as symbols or block arrows. This toolbar is located at the bottom of the
screen and automatically appears when a chart is generated. Use these additional
shapes to add explanatory notes to your chart as demonstrated in the figure below.
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 87
To format the drawing objects, right-click and choose your changes from the context
menu.
Resizing and moving the chart
You can resize or move all elements of a chart at the same time, in two ways:
interactively or by using the Position and Size dialog. You may wish to use a
combination of both methods: interactive for quick and easy changes, then the dialog
for precise sizing and positioning.
To resize a chart interactively:
1) Click once on the chart to select it. Green sizing handles appear around the
chart.
2) To increase or decrease the size of the chart, click and drag one of the markers
in one of the four corners of the chart. To maintain the correct ratio of the
sides, hold the Shift key down while you click and drag.
To move a chart interactively:
1) Click on the chart to select it. Green sizing handles appear around the chart.
2) Hover the mouse pointer anywhere over the chart. When it changes to the
move icon, click and drag the chart to its new location.
3) Release the mouse button when the element is in the desired position.
Using the Position and Size dialog
To resize or move a chart using the Position and Size dialog:
1) Click on the chart to select it. Green sizing handles appear around the chart.
2) Right-click and choose Position and Size from the pop-up menu.
3) Make your choices on this dialog.
Figure 82: Defining the position and size of an object
88 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Position is defined as a X,Y coordinate relative to a fixed point (the base point),
typically located at the upper left of the document. You can temporarily change this
base point to make positioning or dimensioning simpler (click on the spot
corresponding to the location of the base point in either of the two selection windows
on the right side of the dialog—upper for positioning or lower for dimensioning).
The possible base point positions correspond to the handles on the selection frame
plus a central point. The change in position lasts only as long as you have the dialog
open; when you close this dialog, Calc resets the base point to the standard position.
Tip The Keep ratio option is very useful. Select it to keep the ratio of width
to height fixed while you change the size of an object.
Either or both the size and position can be protected so that they cannot be
accidentally changed. Select the appropriate options.
Tip If you cannot move an object, check to see if its position is protected.
Gallery of chart types
Its important to remember that while your data can be presented with a number of
different charts, the message you want to convey to your audience dictates the chart
you ultimately use. The following sections present examples of the types of charts
that Calc provides, with some of the tweaks that each sort can have and some notes
as to what purpose you might have for that chart type. For further details, see the
OpenOffice.org Help index.
Column charts
Column charts are commonly used for data that shows trends over time. They are
best for charts that have a relatively small number of data points. (For a larger time
series, a line chart would be better.) It is the default chart type, as it is one of the
most useful charts and the easiest to understand.
Bar charts
Figure 83: Three bar graph treatments.
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 89
Bar charts are excellent for giving an immediate visual impact for data comparison in
cases when time is not an important factor, for example when comparing the
popularity of a few products in a marketplace.
•The first chart in Figure 83 is achieved quite simply by using the chart wizard
with Insert > Grids, deselecting y-axis, and using Insert > Mean Value
Lines.
•The second chart in the figure is the 3D option in the chart wizard with a
simple border and the 3D chart area twisted around.
•The third chart in the figure is an attempt to get rid of the legend and put
labels showing the names of the companies on the axis instead. We also
changed the colors to a hatch pattern.
Pie charts
Pie charts are excellent when you need to compare proportions. For example, a pie
chart would be ideal if you needed to figure out comparisons of departmental
spending, what the department spent on different items or what different
departments spent. These charts work best with smaller numbers of values, no more
than about half a dozen. Any more than this and the visual impact starts to fade.
As the Chart Wizard guesses the series that you wish to include in your pie chart, you
might need to adjust this initially on the Wizard’s Data Ranges page if you know you
want a pie chart or by using the Format > Data Ranges > Data Series dialog.
You can do some interesting things with a pie chart, especially if you make it into a
3D chart. It can then be tilted, given shadows, and generally turned into a work of
art.
You can choose an option in the Chart Wizard to explode the pie chart, but this is an
all-or-nothing option. If your aim is to accentuate one piece of the pie, you can
separate out one piece by carefully highlighting it after you have finished with the
Chart Wizard, and dragging it out of the group. When you do this, you might need to
enlarge the chart area again to regain the original size of the pieces.
Figure 84: Pie charts
The effects achieved in Figure 84 are explained below.
•The first example is a 2D pie chart with one part of the pie exploded. To produce
this type of chart, first choose Insert > Legend and deselect Display legend.
Choose Insert > Data Labels and choose Show value as number. Then carefully
select the piece you wish to highlight, move the cursor to the edge of the piece and
click (the piece will have nine green highlight squares to mark it), and then drag it
90 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
out from the rest of the pieces. The pieces will decrease in size, so you need to
highlight the chart wall and drag it at a corner to increase the size.
•The second example is a 3D pie chart with realistic schema and illumination. With
a completed 2D pie chart, choose Format > 3D view > Illumination where you can
change the direction of the light, the color of the ambient light, and the depth of the
shade. We also adjusted the 3D angle of the disc in the Perspective dialog on the
same set of tabs.
The chart updates as you make changes, so you can immediately see the effects.
If you want to separate out one of the pieces, click on it carefully; you should see a
wire frame highlight. Drag it out with the mouse and then, if necessary, increase the
size of the chart wall.
•The third example is a 3D pie chart with different fill effects in each portion of the
pie. Choose Insert > Data labels and select Show value as percentage. Carefully
select each of the pieces so that it has a wire frame, then highlight and right-click to
get the object properties dialog. Choose the Area tab. For one of the pieces we chose
a bitmap effect, for another we selected a gradient feature and for the third we used
the Transparency tab and adjusted the transparency to 50%.
Donut charts
Donut charts are a variation on the pie chart. To create one, choose Pie in the Chart
Type dialog, and choose the third or fourth type of pie chart. For more variety,
consider selecting 3D Look.
Figure 85: Choosing a donut chart
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 91
Figure 86: Examples of donut charts
Area charts
An area chart is a version of a line or column graph. It may be useful where you wish
to emphasize volume of change. Area charts have a greater visual impact than a line
chart, but the data you use will make a difference.
Figure 87: Area charts—the good, the bad, and the ugly
As shown in Figure 87, an area chart is sometimes tricky to use. This may be one
good reason to use transparency values in an area chart. After setting up the basic
chart using the Chart Wizard, do the following:
•Right-click on the y-axis and choose Delete Major Grid. As the data overlaps,
some of it is is lost behind the first data series. This is not what you want. A
better solution is shown in the highlighted chart below and is explained in the
next point.
•After deselecting the y-axis grid, right-click on each data series in turn and
choose Format Data Series. On the Transparency tab, set Transparency to
50%. The transparency makes it easy to see the data hidden behind the first
data series. Now, right-click on the x-axis and choose Format Axis. On the
Label tab, choose Tile in the Order section and set the Text orientation to 55
degrees. This places the long labels at an angle.
•To create the third variation, after doing the steps above, right-click and
choose Chart Type. Choose the 3D Look option and select Realistic from the
drop-down list. We also twisted the chart area around and gave the chart wall
92 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
a picture of the sky. As you can see, the legend turns into labels on the z-axis.
But overall, though it is visually more appealing, it is more difficult to see the
point you are trying to make with the data.
Other ways of visualizing the same data series are represented by the stacked area
chart or the percentage stacked area chart.
Figure 88: Stacked and percentage stacked area charts
The first does what it says: each number of each series is added to the others so that
it shows an overall volume but not a comparison of the data. The percentage stacked
chart shows each value in the series as a part of the whole. For example in June all
three values are added together and that number represents 100%. The individual
values are a percentage of that. Many charts have varieties which have this option.
Line charts
A line chart is a time series with a progression. It is ideal for raw data, and useful for
charts with plentiful data that show trends or changes over time where you want to
emphasize continuity. On line charts, the x-axis is ideal to represent time series data.
Figure 89: Line charts
Scatter or XY charts
Scatter charts are great for visualizing data that you have not had time to analyze,
and they may be the best for data when you have a constant value against which to
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 93
compare other data. Examples of good scatter charts might include weather data,
reactions under different acidity levels, conditions at altitude or any data which
matches two series of numeric data. In contrast to line charts, the x-axis is to the left
of the right labels, which usually indicates a time series.
Scatter charts may surprise those unfamiliar with how they work. While constructing
the chart, if you choose Data Range > Data series in rows, the first row of data
represents the x-axis. The rest of the rows of data are then compared against the first
row data. Figure 90 shows a comparison of three currencies with the Japanese Yen.
Even though the table presents the monthly series, the chart does not. In fact the
Japanese Yen does not appear; it is merely used as the constant series that all the
other data series are compared against.
Figure 90: A particularly volatile time in the world currency market.
Bubble charts
A bubble chart is a variation of a scatter chart in which the data points are replaced
with bubbles. It shows the relations of three variables in two dimensions. Two
variables are used for the position on the X-axis and Y-axis, while the third is shown
as the relative size of each bubble. One or more data series can be included in a
single chart.
Bubble charts are often used to present financial data. The data series dialog for a
bubble chart has an entry to define the data range for the bubbles and their sizes.
94 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 91: Bubble chart showing three data series
Net charts
A net chart is similar to a polar or radar chart. It is useful for comparing data that is
not a time series but shows different circumstances, such as variables in a scientific
experiment or direction. The poles of the net chart are equivalent to the y-axes of
other charts. Generally, between three and eight axes are best; any more and this
type of chart becomes confusing. Before and after values can be plotted on the same
chart, or perhaps expected and real results, so that differences can be compared.
Figure 92 shows two types of net charts:
•(Left): A plain net chart without grids or lines, only points.
•(Right): A net chart with lines, points and a grid. Axes colors and labels have
been changed. The chart area color has been changed with a gradient effect.
The points on this graph have been changed to fancy 3D spheres.
Figure 92: Two net diagrams showing totally fabricated data from totally fictional
experiments.
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 95
Other varieties of a net chart can be made to show the data series as stacked
numbers or stacked percentages. The series can also be filled with a color (Figure
93). Partial transparency is often best for showing all the series all at once.
Figure 93: Filled net or radar chart
Stock charts
A stock chart is a specialized column graph specifically for stocks and shares. You can
choose traditional lines, candlestick, and two-column type charts. The data required
for these charts is quite specialized, with series for opening price, closing price and
high and low prices. In this type of chart, the x-axis represents a time series.
When you set up a stock chart in the Chart Wizard, the Data Series dialog is very
important. You need to tell it which series represents the opening price, the closing
price, the high and low price of the stock, and so on.
Figure 94: Adjusting data series for stock charts.
A nice touch is that OpenOffice.org stock charts color-code the rising and falling
shares: white for rising and black for falling in the candlestick chart and red and blue
in the traditional line chart.
96 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Column and line charts
A column and line chart is a combination of two other chart types. It is useful for
combining two distinct but related data series like sales over time (column) with a
profit margin trends (line).
You can choose the number of columns and lines in the Chart Wizard. So for example
you might have two columns with two lines to represent two product lines with the
sales figures and profit margins of both.
The chart in Figure 95 has manufacturing cost and profit data for two products, over
a period of time (six months in 2007). To create this chart, first highlight the table
and start the Chart Wizard. Choose the Column and Line chart type with two lines
and the data series in rows. Then give it a title to highlight the aspect you want to
show. The lines are different colors at this stage and don’t reflect the product
relationships. When you finish with the Chart Wizard, highlight the chart, click on the
line, right-click and chose Format Data Series.
On this tab there are a few things to change: The colors should match the products so
both Ark Manufacturing and its profit line are blue and Prall Manufacturing is red.
The lines need to be more noticeable so make the lines thicker by increasing the
width to 0.08.
Figure 95: Column and line chart
For the background, highlight the chart wall, right-click and choose Format Wall. On
the Area tab, change the drop-down box to show Gradient. Choose one of the preset
gradient patterns and make it lighter by going to the Transparency tab and making
the gradient 50% transparent.
To make the chart look cleaner without the grid, go to Insert > Grids and deselect
the X-axis option.
Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs 97
Chapter 4
Using Styles and
Templates in Calc
Bringing uniformity to your spreadsheets
What is a template?
A template is a model that you use to create other documents. For example, you can
create a template for invoices that has your company’s logo and address at the top of
the page. New spreadsheets created from this template will all have your company’s
logo and address on the first page.
Templates can contain anything that regular documents can contain, such as text,
graphics, styles, and user-specific setup information such as measurement units,
language, the default printer, and toolbar and menu customization.
All documents in OpenOffice.org are based on templates. You can create, or download
and install, as many templates as you wish. If you do not specify a template when you
start a new a new spreadsheet, the new spreadsheet is based on the default template
for spreadsheets. If you have not specified a default template, OOo uses the blank
spreadsheet template that is installed with OOo. See “Setting a default template” on
page 113.
What are styles?
A style is a set of formats that you can apply to selected elements in a document to
quickly change their appearance. When you apply a style, you apply a whole group of
formats at the same time.
Many people manually format spreadsheet cells and pages without paying any
attention to styles. They are used to formatting documents according to physical
attributes. For example, for the contents of a cell you might specify the font family,
font size, and any formatting such as bold or italic.
Styles are logical attributes. Using styles means that you stop saying “font size 14pt,
Times New Roman, bold, centered”, and you start saying “Title” because you have
defined the “Title” style to have those characteristics. In other words, styles means
that you shift the emphasis from what the text (or page, or other element) looks like,
to what the text is.
Styles help improve consistency in a document and can greatly speed up formatting.
They also make major formatting changes easy. For example, you may decide to
change the appearance of all subtotals in your spreadsheet to be 10 pt. Arial instead
of 8 pt. Times New Roman after you have created a 15-page spreadsheet; you can
change all of the subtotals in the document by simply changing the properties for the
subtotal style.
Page styles assist with printing, so you don’t need to define margins, headers and
footers, and other printing attributes each time you print a spreadsheet.
Types of styles in Calc
While some components of OOo offer many style types, Calc offers only two:
•Cell styles include fonts, alignment, borders, background, number formats (for
example, currency, date, number), and cell protection.
•Page styles include margins, headers and footers, borders and backgrounds,
and the sequence for printing sheets. The page size, orientation, and other
attributes of a page style apply only when a spreadsheet is printed; they are
not displayed onscreen.
Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc 99
Cell styles
Similar to paragraph styles in OOo Writer, cell styles are the most basic type of style
in Calc. You can apply a cell style to a cell and that cell will follow the formatting
rules of the style. Five cell styles are supplied with OOo: Default, Heading, Heading1,
Result, and Result2.
Initially, the styles are configured so that if you change the font family of Default,
then all of the other styles will change to match. We will discuss how to set this up in
“Creating new (custom) styles” on page 106. The five standard styles can be seen in
use in Figure 96.
Figure 96: Calc cell style types
Page styles
Page styles in Calc are applied to sheets. Although one sheet may print on several
pages (pieces of paper), only one page style can be applied to a sheet. If a
spreadsheet file contains more than one sheet, the different sheets can have different
page styles applied to them. So, for example, a spreadsheet might contain one sheet
to be printed in landscape orientation (using the Default page style) and another
sheet to be printed in portrait orientation (using the Report page style).
Two page styles are supplied with Calc: Default and Report. The major difference
between these two styles is that Report is portrait-oriented and Default is landscape-
oriented. You can adjust many settings using page styles. You can also define as many
page styles as you wish.
Because spreadsheets are primarily used onscreen and not printed, Calc does not
display the page style on the screen. If you want a spreadsheet to fit on a certain
page size, you have to carefully control the column width and row height, with only
File > Page Preview to guide you.
Despite this limitation, it’s well worth defining page styles for any spreadsheets that
you are likely to print. Otherwise, if a need for printing does arise, you may lose time
to trial and error.
Accessing styles
The main way to access styles is through the Styles and Formatting window (shown in
Figure 97). You can open this window in several ways.
•Keyboard: Press the F11 key.
100 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
•Menu: Choose Format > Styles and Formatting.
•Toolbar: Click the icon on the far left of the Formatting toolbar.
The Styles and Formatting window can be docked at the left or right of the main Calc
window. To dock or undock the window, hold down the Ctrl key and double-click a
gray part of the window next to the icons at the top.
The first button on the top left of the window, , is for cell styles and the second,
, is for page styles.
Figure 97: Styles and Formatting window
Applying cell styles
Calc provides several ways to apply cell styles:
•Using the Styles and Formatting window
•Using Fill Format mode
•Using the Apply Style list
•Assigning styles to shortcut keys
Using the Styles and Formatting window
1) Ensure the Styles and Formatting window is open by pressing F11 or by
selecting Format > Styles and Formatting. Choose the Cell Styles list by
clicking the icon.
2) Highlight the cell or group of cells to which the styles should be applied.
3) Double-click on the cell style name.
Using Fill Format mode
This method is quite useful when you need to apply the same style to many scattered
cells.
1) Open the Styles and Formatting window and select the style you want to apply.
2) Click the Fill Format mode icon . The mouse pointer changes to this icon.
Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc 101
3) Position the moving icon on the cell to be styled and click the mouse button.
4) To quit Fill Format mode, click the Fill Format mode icon again or close the
Styles and Formatting window.
Caution When this mode is active, a right-click anywhere in the document
undoes the last Fill Format action. Be careful not to accidentally right-
click and thus undo actions you want to keep.
Using the Apply Style list
You can also add an Apply Style drop-down list to the Formatting toolbar and select a
style from the list to apply it to the selected cells:
1) Click the down-arrow at the right-hand end of the Formatting toolbar. On the
drop-down menu, click Visible Buttons.
Figure 98: Adding an Apply Style list to the Formatting toolbar
2) On the submenu, click Apply Style. The menus close and the Apply Style list
now appears on the toolbar between the Styles and Formatting icon and the
Font Name list.
Assigning styles to shortcut keys
You can create keyboard shortcuts to apply commonly-used cell or page styles,
including custom styles that you have created. See Chapter 14 (Setting up and
Customizing Calc) for instructions.
Applying page styles
1) Select the sheet to be styled (click on its sheet tab at the bottom of the screen).
2) In the Styles and Formatting window, choose the Page Styles list by clicking
the icon. Double-click on the required page style.
102 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
To find out which page style is in use for a selected sheet, look in status bar.
Figure 99: Status bar showing location of page style information below
the sheet tabs.
Modifying styles
To modify a style, right-click on its name in the Styles and Formatting window and
choose Modify. Make the changes in the Style dialog and click OK to save the
changes.
You can also modify a current cell style by selecting an already formatted cell and
clicking the Update Style button on the top right hand corner of the Styles and
Formatting window.
Style organizer
Right click on the name of a style in the Styles and Formatting window and click
Modify to open a Style dialog similar to the one shown in Figure 100.
The Style dialog has several tabs. The Organizer tab, shown in Figure 100 for cell
styles, is found in all components of OOo. It provides basic information about the
style. The Organizer tab for page styles is similar to the one shown for cell styles.
Figure 100: Organizer tab of Cell Style dialog
Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc 103
Name
This is the style’s name. You cannot change the name of a built-in style, but you
can change the name of a custom style.
Linked with
This option is only available for cell styles; page styles cannot be linked. If you link
cell styles, then when you change the base style (for example, by changing the
font from Times to Helvetica), all the linked styles will change as well. Sometimes
this is exactly what you want; other times you do not want the changes to apply to
all the linked styles. It pays to plan ahead.
For example, you can make a new style called red, in which the only change you
want to make is for the cell text to be red. In order to make sure that the rest of
the text characteristics are the same as the default style, you can link red with
default. Then, any changes you make to default will be automatically applied to
red.
Category
In Calc, the only option in this drop-down box is Custom styles.
Cell style options
When editing or creating cell styles, you can set several options, which are similar to
those for directly formatting cells. A more detailed coverage of cell formatting is
given in Chapter 2 (Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data). A brief summary is
provided here.
Numbers
On the Numbers tab, you can control the behavior of the data in a cell with this style.
This includes specifying the type of data, the number of decimal places, and the
language.
Font
Use the Font tab to choose the font for the cell’s contents.
Font effects
The Font Effects tab offers more font options including underlining, strikethrough,
and color.
Alignment
Use the Alignment tab to set the horizontal and vertical alignment for the data in the
cells, and rotate the text.
Borders
Use the Borders tab to set the borders for the cells, along with a shadow.
Background
Use the Background tab to choose the background color for a cell.
104 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Cell protection
Use the Cell Protection options to protect cells against certain types of editing.
Page style options
Several of the page style options are described in more detail in Chapter 6 (Printing,
Exporting, and E-mailing), because manually formatting a sheet at print time (using
Format > Page) actually modifies the page style.
Page
Use the Page tab to edit the overall appearance of the page and its layout. The
available options are shown in Figure 101.
Figure 101: Page Style: Page tab
Paper format
Here you can set a generic paper type to be used. Letter or A4 are most common,
but you can also use legal, tabloid, envelope sizes, or user-defined paper types.
You can also define the orientation of the page and which print tray for the paper
to come from (if your printer has more than one tray).
Margins
Here you can set the margins for the page.
Layout settings: Page layout
Here you can specify whether to apply the formatting to right (odd) pages only,
left (even) pages only, or both right and left pages that use the current page style.
Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc 105
Mirrored formats the pages as if you want to bind the printed pages like a book.
The first page of a document is assumed to be an odd page.
Layout settings: Format
This area specifies the page numbering style for this page style.
Layout settings: Table alignment
This option specifies the alignment options for the cells on a printed page, either
horizontal or vertical.
Borders
The Border and Background tabs for pages duplicate the tabs of the same name on
cell styles, and are over-ridden by the cell style or manual settings. You may choose
to ignore the Border and Background tabs altogether in page styles. Both tabs are
illustrated with helpful diagrams.
Similar to formatting a cell style, use the Borders tab to choose whether the page
should have borders, how large the borders should be, and how far the text will be
from the borders.
Background
Use this tab to specify the background for this page style. You can apply either a solid
color or a picture as a background.
Header
Use this tab to design and apply the header for this page style. For more detailed
instructions on how to format the header, see Chapter 6 (Printing, Exporting, and E-
mailing).
Footer
Use this tab to design and apply the footer for this page style. For more detailed
instructions on how to format the footer, see Chapter 6.
Sheet
By far the most important settings for Calc page styles are on the Sheet tab. Although
the Sheet tab includes an option that sets the first page option, most of its settings
involve exactly how your spreadsheet will print. See Chapter 6.
Creating new (custom) styles
You may want to add some new styles. You can do this in two ways:
•Creating a new style using the Style dialog
•Creating a new style from a selection
Note
New styles apply only to this document; they are not saved in the
template. To save new styles in a template, see “Copying and moving
styles“ on page 107 and “Creating a template” on page 110.
106 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Creating a new style using the Style dialog
To create a new style using the Style dialog, right-click in the Styles and Formatting
window and choose New from the pop-up menu.
(Cell styles only) If you want your new style to be linked with an existing style, first
select that style and then right-click and choose New.
If you link styles, then when you change the base style (for example, by changing the
font from Times to Helvetica), all the linked styles will change as well. Sometimes
this is exactly what you want; other times you do not want the changes to apply to all
the linked styles. It pays to plan ahead.
The dialogs and choices are the same for defining new styles and for modifying
existing styles.
Creating a new style from a selection
You can create a new cell style by copying an existing manual format.
1) Open the Styles and Formatting window and choose the type of style you want
to create.
2) In the document, select the formatted cell that you want to save as a style.
3) In the Styles and Formatting window, click on the New Style from Selection
icon .
4) In the Create Style dialog, type a name for the new style. The list shows the
names of existing custom styles of the selected type. Click OK to save the new
style.
Figure 102: Naming a new style created from a selection
Creating a new style by dragging and dropping
Select a cell and drag it to the Styles and Formatting window.
Copying and moving styles
To copy a style from one spreadsheet to another, or between a spreadsheet and a
template, instead of recreating it in the second spreadsheet, use the Template
Management dialog.
1) Click File > Templates > Organize.
Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc 107
2) In the Template Management dialog (Figure 103), set the lists at the bottom to
either Templates or Documents, as needed. The default is Templates on the left
and Documents on the right.
Figure 103: Choosing to copy styles from a document, not a template.
Tip
To copy styles from a file that is not open, click the File button. When
you return to this dialog, both lists show the selected file as well as all
the currently open documents.
3) Open the folders and find the templates from and to which you want to copy.
Double-click on the name of the template or document, and then double-click
the Styles icon to show the list of individual styles (Figure 104).
Figure 104: Copying a style from one document to another.
108 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
4) To copy a style, hold down the Ctrl key and drag the name of the style from
one list to the other.
5) Repeat for each style you want to copy. If the receiving template or document
has many styles, you may not see any change unless you scroll down in the list.
When you are finished, click Close.
Deleting styles
You cannot remove (delete) any of Calc’s predefined styles, even if you are not using
them.
You can remove any user-defined (custom) styles; but before you do, you should make
sure the styles are not in use. If an unwanted style is in use, you will want to replace
it with a substitute style.
Replacing styles (and then deleting the unwanted ones) can be very useful if you are
dealing with a spreadsheet that has been worked on by several people.
To delete unwanted styles, right-click on them (one at a time) in the Styles and
Formatting window and click Delete on the pop-up menu. Choose Yes in the
confirmation pop-up.
Creating a spreadsheet from a template
To create a spreadsheet from a template:
1) From the main menu, choose File > New > Templates and Documents. The
Templates and Documents dialog opens.
Figure 105: Templates and Documents dialog
2) In the box on the left, click the Templates icon if it is not already selected. A
list of template folders appears in the center box.
3) Double-click the folder that contains the template that you want to use. A list
of all the templates contained in that folder appears in the center box.
Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc 109
4) Select the template that you want to use. You can preview the selected
template or view the template’s properties:
•To preview the template, click the Preview icon. A preview of the
template appears in the box on the right.
•To view the template’s properties, click the Document Properties icon.
The template’s properties appear in the box on the right.
5) Click Open. The Templates and Documents dialog closes and a new document
based on the selected template opens in Calc. You can then edit and save the
new document just as you would any other document.
Creating a template
You can create a template from a document:
1) Open a new or existing document of the type you want to make into a template
(text document, spreadsheet, drawing, presentation).
2) Add the content and styles that you want.
3) From the main menu, choose File > Templates > Save. The Templates dialog
opens .
4) In the New template field, type a name for the new template.
5) In the Categories list, click the category to which you want to assign the
template. The category you choose has no effect on the template itself; it is
simply the folder in which you save the template. Choosing an appropriate
folder (category) makes it easier to find the template when you want to use it.
You may wish to create a folder for Calc templates.
To learn more about template folders, see “Organizing templates” on page 115.
6) Click OK to save the new template.
Figure 106: Saving a new template
Any settings that can be added to or modified in a document can be saved in a
template. For example, below are some of the settings (although not a full list) that
can be included in a Calc document and then saved as a template for later use:
•Printer settings: which printer, single sided / double sided, and paper size, and
so on
•Cell and page styles to be used
110 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Templates can also contain predefined text, saving you from having to type it every
time you create a new document. For example, an invoice template might contain
your company’s name, address and logo.
You can also save menu and toolbar customizations in templates; see Chapter 14
(Setting up and Customizing Calc) for more information.
Editing a template
You can edit a template’s styles and content, and then, if you wish, you can reapply
the template’s styles to documents that were created from that template. (Note that
you can only reapply styles. You cannot reapply content.)
To edit a template:
1) From the main menu, choose File > Templates > Organize. The Template
Management dialog opens.
Figure 107: Template management dialog
2) In the box on the left, double-click the folder that contains the template that
you want to edit. A list of all the templates contained in that folder appears
underneath the folder name.
3) Select the template that you want to edit.
4) Click the Commands button and choose Edit from the drop-down menu.
5) Edit the template just as you would any other document. To save your changes,
choose File > Save from the main menu.
Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc 111
Updating a spreadsheet from a changed template
The next time you open a spreadsheet that was created from the changed template,
the following message appears.
Figure 108: Update styles message
Click Update Styles to apply the template’s changed styles to the spreadsheet. Click
Keep Old Styles if you do not want to apply the template’s changed styles to the
spreadsheet (but see Caution notice below).
Caution If you choose Keep Old Styles in the message box shown in Figure 108,
that message will not appear again the next time you open the document
after changing the template it is based on. You will not get another
chance to update the styles from the template, although you can use the
macro given in the Note below to re-enable this feature.
Note To re-enable updating from a template:
1) Use Tools > Macros > Organize Macros > OpenOffice.org
Basic. Select the document from the list, click the expansion symbol
(+ or triangle), and select Standard. If Standard has an expansion
symbol beside it, click that and select a module.
2) If the Edit button is active, click it. If the Edit button is not active,
click New.
3) In the Basic window, enter the following:
Sub FixDocV3
' set UpdateFromTemplate
oDocSettings = ThisComponent.createInstance( _
"com.sun.star.document.Settings" )
oDocSettings.UpdateFromTemplate = True
End Sub 'FixDocV3
4) Click the Run BASIC icon, then close the Basic window.
5) Save the document.
Next time when you open this document you will have the update from
template feature back.
112 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Adding templates using the Extension Manager
The Extension Manager provides an easy way to install collections of templates,
graphics, macros, or other add-ins that have been “packaged” into files with a .OXT
extension. See Chapter 14 (Setting Up and Customizing Calc) for more about the
Extension Manager.
This Web page lists many of the available extensions:
http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/.
To install an extension, follow these steps:
1) Download an extension package and save it anywhere on your computer.
2) In OOo, choose Tools > Extension Manager from the menu bar. In the
Extension Manager dialog, click Add.
3) A file browser window opens. Find and select the package of templates you
want to install and click Open. The package begins installing. You may be
asked to accept a license agreement.
4) When the package installation is complete, the templates are available for use
through File > New > Templates and Documents and the extension is listed
in the Extension Manager.
Figure 109: Newly-added package of templates
Setting a default template
If you create a document by choosing File > New > Spreadsheet from the main
menu, OOo creates the document from the Default template for spreadsheets. You
can, however, set a custom template to be the default. You can reset the default later
if you choose.
Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc 113
Setting a custom template as the default
You can set any template to be the default, as long as it is in one of the folders
displayed in the Template Management dialog.
To set a custom template as the default:
1) From the main menu, choose File > Templates > Organize. The Template
Management dialog opens.
2) In the box on the left, select the folder containing the template that you want
to set as the default, then select the template.
3) Click the Commands button and choose Set As Default Template from the
drop-down menu.
The next time that you create a document by choosing File > New, the document will
be created from this template.
Resetting the default template
To re-enable OOo’s default template for a document type as the default:
1) In the Template Management dialog, click any folder in the box on the left.
2) Click the Commands button and choose Reset Default Template >
Spreadsheet from the drop-down menu.
The next time that you create a spreadsheet by choosing File > New, it will be
created from OOo’s default template for spreadsheets.
Associating a spreadsheet with a different template
At times you might want to associate a spreadsheet with a different template, or
perhaps you’re working with a spreadsheet that did not start from a template but you
now want it associated with a template.
One of the major advantages of using templates is the ease of updating styles in more
than one document, as described on page 112. If you update styles by copying them
from a different template (as described on page 107), the document has no
association with the template from which the styles were loaded—so you cannot use
this method. What you need to do is associate the document with the different
template.
For best results, the names of styles should be the same in the existing document and
the new template. If they are not, you will need to use Search and Replace to replace
the old styles with new ones. See Chapter 2 (Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data)
for more about replacing styles using Find and Replace.
1) Use File > New > Templates and Documents. Choose the template you
want. A new file, based on the template, opens. If the template has unwanted
text or graphics in it, delete them.
2) Open the spreadsheet you want to change. (It opens in a new window.) Press
Control+A to select everything in the spreadsheet.
3) Switch to the window containing the blank spreadsheet created in step 1, and
paste the content into that spreadsheet.
4) Save the file under a new name.
114 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Organizing templates
OOo can only use templates that are in OOo template folders. You can create new
OOo template folders and use them to organize your templates, and import templates
into those folders. For example, you might have one template folder for report
templates and another for letter templates. You can also export templates.
To begin, choose File > Templates > Organize from the main menu. The Template
Management dialog opens.
Note
All the actions made by the Commands button in the Template
Management dialog can be made as well by right-clicking on the
templates or the folders.
Creating a template folder
To create a template folder:
1) In the Template Management dialog, click any folder.
2) Click the Commands button and choose New from the drop-down menu. A
new folder called Untitled appears.
3) Type a name for the new folder, and then press Enter. OOo saves the folder
with the name that you entered.
Deleting a template folder
You cannot delete template folders supplied with OOo or installed using the
Extension Manager; you can only delete template folders that you have created.
To delete a template folder:
1) In the Template Management dialog, select the folder that you want to delete.
2) Click the Commands button and choose Delete from the drop-down menu. A
message box appears and asks you to confirm the deletion. Click Yes.
Moving a template
To move a template from one template folder to another template folder:
1) In the Template Management dialog, double-click the folder that contains the
template you want to move. A list of the templates contained in that folder
appears underneath the folder name.
2) Click the template that you want to move and drag it to the desired folder. If
you do not have the authority to delete templates from the source folder, this
action copies the template instead of moving it.
Deleting a template
You cannot delete templates supplied with OOo or installed using the Extension
Manager; you can only delete templates that you have created or imported.
Chapter 4 Using Styles and Templates in Calc 115
To delete a template:
1) In the Template Management dialog, double-click the folder that contains the
template you want to delete. A list of the templates contained in that folder
appears underneath the folder name.
2) Click the template that you want to delete.
3) Click the Commands button and choose Delete from the drop-down menu. A
message box appears and asks you to confirm the deletion. Click Yes.
Importing a template
If the template that you want to use is in a different location, you must import it into
an OOo template folder.
To import a template into a template folder:
1) In the Template Management dialog, select the folder into which you want to
import the template.
2) Click the Commands button and choose Import Template from the drop-
down menu. A standard file browser window opens.
3) Find and select the template that you want to import and click Open. The file
browser window closes and the template appears in the selected folder.
4) If you want, type a new name for the template, and then press Enter.
Exporting a template
To export a template from a template folder to another location:
1) In the Template Management dialog, double-click the folder that contains the
template you want to export. A list of the templates contained in that folder
appears underneath the folder name.
2) Click the template that you want to export.
3) Click the Commands button and choose Export Template from the drop-
down menu. The Save As window opens.
4) Find the folder into which you want to export the template and click Save.
116 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 5
Using Graphics in Calc
Graphics in Calc
Calc is often used to present data and make forecasts and predictions. Graphics can
turn an average document into a memorable one. Calc can import various vector (line
drawing) and raster (bitmap) file formats. The most commonly used graphic formats
are GIF, JPG, PNG, and BMP. See the Help for a full list of the formats OOo can
import.
Graphics in Calc are of three basic types:
•Image files, such as photos, drawings, and scanned images
•Diagrams created using OOo’s drawing tools
•Charts and graphs created using OOo’s Chart facility
This chapter covers images and diagrams. Charts are described in Chapter 3
(Creating Charts and Graphs).
Although using graphics in Calc is very similar to using graphics in any other
component of OOo, this chapter explains some of the differences in their use. It also
covers some of the more advanced graphics functions and how they can further
enhance your spreadsheet.
Note
The term graphics refers to both pictures and drawing objects. Often
the word images is used when referring to pictures and other graphics
that are not drawing objects.
Adding graphics (images)
Images (also called pictures in OOo), such as corporate logos and photographs of
people and products, are probably the most common types of graphics added to a
Calc document. They may be downloaded from the Internet, scanned, or created with
a graphics program; or they may be photos taken with a digital camera.
Images can be inserted in four ways:
•Using the Insert File dialog
•By dragging and dropping a supported file
•From the gallery
•From the clipboard by copying and pasting
Inserting an image file
Perhaps the most common way to insert graphics is to use an existing file.
To insert an image from a file, use either of the following methods:
•Insert Picture dialog
•Drag and drop
Insert Picture dialog
1) Click in the location in the Calc document where you want the image to
appear. Do not worry too much about the exact placement of the image at this
stage; placement can be changed easily as described in “Positioning graphics”
on page 133.
118 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
2) Choose Insert > Picture > From File from the menu bar, or click the Insert
Picture icon on the Picture toolbar).
3) On the Insert Picture dialog, navigate to the file to be inserted, select it, and
click Open.
Note
The picture is inserted into Calc floating above the cells and anchored to
the cell in which the cursor was placed. See “Positioning graphics” on
page 133 for more about positioning and anchoring graphics.
Figure 110: Inserting a picture from a file
At the bottom of the dialog are two options, Preview and Link. Select Preview to
view a thumbnail of the selected image on the right, so you can verify that you have
the correct file. The Link option is discussed on page 120. When the Link option is
not selected, the picture is embedded in the Calc document.
Note
Your Insert Picture dialog may look quite different from the one shown
here, depending on your operating system and your choice in Tools >
Options > OpenOffice.org > General of whether to use the OOo Open
and Save dialogs.
Drag and drop
1) Open a file browser window and locate the image you want to insert.
2) Drag the image into the Calc document and drop it where you want it to
appear. A faint vertical line marks where the image will be dropped. The
picture will be anchored to the cell where it was dropped.
This method always embeds (saves a copy of) the image file in the Calc document.
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 119
Linking an image file
To create a link to the file containing the image instead of saving a copy of the image
in the Calc document, use the Insert picture dialog and select the Link option. The
image is then displayed in the document, but when the document is saved, it contains
only a reference to the image file—not the image itself. The document and the image
remain as two separate files, which are merged temporarily only when you open the
document again.
Linking an image has two advantages and one disadvantage:
•Advantage – Linking can reduce the size of the document when it is saved,
because the image file itself is not included. The file size is usually not a
problem on a modern computer with a reasonable amount of memory, unless
the document includes many large graphics files. Calc can handle quite large
files.
•Advantage – You can modify the image file separately without changing the
document because the link to the file remains valid, and the modified image
will appear when you next open the document. This can be a big advantage if
you (or someone else, perhaps a graphic artist) is updating images.
•Disadvantage – If you send the document to someone else, or move it to a
different computer, you must also send the image files, or the receiver will not
be able to see the linked images. You need to keep track of the location of the
images and make sure the recipient knows where to put them on another
machine, so the Calc document can find them. For example, you might keep
images in a subfolder named Images (under the folder containing the Writer
document); the recipient of the Calc file needs to put the images in a subfolder
with the same name (under the folder containing the Writer document).
Note
When inserting the same image several times in the document, it might
appear beneficial to create links. However, this is not necessary, as
OOo embeds only one copy of the image file in the document. (Deleting
one or more of the copies does not affect the others.)
Embedding linked images
If you originally linked the images, you can easily embed (save in the Calc document)
one or more of them later if you wish. To do so:
1) Open the document in Calc.
2) Choose Edit > Links from the menu bar.
The Edit Links dialog shows all the linked files. In the Source file list, select
the files you want to change from linked to embedded.
3) Click the Break Link button.
4) Save the Calc document.
120 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 111: The Edit Links dialog
Note
Going the other way, from embedded to linked, is not so easy—you
must delete and reinsert each image, one at a time, selecting the Link
option when you do so.
Inserting an image from the clipboard
Using the clipboard, you can copy images into a Calc document from another Calc
document, from another component of OOo (Writer, Draw, and so on), and from other
programs.
To do this:
1) Open both the source document and the Calc document into which you want to
copy the image.
2) In the source document, select the image to be copied.
3) Press Control+C to copy the image to the clipboard.
4) Switch to the Calc window.
5) Click to place the cursor where the graphic is to be inserted.
6) Press Control+V to insert the image.
Caution If the application from which the graphic was copied is closed before the
graphic is pasted into Calc, the image stored on the clipboard could be
lost from the clipboard.
Inserting an image from the Gallery
The Gallery provides a convenient way to group reusable objects such as graphics
and sounds that you can insert into your documents.
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 121
The Gallery is available in all components of OOo. It does not come with many
graphics, but you can add your own pictures or find extensions containing more
graphics. The Gallery is explained in more detail in Chapter 11 (Graphics, the Gallery,
and Fontwork) in the Getting Started guide. For more about extensions, see Chapter
14 (Setting Up and Customizing Calc) in this book.
This section explains the basics of inserting a Gallery image into a Calc document.
1) To open the Gallery (Figure 112), click on the Gallery icon (located in the
right side of the Standard toolbar) or choose Tools > Gallery from the menu
bar.
2) Navigate through the Gallery to find the desired picture.
3) To insert the picture, either right-click on the picture and choose Insert >
Copy or click and drag the picture from the Gallery into the Calc document.
By default, the Gallery is docked above the Calc workspace. To expand the Gallery,
position the pointer over the line that divides it from the top of the workspace. When
the pointer changes to parallel lines with arrows, click and drag downward. The
workspace resizes in response.
Figure 112: Gallery in Calc
To expand the Gallery without affecting the workspace, undock it so it floats over the
workspace. To do so, hold down the Control key and double-click on the upper part of
the Gallery next to the View icons. Double-click in the same area while holding down
the Control key to dock it again (restore it to its position over the workspace).
When the Gallery is docked, to hide it and view the full Calc workspace, click the
Hide/Show button in the middle of the thin bar separating the Gallery from the
workspace.
122 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
To close the Gallery, choose Tools > Gallery to uncheck the Gallery entry, or click on
the Gallery icon again.
Modifying images
When you insert a new image, you may need to modify it to suit the document. This
section describes the use of the Picture toolbar, resizing, cropping, and a workaround
for rotating a picture. Changes made in Calc do not affect the original picture,
whether it is embedded or linked.
Calc provides many tools for working with images. These tools are sufficient for most
people’s everyday requirements. However, for professional results it is generally
better to use an image manipulation program such as GIMP to modify images (for
example, to crop, resize, rotate, and change color values) and then insert the result
into Calc. GIMP is an open-source graphics program that can be downloaded from
http://www.gimp.org/downloads/.
Using the Picture toolbar
When you insert an image or select one already present in the document, the Picture
toolbar appears. You can set it to always be present (View > Toolbars > Picture).
Picture control buttons from the Picture toolbar can also be added to the Standard
Toolbar. See Chapter 14 (Setting Up and Customizing Calc) for more information.
This toolbar can be either floating or docked. Figure 113 shows the Picture toolbar
when it is floating. A brief explanation of the tools is given in Table 3. See the Draw
Guide for a more detailed explanation.
Two other toolbars can be opened from this one: the Graphic Filter toolbar, which can
be torn off and placed elsewhere on the window, and the Color toolbar, which opens
as a separate floating toolbar.
From these three toolbars, you can apply small corrections to the graphic or obtain
special effects.
Figure 113: The Picture Toolbar
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 123
Table 3: Picture toolbar functions (from left to right)
Icon Name Behavior
From File Use of this icon is described in “Inserting an
image file” on page 118.
Filter Displays the Graphic Filter toolbar. See page
125.
Graphics Mode Provides several color modes in the drop-
down list. See page 125.
Color Opens the Color toolbar, described on page
126.
Transparency Sets the transparency of the selected image.
See page 126.
Line Adjusts the border style of the selected
image.
Area Fills an area with the selected color or
pattern.
Shadow Adds a drop shadow to the edges of the
picture.
Crop
Opens the Crop dialog, where you can
remove a selected part of the picture. See
page 126.
Anchor Toggles between anchoring the image to the
cell or to the page. See page 135.
Bring to Front Brings the selected image to the front of the
stack. See page 134.
Send to Back Pushes the selected image to the rear of the
stack. See page 134.
To Foreground /
Background
Allows image to float in the foreground or
makes it part of the background (behind the
cells). See page 134.
Alignment
If two or more pictures are selected, adjusts
the horizontal and vertical alignment of the
pictures in relation to each other. See page
136.
124 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Choosing a graphics mode
You can change color images to grayscale by selecting the image and then selecting
Grayscale from the Graphics mode list.
Table 4: Graphics modes
Graphics mode Behavior
Default Keeps the picture the same as it was inserted.
Grayscale Shows the picture in gradual shades of gray.
Black / White Converts the picture into a monochromatic black and white
image.
Watermark Makes the picture into a watermark that blends into the
background.
Using graphic filters
Click the Filter icon to display the Graphic Filter toolbar,
which provides options for applying basic photographic and effect
filters to images from within Calc. To “tear off” this toolbar and place
it anywhere on the screen, click on the three parallel lines and drag
it away.
Table 5: Graphic filters and their effects
Icon Name Behavior
Invert Inverts the colors in the picture like a negative.
Smooth Applies a Gaussian Blur to the image which softens edges.
Sharpen Sharpens the image.
Remove
Noise Applies crude noise reduction.
Solarization Reverses a portion of the tones, then produces pronounced
outlines of the highlights.
Aging Applies a Sepia filter.
Posterize
Opens a dialog to determine the number of poster colors.
This effect is based on the reduction of the number of colors.
It makes photos look like paintings.
Pop Art Applies a Pop Art style to the image.
Charcoal
Sketch Applies a Charcoal Sketch look to the image.
Relief
Displays a dialog for creating reliefs. The position of the
imaginary light source that determines the type of shadow
can be chosen.
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 125
Icon Name Behavior
Mosaic
Joins small groups of pixels into rectangular areas of the
same color. The larger the individual rectangles are, the
fewer details the graphic image has.
Caution
Applying OOo picture filters to any image consecutively will
progressively degrade the quality of the image. The picture filters used
in Calc utilize what is known as a Destructive Editing algorithm,
whereby each filter is applied to the image immediately, changing the
original data of the image. Successive transformations result in less
and less original data remaining, thus compromising the quality of the
inserted picture. While this might be acceptable for use in simple
documents, it is still recommended that dedicated photo or image
editing software be used to perform anything but the simplest of
manipulations.
Adjusting colors
Use the Color toolbar to adjust an image’s red, green, and blue
channels independently, as well as its brightness, contrast and
gamma.
Setting transparency
Modify the percentage value in the Transparency box on
the Picture toolbar to make the image more transparent. This is
particularly useful when creating a watermark or when wrapping an
image in the background.
Customizing lines, areas, and shadows
The Line, Area, and Shadow icons open dialogs where you can customize these
elements. Details are in the Draw Guide.
Cropping pictures
When you are only interested in a section of the image for the purpose of your
document, you may wish to crop (cut off) parts of it. The user interface in Calc for
cropping an image is not very friendly, so it may be a better choice to use a graphics
package.
Click the Crop icon to open a dialog where you can select which portion of the
image you want to remove.
It is not possible to use the mouse to select the area to be cropped, as you can in
Draw. Instead, in the Crop dialog, specify how far from the top, bottom, left and right
borders of the image the crop should be, as illustrated in Figure 114. On the
thumbnail in the figure, notice that the cropped selection is highlighted with an inner
rectangle.
126 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 114: The Crop dialog
On the Crop dialog, you can control the following parameters:
Keep scale / Keep image size
When Keep scale is selected (default), cropping the image does not change the
scale of the picture.
When Keep image size is selected, cropping enlarges (for positive cropping
values), shrinks (for negative cropping values), or distorts of the image so that the
image size remains constant.
Left, Right, Top, and Bottom
The image is cropped by the amount entered in these boxes. For example, a value
of 3cm in the Left box cuts 3 cm from the left side of the picture.
•When Keep scale is selected, the size of the image also changes, so in this
example the width will be reduced by 3 cm.
•When Keep image size is selected, the remaining part of the image is
enlarged (when you enter positive values for cropping) or shrunk (when you
enter negative values for cropping) so that the width and height of the image is
not changed.
Width and Height
The Width and Height fields under either Scale or Image size change as you enter
values in the Left, Right, Top, and Bottom fields. Use the thumbnail next to these
fields to determine the correct amount by which to crop.
The cropped shape is always a rectangle; more complex cropped shapes are not
possible in Calc. Instead, use a dedicated photo or image editing software for the job,
then import the image into Calc.
Note
If you crop an image in Calc, the picture itself is not changed. If you
export the document to HTML, the original image is exported, not the
cropped image.
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 127
Resizing an image
To resize an image.
1) Click the picture, if necessary, to show the green resizing handles.
2) Position the pointer over one of the green resizing handles. The pointer
changes shape giving a graphical representation of the direction of the
resizing.
3) Click and drag to resize the picture.
4) Release the mouse button when satisfied with the new size.
The corner handles resize both the width and the height of the graphic object
simultaneously, while the other four handles only resize one dimension at a time.
Tip
To retain the original proportions of the graphic, Shift+click one of the
corner handles, then drag. Be sure to release the mouse button before
releasing the Shift key.
Resizing a bit-mapped (raster) image such as a photograph adversely affects the
resolution, causing some degree of blurring. It is better to use a graphics package to
size your picture correctly before inserting it into your document, if possible.
For more accurate resizing, use the Position and Size dialog, described on page 129.
Rotating a picture
Calc does not provide a tool for rotating a picture, but you can use this workaround:
1) Open a new Draw or Impress document.
2) Insert the image you want to rotate.
3) Select the image, then in the Drawing toolbar (shown by default at the bottom
of the window in Impress and Draw), select the Rotate icon .
4) Rotate the image as desired. Use the red handles at the corners of the picture
and move the mouse in the direction you wish to rotate. By default the picture
rotates around its center (indicated by a black crosshair), but you can change
the pivot point by moving the black crosshair to the desired rotation center.
Tip To restrict the rotation angle to multiples of 15 degrees keep the Shift
key pressed while rotating the image.
5) Select the rotated picture by pressing Ctrl+A, then copy the image to the
clipboard with Ctrl+C.
6) Finish by going back to the Calc document, place the cursor where the image
is to be inserted, and press Ctrl+V.
Using the picture context menu
Many of the options accessible from the Picture toolbar can also be reached by right-
clicking on an image to pop up a context menu. Some additional options are only
available from the context menu; these are described in this section.
128 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Text
Opens a dialog where you can set the options for text that goes over a picture. To
write text over a graphic, click on the graphic to select it, and then press Enter. There
should be a cursor inside the graphic. Any text entered is part of the graphic, so if the
graphic is moved the text will move with it.
Position and Size
Opens the dialog shown below where you can change the size, location, rotation,
slant and corner radius of the image.
Figure 115: Position and Size dialog
Original Size
Resets the dimensions of the image to the values when it was originally inserted into
the document.
Description
You can add metadata in the form of a title and description to the image. This
information is used by accessibility tools (such as screen reader software) and as ALT
(alternative) attributes if you export the document to HTML.
Name
You can add a custom name to be assigned to the image, to make it easier to find in
the Navigator.
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 129
Tip
When collaborating with a team on a large, multi-page publication, it may
be beneficial to give graphics, figures, and other objects meaningful
names and descriptions to aid in clear communication.
Flip
Flips the image either horizontally or vertically.
Assign Macro
Adds programmable functionality to the image. Calc provides rich macro
functionality. Macros are introduced in Chapter 12 (Calc Macros).
Group
To group images:
1) Select one image, then hold down the Shift key and click in turn on each of the
others that you want to include in the group. The invisible “bounding box”
(with the 8 green handles) expands to include all the selected images.
2) With the images selected, choose Format > Group > Group from the menu
bar.
Or hover the mouse pointer over one of the images. When the pointer changes
shape from an arrow to a hand, right-click and choose Group > Group from
the pop-up menu.
Note You cannot include drawing objects in a group with pictures.
After images are grouped, the context menu provides other choices (Ungroup and
Edit Group) and the Format > Group menu includes Ungroup and Enter Group.
For more information about grouping, see the Draw Guide.
Using Calc’s drawing tools
Calc, like the other components of OOo, has a range of tools to create custom
drawings. This chapter covers the default options in Calc. For a more detailed
explanation of the drawing tools and their uses, see the Draw Guide.
In general, if you need to create complex drawings, it is recommended to use
OpenOffice.org Draw or another drawing program.
To begin using the drawing tools, choose View > Toolbars > Drawing. The Drawing
toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen. You can tear off this toolbar and move it
to a convenient place on the window.
Figure 116: The Drawing toolbar showing default icons
130 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Table 6: Drawing toolbar functions (from left to right)
Icon Name Behavior
Select Selects objects.
Line Draws a line.
Rectangle Draws a rectangle. To draw a square, hold down Shift
while you drag.
Ellipse Draws an ellipse. To draw a circle, hold down Shift
while you drag.
Freeform Line Draws a freeform line.
Text Draws a text box with no border.
Callouts Draws a line that ends in a rectangular callout.
Basic Shapes Opens the Basic Shapes toolbar.
Symbol Shapes Opens the Symbol Shapes toolbar.
Block Arrows Opens the Block Arrows toolbar of shapes.
Flowcharts Opens the Flowchart toolbar of shapes.
Callouts Opens the Callouts toolbar of shapes.
Stars Opens the Stars toolbar of shapes.
Points Allows editing of the points of a selected polygon.
Fontwork Gallery Opens the Fontwork Gallery.
From File Inserts a picture using the Insert Picture dialog.
Extrusion On/Off Opens the 3-D Setting toolbar and converts the
selected shape (if any) to 3-D.
To display other icons, click the down-arrow at the right-hand end of the toolbar,
select Visible Buttons, and then choose the tools you want to appear on the toolbar.
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 131
Icon Name Behavior
Polygon
Draws a line composed of a series of straight line
segments. Hold down the Shift key to position new
points at 45 degree angles.
Curve Draws a smooth Bézier curve.
Arc Draws an arc.
Ellipse Pie
Draws a filled shape that is defined by the arc of an
oval and two radius lines in the current document. To
draw a circle pie, hold down Shift while you drag.
Circle Segment
Draws a filled shape that is defined by the arc of a
circle and a diameter line in the current document.
To draw an ellipse segment, hold down Shift while
you drag.
Text Animation Inserts animated text.
If support for Asian languages has been enabled (in Tools > Options > Language
Settings > Languages), two more tools can be added to the Drawing toolbar:
Vertical Text and Vertical Callouts.
To use a drawing tool:
1) Click in the document where you want the drawing to be anchored. You can
change the anchor later, if necessary.
2) Select the tool from the Drawing toolbar (Figure 116). The mouse pointer
changes to a cross-hair pointer.
3) Move the cross-hair pointer to the place in the document where you want the
graphic to appear and then click-and-drag to create the drawing object.
Release the mouse button. (Some tools have other requirements; see the Help
or the Draw Guide for details.)
The selected drawing function remains active, so you can draw another object
of the same type.
4) To cancel the selected drawing function, press the Esc key or click on the
Select icon (the arrow) on the Drawing toolbar.
5) You can now change the properties (fill color, line type and weight, anchoring,
and others) of the drawing object using either the Drawing Object Properties
toolbar (Figure 117) or the choices and dialog boxes reached by right-clicking
on the drawing object.
Set or change properties for drawing objects
To set the properties for a drawing object before you draw it:
1) On the Drawing toolbar (Figure 116), click the Select tool.
2) On the Drawing Object Properties toolbar (Figure 117), click on the icon for
each property and select the value you want for that property.
3) For more control, or to define new attributes, you can click on the Area or
Line icons on the toolbar to display detailed dialogs.
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These default properties are applied only to the current document and session. They
are is not retained when you close the document, and they do not apply to any other
document. The defaults apply to all the drawing objects except text objects.
To change the properties for an existing drawing object, select the object and
continue as described above.
Other tools and methods for modifying and positioning graphics are described in
“Positioning graphics” below.
1Line 5Line Color 9Change Anchor 13 Alignment
2Arrow Style 6Area 10 Bring to Front
3Line Style 7Area Style / Filling 11 Send to Back
4Line Width 8Rotate 12 To Foreground / To Background
Figure 117. Drawing Object Properties toolbar
Resizing a drawing object
Select the object, click on one of the eight handles around it and drag it to its new
size. For a scaled resizing, select one of the corner handles and keep the Shift key
pressed while dragging the handle.
For more control of the size of the object, use the Position and Size dialog (see
“Position and Size” on page 129) to set the width and height independently. If the
Keep ratio option is selected, then the two dimensions change so that the proportion
is maintained, allowing for a scaled resizing.
Grouping drawing objects
To group drawing objects:
1) Select one object, then hold down the Shift key and select the others you want
to include in the group. The bounding box expands to include all the selected
objects.
2) With the objects selected, hover the mouse pointer over one of the objects and
choose Format > Group > Group from the menu bar or right-click and
choose Group > Group from the pop-up menu.
Note You cannot include an embedded or linked graphic in a group with
drawing objects.
Positioning graphics
Graphics can be positioned in OOo Calc to work together and build more complex
features.
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 133
Arranging graphics
Graphics in a Calc document are maintained in a similar manner to a deck of cards.
As you add more images to the document, each image occupies a new layer at the top
of the stack. To arrange graphics, you tell Calc to change the order of layers in the
stack.
Figure 118: Layering effect
Calc provides four basic options to re-arrange the order of images. These options can
be accessed from both the Picture toolbar and the picture context menu:
Bring to Front
Places the image on top of any other graphics or text.
Bring Forward
Brings the image one level up in the stack (z-axis). Depending on the number of
overlapping objects, you may need to apply this option several times to obtain the
desired result.
Send Backward
The opposite of Bring Forward; sends the selected image one level down in the
object stack.
Send to Back
Sends the selected graphic to the bottom of the stack, so that other graphics and
text cover it.
To Background and To Foreground
An image or a drawing object can be sent to the background as well. This is not
the same as Bring Forward and Send Backward, which set the order of a number
of overlapping graphics. This feature pushes a graphic behind the cells, allowing
cells to be edited without affecting the graphic.
A graphic in the background will have To Foreground as a menu item, instead of
To Background.
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Anchoring graphics
Anchors tell a graphic where to stay in relation to other items.
Anchor to page
Anchoring a graphic to the page allows it to be positioned in a specific place on
the page. The graphic does not move when cells are added or deleted. This is
equivalent to an absolute reference. The graphic will always stay by cell B10 if
that is where it is placed.
Anchor to cell
Anchoring a graphic to a cell ensures that the graphic always stays with the
content it is originally anchored to. If a graphic is anchored to cell B10, and a new
row is inserted, the graphic will then be anchored to cell B11. This is equivalent to
a relative reference.
For example, in Figure 119 the normal Otto and Tux picture is anchored To Cell B10
(XXX shows where the picture is anchored). The inverse Otto and Tux picture is
anchored to the page.
Figure 119: Anchoring 1
If two rows are inserted above the pictures, the normal picture (anchored to cell) will
shift down two rows and the anchor will change. The inverse picture (anchored to
page) will not move. This is illustrated in Figure 120. Note that the anchor symbol
and the XXX have moved down to cell B12.
.
Figure 120: Anchoring
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 135
Aligning graphics
You can align several graphics relative to each other. To do this:
1) Select all of the graphics to be aligned (Shift+click on each in turn). The
graphics will be surrounded by an invisible bounding box with 8 green
handles.
2) On the Picture toolbar, click on the Alignment icon and select one of the six
options.
Or, position the mouse pointer over any of the graphics. When the pointer
changes shape from an arrow to a hand, right-click and choose Alignment,
then select from the six options.
The six options include three for aligning the graphics horizontally (left, center, right)
and three for aligning the graphics vertically (top, center, bottom).
Creating an image map
An image map defines areas of an image (called hotspots) with hyperlinks to web
addresses, other files on the computer, or parts of the same document. Hotspots are
the graphic equivalent of text hyperlinks. Clicking on a hotspot causes Calc to open
the linked page in the appropriate program (for example, the default browser for an
HTML page; OOo Calc for a .ODS file; a PDF viewer for a PDF file). You can create
hotspots of various shapes, and include several hotspots in the same image.
To use the image map editor:
1) In your spreadsheet, select the picture where you want to define the hotspots.
2) Choose Edit > ImageMap from the menu bar. The ImageMap Editor (Figure
121) opens.
Figure 121: The dialog to create or edit an image map
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3) Use the tools and fields in the dialog (described below) to define the hotspots
and links necessary.
4) Click the Apply icon to apply the settings.
5) When done, click the Save icon to save the imagemap to a file, then click
the X in the upper right corner to close the dialog.
The main part of the dialog shows the image on which the hotspots are defined. A
hotspot is identified by a line indicating its shape.
The toolbar at the top of the dialog contains the following tools:
•Apply button: click this button to apply the changes.
•Load, Save, and Select icons.
•Tools for drawing a hotspot shape: these tools work in exactly the same way as
the corresponding tools in the Drawing toolbar.
•Edit, Move, Insert, Delete Points: advanced editing tools to manipulate the
shape of a polygon hotspot. Select the Edit Points tool to activate the other
tools.
•Active icon: toggles the status of a selected hotspot between active and
inactive.
•Macro: associates a macro with the hotspot instead of just associating an
hyperlink.
•Properties: sets the hyperlink properties and adds the Name attribute to the
hyperlink.
Below the toolbar, specify for the selected hotspot:
•Address: the address pointed by the hyperlink. You can also point to an anchor
in a document; to do this, write the address in this format:
file:///<path>/document_name#anchor_name
•Text: type the text that you want to be displayed when the mouse pointer is
moved over the hotspot.
•Frame: where the target of the hyperlink will open: pick among _blank (opens
in a new browser window), _self (opens in the active browser window), _top or
_parent.
Tip
The value _self for the target frame will work just fine in the vast majority
of occasions. It is therefore not recommended to use the other choices
unless absolutely necessary.
Chapter 5 Using Graphics in Calc 137
Chapter 6
Printing, Exporting, and
E-mailing
Quick printing
Click the Print File Directly icon to send the entire document to the default
printer defined for your computer.
Note
You can change the action of the Print File Directly icon to send the
document to the printer defined for the document instead of the default
printer for the computer. Choose Tools > Options > Load/Save >
General and select the Load printer settings with the document
option.
Controlling printing
For more control over printing, use the Print dialog (File > Print or Ctrl+P).
Figure 122. The Print dialog
The Print dialog has four tabs, from which you can choose a range of options, as
described in the following sections.
Note
The options selected on the Print dialog apply to this printing of this
document only.
To specify default printing settings for OOo, go to Tools > Options >
OpenOffice.org – Print and Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc –
Print. See Chapter 14 (Setting Up and Customizing Calc) for details.
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 139
Selecting general printing options
On the General tab of the Print dialog (Figure 122), you can choose:
•The printer (from the printers available)
•Which sheets and pages to print, the number of copies to print, and whether
to collate multiple copies (Range and copies section)
Select the Properties button to display a dialog where you can choose portrait or
landscape orientation, which paper tray to use, and the paper size to print on.
On the Options tab of the Print dialog (Figure 123), you can choose to print to a file
(instead of to a printer), to create a single print job containing several copies of the
document (instead of a separate print job for each copy), and whether to print in
reverse page order.
Figure 123: General print options
Printing multiple pages on a single sheet of paper
You can print multiple pages of a document on one sheet of paper. To do this:
1) In the Print dialog, select the Page Layout tab (Figure 124).
Figure 124: Printing multiple page per sheet of paper
2) In the Layout section, select from the drop-down list the number of pages to
print per sheet. The preview panel on the left of the Print dialog shows how the
printed document will look.
140 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
When printing more than 2 pages per sheet, you can choose the order in which
they are printing across and down the paper. The pictures above and below
show the difference.
3) In the Page sides section, select whether to print all pages or only some pages.
4) Click the Print button.
Selecting sheets to print
In addition to printing a full document, you can choose to print individual sheets,
ranges of sheets, or a selection of a document.
You can choose single sheets, multiple sheets, and selections of cells for printing.
Figure 125: Choosing what to print in Calc
Printing an individual sheet:
1) In the spreadsheet, click on the sheet tab to select the sheet you want to print.
2) Choose File > Print from the menu bar.
3) In the Ranges and copies section of the Print dialog, choose the Selected
sheets option.
4) Click the Print button.
Printing a range of sheets:
1) In the spreadsheet, select the sheets to print.
a) Select the first sheet.
b) Hold down the Control key.
c) Click on the additional sheet tabs.
d) Release the Control key when all required sheets are selected.
2) Choose File > Print from the menu bar.
3) In the Ranges and copies section of the Print dialog, choose the Selected
sheets option.
4) Click the Print button.
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 141
Printing a selection of cells:
1) In the document, select the section of cells to print.
a) Select the first cell.
b) Hold down the Control key.
c) Click on the additional desired cells.
d) Release the Control key when all required cells are selected.
2) Choose File > Print from the menu.
3) In the Ranges and copies section of the Print dialog, select the Selected cells
option.
4) Click the Print button.
Caution After printing, be sure to deselect the extra sheets. If you keep them
selected, the next time you enter data on one sheet, you enter data on
all the selected sheets. This might not be what you want.
Using print ranges
Print ranges have several uses, including printing only a specific part of the data or
printing selected rows or columns on every page.
Defining a print range
To define a new print range or modify an existing print range:
1) Highlight the range of cells that comprise the print range.
2) Choose Format > Print Ranges > Define.
The page break lines display on the screen.
Tip You can check the print range by using File > Page Preview. OOo will
only display the cells in the print range.
Adding to the print range
After defining a print range, you can add more cells to it. This allows multiple,
separate areas of the same sheet to be printed, while not printing the whole sheet.
After you have defined a print range:
1) Highlight the range of cells to be added to the print range.
2) Choose Format > Print Ranges > Add. This adds the extra cells to the print
range.
The page break lines no longer display on the screen.
Note The additional print range will print as a separate page, even if both
ranges are on the same sheet.
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Removing a print range
It may become necessary to remove a defined print range, for example if the whole
sheet needs to be printed later. Choose Format > Print Ranges > Remove. This
removes all defined print ranges on the sheet. After the print range is removed, the
default page break lines will appear on the screen.
Editing a print range
At any time, you can directly edit the print range, for example to remove or resize
part of the print range. Choose Format > Print Ranges > Edit. If you have already
selected a print range, the Edit Print Ranges dialog looks something like Figure 126.
Figure 126: Edit a print range
In this example, three sets of cells are selected, each separated by a semicolon. The
first set is in a rectangle from cell A3 ($A$3) in the top left to cell C9 ($C$9) in the
bottom right. Clicking anywhere in the text entry box shows the selected print range
on the screen, with each set highlighted in a different color, as in Figure 127.
Figure 127: Print range marked by colored boxes
When this dialog is open, you can manually change the data or select different
cells in the spreadsheet itself. If the dialog is covering the required cells, you
can move it aside or click the Shrink icon next to the text entry box, select the
required cells, then click the icon again to expand the dialog and redisplay the
rectangles with their new values.
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 143
Printing rows or columns on every page
If a sheet is printed on multiple pages, you can set up certain rows or columns to
repeat on each printed page.
For example, if the top two rows of the sheet as well as column A need to be printed
on all pages, do the following:
1) Choose Format > Print Ranges > Edit. On the Edit Print Ranges dialog, type
the rows in the text entry box under Rows to repeat. For example, to repeat
rows 1 and 2, type $1:$2. This automatically changes Rows to repeat from
- none - to - user defined -.
Figure 128: Specifying repeating rows
2) To repeat columns, type the columns in the text entry box under Columns to
repeat. For example, to repeat column A, type $A. This automatically changes
Columns to repeat from - none - to - user defined -.
3) Click OK.
Note You do not need to select the entire range of the rows to be repeated;
simply select one cell in each row.
Defining a custom print range
In addition to highlighting a print range for each print job, you can define a range of
cells to be used repeatedly. This may be useful if there are different areas of a large
spreadsheet that need to be printed for different reports. Several different print
ranges can be defined to meet this need.
1) To define a print range, use the same procedure as labeling an area of the
sheet. Highlight the cells you want to define as a print range and select Insert
> Names > Define. (The cells can be highlighted after opening the Define
Names dialog as well.)
2) On the Define Names dialog (Figure 129), type a name for the range in the text
box with the blinking cursor. The name of the range cannot contain any
spaces.
3) Click the More button in the dialog and then select the Print range option.
Click the Add button.
4) To include more than one group of cells in the selection, type in the additional
ranges. For example, to select the rectangle with A3 as the top left cell and
F20 as the bottom right cell, enter ;$A$3:$F$20 or ;A3:F20 (both work and
144 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
are equivalent) after the initial selection. Make sure that each group of cells is
separated with a semicolon.
5) Click OK.
Figure 129: Define Names dialog
To print this range:
1) Choose Format > Print Ranges > Edit (Figure 126). The previously defined
area now appears in the drop-down box under Print range.
2) Select the defined print range and click OK.
This method can be useful to quickly change the print range without highlighting a
large area of cells every time.
Note
If the cell range name refers to more than one group of cells, it will not
appear in the drop-down list. You will need to type it in or highlight and
select it.
Page breaks
While defining a print range can be a powerful tool, it may sometimes be necessary to
manually adjust Calc’s printout. To do this, you can use a manual break. A manual
break helps to ensure that your data prints properly. You can insert a horizontal page
break above, or a vertical page break to the left of, the active cell.
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 145
Inserting a page break
To insert a page break:
1) Navigate to the cell where the page break will begin.
2) Select Insert > Manual Break.
3) Select Row Break or Column Break depending on your need.
The break is now set.
Row break
Selecting Row Break creates a page break above the selected cell. For example, if the
active cell is H15, then the break is created between rows 14 and 15.
Column break
Selecting Column Break creates a page break to the left of the selected cell. For
example, if the active cell is H15, then the break is created between columns G and H.
Tip
To see page break lines more easily on screen, you can change their
color. Choose Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > Appearance and
scroll down to the Spreadsheet section.
Deleting a page break
To remove a page break:
1) Navigate to a cell that is next to the break you want to remove.
2) Select Edit > Delete Manual Break.
3) Select Row Break or Column Break depending on your need.
The break is now removed.
Note
Multiple manual row and column breaks can exist on the same page.
When you want to remove them, you have to remove each one
individually. This may be confusing at times, because although there
may be a column break set on the page, when you go to Edit >
Manual Break, the Column break choice may not be available (grayed
out).
In order to remove the break, you have to be in the cell next to the
break. For example, if you set the column break while you are in H15,
you can not remove it if you are in cell D15. However, you can remove
it from any cell in column H.
Printing options setup in page styles
Several printing options are set in the page style for sheets. These include the page
order, details, and scale to be printed,
Because these options are set in the page style, different page styles can be set up to
quickly change the print properties of the sheets in the spreadsheet. See Chapter 3
(Using Styles and Templates in Calc) for more about page styles.
146 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
The Sheet tab of the Page Style dialog, Format > Page > Sheet (Figure 130),
provides the following options.
Page Order
You can set the order in which pages print. This is especially useful in a large
document; for example, controlling the print order can save time if you have to
collate the document a certain way.
Where a sheet prints to more than one page of paper, it can be printed either by
column, where the first column of pages prints, and then the second column and so
on, or by row as shown in the graphic on the top right of the dialog in Figure 130.
Figure 130. The Sheet tab of the Page Style dialog
Print
You can specify which details to print. These details include:
•Row and column headers
•Sheet grid—prints the borders of the cells as a grid
•Comments—prints the comments defined in your spreadsheet on a separate
page, along with the corresponding cell reference
•Objects and graphics
•Charts
•Drawing objects
•Formulas—prints the formulas contained in the cells, instead of the results
•Zero Values—prints cells with a zero value
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 147
Scale
Use the scale features to control the number of pages the data will print on.
•Reduce/Enlarge printout—scales the data in the printout either larger or
smaller. For example, if a sheet would normally print out as four pages (two
high and two wide), a scaling of 50% would print as one page (both width and
height are halved).
•Fit print range(s) on number of pages—defines exactly how many pages the
printout will take up. This option will only reduce a printout, it will not enlarge
it. To enlarge a printout, the reduce/enlarge option must be used.
•Fit print range(s) to width/height—defines how high and wide the printout will
be, in pages.
Headers and footers
Headers and footers are predefined pieces of text that are printed at the top or
bottom of a sheet outside of the sheet area. Headers are set the same way as footers.
Headers and footers are assigned to a page style. You can define more than one page
style for a spreadsheet and assign different page styles to different sheets. For more
about page styles, see Chapter 4.
Setting a header or a footer
To set a header or footer:
1) Navigate to the sheet that you want to set the header or footer for. Select
Format > Page.
2) Select the Header (or Footer) tab.
3) Select the Header on option.
Figure 131: Header dialog
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From here you can also set the margins, the spacing, and height for the header or
footer. You can check the AutoFit height box to automatically adjust the height of
the header or footer.
Margin
Changing the size of the left or right margin adjusts how far the header or footer
is from that side of the page.
Spacing
Spacing affects how far above or below the sheet the header or footer will print.
So, if spacing is set to 1.00", then there will be 1 inch between the header or
footer and the sheet.
Height
Height affects how big the header or footer will be.
Header or footer appearance
To change the appearance of the header or footer, click the More button in the
dialog. This opens the Border/Background dialog.
Figure 132: Header/Footer Border/Background dialog
From this dialog you can set the background and border style of the header or footer.
See Chapter 4 (Using Styles and Templates in Calc) for more information.
Setting the contents of the header or footer
The header or footer of a Calc spreadsheet has three columns for text. Each column
can have different contents.
To set the contents of the header or footer, click the Edit button in the header or
footer dialog shown in Figure 131 to display the dialog shown in Figure 133.
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 149
Figure 133: Edit contents of header or footer
Areas
Each area in the header or footer is independent and can have different
information in it.
Header
You can select from several preset choices in the Header drop-down list, or specify
a custom header using the buttons below the area boxes. (To format a footer, the
choices are the same.)
Custom header
Click in the area (Left, Center, Right) that you want to customize, then use the
buttons to add elements or change text attributes.
Opens the Text Attributes dialog.
Inserts the total number of pages.
Inserts the File Name field.
Inserts the Date field.
Inserts the Sheet Name field.
Inserts the Time field.
Inserts the current page number.
150 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Exporting to PDF
Calc can export documents to PDF (Portable Document Format). This industry-
standard file format is ideal for sending the file to someone else to view using Adobe
Reader or other PDF viewers.
Quick export to PDF
Click the Export Directly as PDF icon to export the entire document using your
default PDF settings. You are asked to enter the file name and location for the PDF
file, but you do not get a chance to choose a page range, the image compression, or
other options.
Controlling PDF content and quality
For more control over the content and quality of the resulting PDF, use File > Export
as PDF. The PDF Options dialog opens. This dialog has five pages (General, Initial
View, User Interface, Links, and Security). Select the appropriate settings, and then
click Export. Then you are asked to enter the location and file name of the PDF to be
created, and click Save to export the file.
General page of PDF Options dialog
On the General page (Figure 134), you can choose which pages to include in the PDF,
the type of compression to use for images (which affects the quality of images in the
PDF), and other options.
Range section
•All: Exports the entire document.
•Pages: To export a range of pages, use the format 3-6 (pages 3 to 6). To export
single pages, use the format 7;9;11 (pages 7, 9, and 11). You can also export a
combination of page ranges and single pages, by using a format like 3-
6;8;10;12.
•Selection: Exports whatever content is selected.
Images section
•Lossless compression: Images are stored without any loss of quality. Tends to
make large files when used with photographs. Recommended for other kinds of
images or graphics.
•JPEG compression: Allows for varying degrees of quality. A setting of 90%
works well with photographs (small file size, little perceptible loss).
•Reduce image resolution: Lower-DPI (dots per inch) images have lower
quality. For viewing on a computer screen a resolution of 72dpi (for Windows)
or 96dpi (GNU/Linux) is sufficient, while for printing it is generally preferable
to use at least 300 or 600 dpi, depending on the capability of the printer.
Higher dpi settings greatly increase the size of the exported file.
Note
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) images with embedded previews are
exported only as previews. EPS images without embedded previews are
exported as empty placeholders.
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 151
Figure 134: General page of PDF Options dialog
General section
•PDF/A-1a: PDF/A is an ISO standard for long-term preservation of documents,
by embedding all the information necessary for faithful reproduction (such as
fonts) while forbidding other elements (including forms, security, and
encryption). PDF tags are written. If you select PDF/A-1a, the forbidden
elements are greyed-out (not available).
•Tagged PDF: Tagged PDF contains information about the structure of the
document’s contents. This can help to display the document on devices with
different screens, and when using screen reader software. Some tags that are
exported are table of contents, hyperlinks, and controls. This option can
increase file sizes significantly.
152 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
•Create PDF form - Submit format: Choose the format for submitting forms
from within the PDF file. This setting overrides the control’s URL property that
you set in the document. There is only one common setting valid for the whole
PDF document: PDF (sends the whole document), FDF (sends the control
contents), HTML, and XML. Most often you will choose the PDF format.
•Export bookmarks: Exports sheet names in Calc documents as “bookmarks”
(a table of contents list displayed by some PDF readers, including Adobe
Reader).
•Export comments: Exports comments in Calc documents as PDF notes. You
may not want this!
•Export automatically inserted blank pages: Not available in Calc.
•Embed standard fonts: In previous versions of OOo, the standard fonts
(Times, Helvetica, Courier, Symbol, and ZapfDingbats) were only embedded
into the PDF when the resulting file was of the PDF/A type, since the PDF/A
standards requires this. In version 3.3, you can choose to embed these fonts in
all PDF documents created by OOo to enhance display accuracy in PDF
viewers.
Initial View page of PDF Options dialog
On the Initial View page (Figure 135), you can choose how the PDF opens by default
in a PDF viewer. The selections are self-explanatory.
Figure 135: Initial View page of PDF Options dialog
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 153
User Interface page of PDF Options dialog
On the User Interface page (Figure 136), you can choose more settings to control
how a PDF viewer displays the file. Some of these choices are particularly useful
when you are creating a PDF to be used as a presentation or a kiosk-type display.
Figure 136: User Interface page of PDF Options dialog
Window options section
•Resize window to initial page: Causes the PDF viewer window to resize to
fit the first page of the PDF.
•Center window on screen: Causes the PDF viewer window to be centered on
the computer screen.
•Open in full screen mode: Causes the PDF viewer to open full-screen instead
of in a smaller window.
•Display document title: Causes the PDF viewer to display the document’s
title in the title bar.
User interface options section
•Hide menubar: Causes the PDF viewer to hide the menu bar.
•Hide toolbar: Causes the PDF viewer to hide the toolbar.
•Hide window controls: Causes the PDF viewer to hide other window
controls.
Transitions
Not available in Calc.
Bookmarks
Select how many heading levels are displayed as bookmarks, if Export bookmarks
is selected on the General page.
154 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Links page of PDF Options dialog
On this page you can choose how links are exported to PDF.
Figure 137: Links page of PDF Options dialog
Export bookmarks as named destinations
If you have defined Writer bookmarks, Impress or Draw slide names, or Calc sheet
names, this option exports them as “named destinations” to which Web pages and
PDF documents can link.
Convert document references to PDF targets
If you have defined links to other documents with OpenDocument extensions
(such as .ODT, .ODS, and .ODP), this option converts the file names to .PDF in the
exported PDF document.
Export URLs relative to file system
If you have defined relative links in a document, this option exports those links to
the PDF.
Cross-document links
Defines the behavior of links clicked in PDF files.
Security page of PDF Options dialog
PDF export includes options to encrypt the PDF (so it cannot be opened without a
password) and apply some digital rights management (DRM) features.
•With an open password set, the PDF can only be opened with the password.
Once opened, there are no restrictions on what the user can do with the
document (for example, print, copy, or change it).
•With a permissions password set, the PDF can be opened by anyone, but its
permissions can be restricted. See Figure 138.
•With both the open password and permission password set, the PDF can only
be opened with the correct password, and its permissions can be restricted.
Note Permissions settings are effective only if the user’s PDF viewer respects
the settings.
Figure 139 shows the dialog displayed when you click the Set open password
button on the Security page of the PDF Options dialog.
After you set a password for permissions, the other choices on the Security page
(shown in Figure 138) become available. These selections are self-explanatory.
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 155
Figure 138: Security page of PDF Options dialog.
Figure 139: Setting a password to encrypt a PDF
156 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Exporting to XHTML
Calc can export spreadsheets to XHTML. Choose File > Export. On the Export
dialog, specify a file name for the exported document, then select the XHTML in the
File format list and click the Export button.
Saving as Web pages (HTML)
Calc can save files as HTML documents. Use File > Save As and select HTML
Document, or File > Wizards > Web Page.
If the file contains more than one sheet, the additional sheets will follow one another
in the HTML file. Links to each sheet will be placed at the top of the document. Calc
also allows the insertion of links directly into the spreadsheet using the Hyperlink
dialog.
E-mailing spreadsheets
OOo provides several quick and easy ways to send spreadsheets as an e-mail
attachment in one of three formats: OpenDocument Spreadsheet (OOo’s default
format), Microsoft Excel, or PDF.
Note Documents can only be sent from the OOo menu if a mail profile has
been set up.
To send the current document in OpenDocument format:
1) Choose File > Send > Document as E-mail. OpenOffice.org opens your
default e-mail program with the spreadsheet (*.ODS) document attached.
2) In your e-mail program, enter the recipient, subject, and any text you want to
add, then send the e-mail.
File > Send > E-mail as OpenDocument Spreadsheet has the same effect.
If you choose E-mail as Microsoft Excel, OOo first creates a file in Excel format and
then opens your e-mail program with the *.XLS file attached.
Similarly, if you choose E-mail as PDF, OOo first creates a PDF using your default
PDF settings (as when using the Export Directly as PDF toolbar button) and then
opens your email program with the *.PDF file attached.
E-mailing a spreadsheet to several recipients
To e-mail a document to several recipients, you can use the features in your e-mail
program or you can use OOo Writer’s mail merge facilities to extract email addresses
from an address book.
For details, see Chapter 10 (Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing) in the Getting
Started guide.
Digital signing of documents
To sign a document digitally, you need a personal key, also known as a certificate. A
personal key is stored on your computer as a combination of a private key, which
Chapter 6 Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing 157
must be kept secret, and a public key, which you add to your documents when you
sign them. You can get a certificate from a certification authority, which may be a
private company or a governmental institution.
When you apply a digital signature to a document, a checksum is computed from the
document’s content plus your personal key. The checksum and your public key are
stored together with the document.
When someone later opens the document on any computer with a recent version of
OpenOffice.org, the program will compute the checksum again and compare it with
the stored checksum. If both are the same, the program will signal that you see the
original, unchanged document. In addition, the program can show you the public key
information from the certificate. You can compare this key with the public key that is
published on the web site of the certificate authority.
Whenever someone changes something in the document, this change breaks the
digital signature.
On Windows operating systems, the Windows features of validating a signature are
used. On Solaris and Linux systems, files that are supplied by Thunderbird, Mozilla or
Firefox are used. For a more detailed description of how to get and manage a
certificate, and signature validation, see “Using Digital Signatures” in the OOo Help.
To sign a document:
1) Choose File > Digital Signatures.
2) If you have not saved the document since the last change, a message box
appears. Click Yes to save the file.
3) After saving, you see the Digital Signatures dialog. Click Add to add a public
key to the document.
4) In the Select Certificate dialog, select your certificate and click OK.
5) You see again the Digital Signatures dialog, where you can add more
certificates if you want. Click OK to add the public key to the saved file.
A signed document shows an icon in the status bar. You can double-click the icon
to view the certificate.
Removing personal data
You may wish to ensure that personal data, versions, notes, hidden information, or
recorded changes are removed from files before you send them to other people or
create PDFs from them.
In Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > Security > Options, you can set Calc to
remind (warn) you when files contain certain information and remove personal
information automatically on saving.
To remove personal and some other data from a file, go to File > Properties. On the
General tab, uncheck Apply user data and then click the Reset button. This
removes any names in the created and modified fields, deletes the modification and
printing dates, and resets the editing time to zero, the creation date to the current
date and time, and the version number to 1.
To remove version information, either go to File > Versions, select the versions from
the list and click Delete, or use Save As and save the file with a different name.
158 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 7
Using Formulas and
Functions
Introduction
In previous chapters, we have been entering one of two basic types of data into each
cell: numbers and text. However, we will not always know what the contents should
be. Often the contents of one cell depends on the contents of other cells. To handle
this situation, we use a third type of data: the formula. Formulas are equations using
numbers and variables to get a result. In a spreadsheet, the variables are cell
locations that hold the data needed for the equation to be completed.
A function is a predefined calculation entered in a cell to help you analyze or
manipulate data in a spreadsheet. All you have to do is add the arguments, and the
calculation is automatically made for you. Functions help you create the formulas
needed to get the results that you are looking for.
Setting up a spreadsheet
If you are setting up more than a simple one-worksheet system in Calc, it is worth
planning ahead a little. Avoid the following traps:
•Typing fixed values into formulas
•Not including notes and comments describing what the system does, including
what input is required and where the formulas come from (if not created from
scratch)
•Not incorporating a system of checking to verify that the formulas do what is
intended
The trap of fixed values
Many users set up long and complex formulas with fixed values typed directly into
the formula.
For example, conversion from one currency to another requires knowledge of the
current conversion rate. If you input a formula in cell C1 of =0.75*B1 (for example to
calculate the value in Euros of the USD dollar amount in cell B1), you will have to
edit the formula when the exchange rate changes from 0.75 to some other value. It is
much easier to set up an input cell with the exchange rate and reference that cell in
any formula needing the exchange rate. What-if type calculations also are simplified:
what if the exchange rate varies from 0.75 to 0.70 or 0.80? No formula editing is
needed and it is clear what rate is used in the calculations. Breaking complex
formulas down into more manageable parts, described below, also helps to minimise
errors and aid troubleshooting.
Lack of documentation
Lack of documentation is a very common failing. Many users prepare a simple
worksheet which then develops into something much more complicated over time.
Without documentation, the original purpose and methodology is often unclear and
difficult to decipher. In this case it is usually easier to start again from the beginning,
wasting the work done previously. If you insert comments in cells, and use labels and
headings, a spreadsheet can be later modified by you or others and much time and
effort will be saved.
160 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Error-checking formulas
Adding up columns of data or selections of cells from a worksheet often results in
errors due to omitting cells, wrongly specifying a range, or double-counting cells. It is
useful to institute checks in your spreadsheets. For example, set up a spreadsheet to
calculate columns of figures, and use SUM to calculate the individual column totals.
You can check the result by including (in a non-printing column) a set of row totals
and adding these together. The two figures—row total and column total—must agree.
If they do not, you have an error somewhere.
Figure 140: Error checking of formulas
You can even set up a formula to calculate the difference between the two totals and
report an error in case a non-zero result is returned (see Figure 140).
Creating formulas
You can enter formulas in two ways, either directly into the cell itself, or at the input
line. Either way, you need to start a formula with one of the following symbols: =, +
or –. Starting with anything else causes the formula to be treated as if it were text.
Operators in formulas
Each cell on the worksheet can be used as a data holder or a place for data
calculations. Entering data is accomplished simply by typing in the cell and moving to
the next cell or pressing Enter. With formulas, the equals sign indicates that the cell
will be used for a calculation. A mathematical calculation like 15 + 46 can be
accomplished as shown in Figure 141.
While the calculation on the left was accomplished in only one cell, the real power is
shown on the right where the data is placed in cells and the calculation is performed
using references back to the cells. In this case, cells B3 and B4 were the data
holders, with B5 the cell where the calculation was performed. Notice that the
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 161
formula was shown as =B3+B4. The plus sign indicates that the contents of cells B3
and B4 are to be added together and then have the result in the cell holding the
formula. All formulas build upon this concept. Other ways of entering formulas are
shown in Table 7.
These cell references allow formulas to use data from anywhere in the worksheet
being worked on or from any other worksheet in the workbook that is opened. If the
data needed was in different worksheets, they would be referenced by referring to
the name of the worksheet, for example =SUM(Sheet2.B12+Sheet3.A11).
Note
To enter the = symbol for a purpose other than creating a formula as
described in this chapter, type an apostrophe or single quotation mark
before the =. For example, in the entry '= means different things to
different people, Calc treats everything after the single quotation mark—
including the = sign—as text.
Simple Calculation in 1 Cell Calculation by Reference
Figure 141: A simple calculation
162 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Table 7: Common ways to enter formulas
Formula Description
=A1+10 Displays the contents of cell A1 plus 10.
=A1*16% Displays 16% of the contents of A1.
=A1*A2 Displays the result of the multiplication of A1 and
A2.
=ROUND(A1;1) Displays the contents of cell A1 rounded to one
decimal place.
=EFFECTIVE(5%;12) Calculates the effective interest for 5% annual
nominal interest with 12 payments a year.
=B8-SUM(B10:B14) Calculates B8 minus the sum of the cells B10 to
B14.
=SUM(B8;SUM(B10:B14)) Calculates the sum of cells B10 to B14 and adds
the value to B8.
=SUM(B1:B65536) Sums all numbers in column B.
=AVERAGE(BloodSugar) Displays the average of a named range defined
under the name BloodSugar.
=IF(C31>140; "HIGH"; "OK") Displays the results of a conditional analysis of
data from two sources. If the contents of C31 is
greater than 140, then HIGH is displayed,
otherwise OK is displayed.
Note
Users of Lotus 1-2-3®, Quattro Pro® and other spreadsheet software
may be familiar with formulas that begin with +, -, =, (, @, ., $, or #. A
mathematical formula would look like +D2+C2 or +2*3. Functions
begin with the @ symbol such as @SUM(D2..D7),
@COS(@DEGTORAD(30)) and @IRR(GUESS;CASHFLOWS). Ranges are
identified such as A1..D3.
Functions can be identified in Table 7 with a word, for example ROUND, followed by
parentheses enclosing references or numbers.
It is also possible to establish ranges for inclusion by naming them using Insert >
Names, for example BloodSugar representing a range such as B3:B10. Logical
functions can also be performed as represented by the IF statement which results in
a conditional response based upon the data in the identified cell, for example
=IF(A2>=0;"Positive";"Negative")
A value of 3 in cell A2 would return the result Positive, –9 the result Negative.
Operator types
You can use the following operators in OpenOffice.org Calc: arithmetic, comparative,
descriptive, text, and reference.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 163
Arithmetic operators
The addition, subtraction, multiplication and division operators return numerical
results. The Negation and Percent operators identify a characteristic of the number
found in the cell, for example -37. The example for Exponentiation illustrates how to
enter a number that is being multiplied by itself a certain number of times, for
example 23 = 2*2*2.
Table 8: Arithmetical operators
Operator Name Example
+ (Plus) Addition =1+1
– (Minus) Subtraction =2–1
– (Minus) Negation –5
* (asterisk) Multiplication =2*2
/ (Slash) Division =10/5
% (Percent) Percent 15%
^ (Caret) Exponentiation 2^3
Comparative operators
Comparative operators are found in formulas that use the IF function and return
either a true or false answer; for example, =IF(B6>G12; 127; 0) which, loosely
translated, means if the contents of cell B6 are greater than the contents of cell G12,
then return the number 127, otherwise return the number 0.
A direct answer of TRUE or FALSE can be obtained by entering a formula such as
=B6>B12. If the numbers found in the referenced cells are accurately represented,
the answer TRUE is returned, otherwise FALSE is returned.
Table 9: Comparative operators
Operator Name Example
= (equal sign) Equal A1=B1
> (Greater than) Greater than A1>B1
< (Less than) Less than A1<B1
>= (Greater than or equal to) Greater than or equal to A1>=B1
<= (Less than or equal to) Less than or equal to A1<=B1
<> (Inequality) Inequality A1<>B1
If cell A1 contains the numerical value 4 and cell B1 the numerical value 5, the above
examples would yield results of FALSE, FALSE, TRUE, FALSE, TRUE, and TRUE.
Text operators
It is common for users to place text in spreadsheets. To provide for variability in what
and how this type of data is displayed, text can be joined together in pieces coming
from different places on the spreadsheet. Figure 142 shows an example.
164 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 142: Text concatenation
In this example, specific pieces of the text were found in three different cells. To join
these segments together, the formula also adds required spaces and punctuation
enclosed within quotation marks, resulting in a formula of =B2 & " " & C2 & ", " &
D2. The result is the concatenation into a date formatted in a particular sequence.
Calc has a CONCATENATE function which performs the same operation.
Taking this example further, if the result cell is defined as a name, then text
concatenation is performed using this defined name. This process is demonstrated in
Figures 143, 144, and 145 where the cell with the date is named “WizardDay” and
subsequently used in a formula in another cell.
Figure 143: Defining a name for a range of cells
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 165
Figure 144: Naming a cell or range of cells for inclusion in a formula
Figure 145: Defining Names on a worksheet
Reference operators
In its simplest form a reference refers to a single cell, but references can also refer to
a rectangle or cuboid range or a reference in a list of references. To build such
references you need reference operators.
166 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
An individual cell is identified by the column identifier (letter) located along the top
of the columns and a row identifier (number) found along the left-hand side of the
spreadsheet. On spreadsheets read from left to right, the upper left cell is A1.
Range operator
The range operator is written as colon. An expression using the range operator has
the following syntax:
reference left : reference right
The range operator builds a reference to the smallest range including both the cells
referenced with the left reference and the cells referenced with the right reference.
Figure 146: Reference Operator for a range
In the upper left corner of Figure 146 the reference A1:D12 is shown, corresponding
to the cells included in the drag operation with the mouse to highlight the range.
Examples
A2:B4 Reference to a rectangle range with 6 cells, 2 column
width × 3 row height. When you click on the reference in
the formula in the input line, a border indicates the
rectangle.
(A2:B4):C9 Reference to a rectangle range with cell A2 top left and
cell C9 bottom right. So the range contains 24 cells, 3
column width × 8 row height. This method of addressing
extends the initial range from A2:B4 to A2:C9.
Sheet1.A3:Sheet3.D4 Reference to a cuboid range with 24 cells, 4 column width
× 2 row height × 3 sheets depth.
When you enter B4:A2 or A4:B2 directly, then Calc will turn it to A2:B4. So the left
top cell of the range is left of the colon and the bottom right cell is right of the colon.
But if you name the cell B4 for example with _start and A2 with _end, you can use
_start:_end without any error.
Calc can not reference a whole column of unspecified length using A:A or a whole
row using 1:1 yet, as you might be familiar with in other spreadsheet programs.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 167
Reference concatenation operator
The concatenation operator is written as a tilde. An expression using the
concatenation operator has the following syntax:
reference left ~ reference right
The result of such an expression is a reference list, which is an ordered list of
references. Some functions can take a reference list as an argument, SUM, MAX or
INDEX for example.
The reference concatenation is sometimes called 'union'. But it is not the union of the
two sets 'reference left' and 'reference right' as normally understood in set theory.
COUNT(A1:C3~B2:D2) returns 12 (=9+3), but it has only 10 cells when considered
as the union of the two sets of cells.
Notice that SUM(A1:C3;B2:D2) is different from SUM( A1:C3~B2:D2) although they
give the same result. The first is a function call with 2 parameters, each of them is
reference to a range. The second is a function call with 1 parameter, which is a
reference list.
Intersection operator
The intersection operator is written as an exclamation mark. An expression using the
intersection operator has the following syntax:
reference left ! reference right
If the references refer to single ranges, the result is a reference to a single range,
containing all cells, which are both in the left reference and in the right reference.
If the references are reference lists, then each list item from the left is intersected
with each one from the right and these results are concatenated to a reference list.
The order is to first intersect the first item from the left with all items from the right,
then intersect the second item from the left with all items from the right, and so on.
Examples
A2:B4 ! B3:D6
This results in a reference to the range B3:B4, because these cells are inside
A2:B4 and inside B3:D4.
(A2:B4~B1:C2) ! (B2:C6~C1:D3)
First the intersections A2:B4!B2:C6, A2:B4!C1:D3, B1:C2!B2:C6 and B1:C2!C1:D3
are calculated. This results in B2:B4, empty, B2:C2, and C1:C2. Then these results
are concatenated, dropping empty parts. So the final result is the reference list
B2:B4 ~ B2:C2 ~ C1:C2.
You can use the intersection operator to refer a cell in a cross tabulation in an
understandable way. If you have columns labeled 'Temperature' and 'Precipitation'
and the rows labeled 'January', 'February', 'March', and so on, then the following
expression
'February' ! !Temperature'
will reference to the cell containing the temperature in February.
The intersection operator (!) should have a higher precedence than the concatenation
operator (~), but do not rely on precedence.
Tip Always put in parentheses the part that is to be calculated first.
168 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Relative and absolute references
References are the way that we refer to the location of a particular cell in Calc and
can be either relative (to the current cell) or absolute (a fixed amount).
Relative referencing
An example of a relative reference will illustrate the difference between a relative
reference and absolute reference using the spreadsheet from Figure 147.
1) Type the numbers 4 and 11 into cells C3 and C4 respectively of that
spreadsheet.
2) Copy the formula in cell B5 to cell C5. You can do this by using a simple copy
and paste or click and drag B5 to C5 as shown below. The formula in B5
calculates the sum of values in the two cells B3 and B4.
3) Click in cell C5. The formula bar shows =C3+C4 rather than =B3+B4 and the
value in C5 is 15, the sum of 4 and 11 which are the values in C3 and C4.
In cell B5 the references to cells B3 and B4 are relative references. This means that
Calc interprets the formula in B5, applies it to the cells in the B column, and puts the
result in the cell holding the formula. When you copied the formula to another cell,
the same procedure was used to calculate the value to put in that cell. This time the
formula in cell C5 referred to cells C3 and C4.
Figure 147: Relative references
You can think of a relative address as a pair of offsets to the current cell. Cell B1 is 1
column to the left of Cell C5 and 4 rows above. The address could be written as R[-
1]C[-4]. In fact earlier spreadsheets allowed this notation method to be used in
formulas.
Whenever you copy this formula from cell B5 to another cell the result will always be
the sum of the two numbers taken from the two cells one and two rows above the cell
containing the formula.
Relative addressing is the default method of referring to addresses in Calc.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 169
Absolute referencing
You may want to multiply a column of numbers by a fixed amount. A column of
figures might show amounts in US Dollars. To convert these amounts to Euros it is
necessary to multiply each dollar amount by the exchange rate. $US10.00 would be
multiplied by 0.75 to convert to Euros, in this case Eur7.50. The following example
shows how to input an exchange rate and use that rate to convert amounts in a
column form USD to Euros.
1) Input the exchange rate Eur:USD (0.75) in cell D1. Enter amounts (in USD)
into cells D2, D3 and D4, for example 10, 20, and 30.
2) In cell E2 type the formula =D2*D1. The result is 7.5, correctly shown.
3) Copy the formula in cell E2 to cell E3. The result is 200, clearly wrong! Calc
has copied the formula using relative addressing - the formula in E3 is =D3*D2
and not what we want which is =D3*D1.
4) In cell E2 edit the formula to be =D2*$D$1. Copy it to cells E3 and E4. The
results are now 15 and 22.5 which are correct.
Steps 2: Setting the exchange rate of Eur at 7.5, then copying it to E3
Copying formula from E2 to E3 & changing the formula to read absolute reference
Applying the correct formula from E2 to E3
Figure 148: Absolute References
The $ signs before the D and the 1 convert the reference to cell D1 from relative to
absolute or fixed. If the formula is copied to another cell the second part will always
show $D$1. The interpretation of this formula is “take the value in the cell one
column to the left in the same row and multiply it by the value in cell D1”.
170 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Cell references can be shown in four ways.
Reference Explanation
D1 Relative, from cell E3 it is the cell one column to the left and two
rows above
$D$1 Absolute, from cell E3 it is the cell D1
$D1 Partially absolute, from cell E3 it is the cell in column D and two
rows above
D$1 Partially absolute, from cell E3 it is the cell one column to the left
and in row 1
Hint
To change references in formulas highlight the cell and press Shift-F4 to
cycle through the four different types of references. This is of limited
value in more complicated formulas, it is usually quicker to edit the
formula by hand.
Knowledge of the use of relative and absolute references is essential if you want to
copy and paste formulas and to link spreadsheets.
Order of calculation
Order of calculation refers to the sequence in which numerical operations are
performed. Division and multiplication are performed before addition or subtraction.
There is a common tendency to expect calculations to be made from left to right as
the equation would be read in English. Calc evaluates the entire formula, then based
upon programming precedence breaks the formula down executing multiplication
and division operations before other operations. Therefore, when creating formulas
you should test your formula to make sure that the correct result is being obtained.
Following is an example of the order of calculation in operation.
Table 10 – Order of Calculation
Left To Right Calculation Ordered Calculation
1+3*2+3 = 11
1+3=4, then 4 X 2 = 8, then 8 + 3 = 11
=1+3*2+3 result 10
3*2=6, then 1 + 6 + 3 = 10
Another possible intention could be:
1+3*2+3 = 20
The program resolves the
multiplication of 3 X 2 before dealing
with the numbers being added.
If you intend for the result to be either of the two possible solutions on the left, the
way to achieve these results would be to order the formula as:
((1+3) * 2)+3 = 11 (1+3) * (2+3) = 20
Note Use parentheses to group operations in the order you intend; for
example, =B4+G12*C4/M12 might become =((B4+G12)*C4)/M12.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 171
Calculations linking sheets
Another powerful feature of Calc is the ability to link data through several
worksheets. The naming of worksheets can be helpful to identify where specific data
may be found. A name such as Payroll or Boise Sales is much more meaningful than
Sheet1. The function named SHEET() returns the sheet number in the collection of
spreadsheets. There are several worksheets in each book and they are numbered
from the left: Sheet1, Sheet2, and so forth. If you drag the worksheets around to
different locations among the tabs, the function returns the number referring to the
current position of this worksheet.
An example of calculations obtaining data from other work can be seen in a business
setting where a business combines revenues and costs of each of its branch
operations into a single combined worksheet.
Sheet containing data
for Branch 1.
Sheet containing data
for Branch 2.
172 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Sheet containing data
for Branch 3.
Sheet containing
combined data for all
branches.
Figure 149: Combining data from several sheets into a single sheet
The spreadsheets have been set up with identical structures. The easiest way to do
this is to set up the first Branch spreadsheet, input data, format cells, and prepare
the formulas for the various sums of rows and columns.
1) On the worksheet tab, right-click and select Rename Sheet. Type Branch1.
Right-click on the tab again and select Move/Copy Sheet.
2) In the Move/Copy Sheet dialog, select the Copy option and select Sheet 2 in
the area Insert before. Click OK, right-click on the tab of the sheet Branch1_2
and rename it to Branch2. Repeat to produce the Branch3 and Combined
worksheets.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 173
Figure 150: Copying a worksheet
3) Enter the data for Branch 2 and Branch 3 into the respective sheets. Each
sheet stands alone and reports the results for the individual branches.
4) In the Combined worksheet, click on cell K7. Type =, click on the tab Branch1,
click on cell K7, press +, repeat for sheets Branch2 and Branch3 and press
Enter. You now have a formula in cell K1 which adds the revenue from
Greenery Sales for the 3 Branches.
Figure 151: Combined worksheet showing linking between branch sheets
5) Copy the formula, highlight the range K7..N17, click Edit > Paste Special,
uncheck the Paste all and Formats boxes in the Selection area of the dialog box
and click OK. You will see the following message:
Figure 152: Linking sheets: pasting a formula to a cell range
174 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
6) Click Yes. You have now copied the formulas into each cell while maintaining
the format you set up in the original worksheet. Of course, in this example you
would have to tidy the worksheet up by removing the zeros in the non-
formatted rows.
Figure 153: Linking Sheets: Copy Paste Special from K7...N17
Note OOo default is to paste all the attributes of the original cell(s) - formats,
notes, objects, text strings and numbers.
The Function Wizard can also be used to accomplish the linking. Use of this Wizard is
described in detail in the section on Functions.
Understanding functions
Calc includes over 350 functions to help you analyze and reference data. Many of
these functions are for use with numbers, but many others are used with dates and
times, or even text. A function may be as simple as adding two numbers together, or
finding the average of a list of numbers. Alternatively, it may be as complex as
calculating the standard deviation of a sample, or a hyperbolic tangent of a number.
Typically, the name of a function is an abbreviated description of what the function
does. For instance, the FV function gives the future value of an investment, while
BIN2HEX converts a binary number to a hexadecimal number. By tradition, functions
are entered entirely in upper case letters, although Calc will read them correctly if
they are in lower or mixed case, too.
A few basic functions are somewhat similar to operators. Examples:
+ This operator adds two numbers together for a result. SUM() on the other hand
adds groups of contiguous ranges of numbers together.
* This operator multiplies two numbers together for a result. PRODUCT() does the
same for multiplying that SUM() does for adding.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 175
Each function has a number of arguments used in the calculations. These arguments
may or may not have their own name. Your task is to enter the arguments needed to
run the function. In some cases, the arguments have predefined choices, and you may
need to refer to the online help or Appendix B (Description of Functions) in this book
to understand them. More often, however, an argument is a value that you enter
manually, or one already entered in a cell or range of cells on the spreadsheet. In
Calc, you can enter values from other cells by typing in their name or range, or—
unlike the case in some spreadsheets—by selecting cells with the mouse. If the values
in the cells change, then the result of the function is automatically updated.
For compatibility, functions and their arguments in Calc have almost identical names
to their counterparts in Microsoft Excel. However, both Excel and Calc have functions
that the other lacks. Occasionally, functions with the same names in Calc and Excel
have different arguments, or slightly different names for the same argument—neither
of which can be imported to the other. However, the majority of functions can be used
in both Calc and Excel without any change.
Understanding the structure of functions
All functions have a similar structure. If you use the right tool for entering a function,
you can escape learning this structure, but it is still worth knowing for
troubleshooting.
To give a typical example, the structure of a function to find cells that match entered
search criteria is:
= DCOUNT (Database;Database field;Search_criteria)
Since a function cannot exist on its own, it must always be part of a formula.
Consequently, even if the function represents the entire formula, there must be an =
sign at the start of the formula. Regardless of where in the formula a function is, the
function will start with its name, such as DCOUNT in the example above. After the
name of the function comes its arguments. All arguments are required, unless
specifically listed as optional.
Arguments are added within the parentheses and are separated by semicolons, with
no space between the arguments and the semicolons.
Note
OOo uses the semicolon as an argument list separator, unlike Excel which
uses a comma. This is a common mistake made by users accustomed to
entering Excel formulas.
Many arguments are a number. A Calc function can take up to thirty numbers as an
argument. That may not sound like much at first. However, when you realize that the
number can be not only a number or a single cell, but also an array or range of cells
that contain several or even hundreds of cells, then the apparent limitation vanishes.
Depending on the nature of the function, arguments may be entered as follows:
"text data" The quotes indicate text or string data is being entered.
9 The number nine is being entered as a number.
"9" The number nine is being entered as text
A1 The address for whatever is in Cell A1 is being entered
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Nested functions
Functions can also be used as arguments within other functions. These are called
nested functions.
=SUM(2;PRODUCT(5;7))
To get an idea of what nested functions can do, imagine that you are designing a self-
directed learning module. During the module, students do three quizzes, and enter
the results in cells A1, A2, and A3. In A4, you can create a nested formula that begins
by averaging the results of the quizzes with the formula =AVERAGE(A1:A3). The
formula then uses the IF function to give the student feedback that depends upon the
average grade on the quizzes. The entire formula would read:
=IF(AVERAGE(A1:A3) >85; "Congratulations! You are ready to advance to
the next module"; "Failed. Please review the material again. If
necessary, contact your instructor for help")
Depending on the average, the student would receive the message for either
congratulations or failure.
Notice that the nested formula for the average does not require its own equal sign.
The one at the start of the equation is enough for both formulas.
If you are new to spreadsheets, the best way to think of functions is as a scripting
language. We've used simple examples to explain the concept more clearly, but,
through nesting of functions, a Calc formula can quickly become complex.
Note Calc keeps the syntax of a formula displayed in a tool tip next to the
cell as a handy memory aid as you type.
A more reliable method is to use the Function List (Figure 154).
Available from the Insert menu, the Function List automatically docks as a pane on
the right side of the Calc editing window. If you wish, you can Control+double-click
on a blank space at the top of the pane to undock this pane and make it a floating
window.
The Function List includes a brief description of each function and its arguments;
highlight the function and look at the bottom of the pane to see the description. If
necessary, hover the cursor over the division between the list and the description;
when the cursor becomes a two-headed arrow, drag it upwards to increase the space
for the description. Double-click on a function’s name to add it to the current cell,
together with placeholders for each of the function’s arguments.
Clicking on the bar where the 5 dots and arrows are shown (shown by the ellipse in
Figure 154) will hide the list on the right hand side of the screen. Clicking this area
again will show the list, making it easy to keep the list available for easy reference.
Using the Function List is almost as fast as manual entry, and has the advantage of
not requiring that you memorize a formula that you want to use. In theory, it should
also be less error-prone. In practice, though, some users may fumble when replacing
the placeholders with values. Another feature is the ability to display the last
formulas used.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 177
Figure 154: Function List docked to right side of Calc window
Function Wizard
The most commonly used input method is the Function Wizard (Figure 155). To open
the Function Wizard, choose Insert > Function, or click the fx button on the
Function tool bar, or press Ctrl+F2. Once open, the Function Wizard provides the
same help features as the Function List, but adds fields in which you can see the
result of a completed function, as well as the result of any larger formula of which it
is part.
Select a category of functions to shorten the list, then scroll down through the named
functions and select the required one. When you select a function its description
appears on the right-hand side of the dialog. Double-click on the required function.
The Wizard now displays an area to the right where you can enter data manually in
text boxes or click the Shrink button to shrink the wizard so you can select cells
from the worksheet.
Figure 155: Function Wizard after shrinking
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Figure 156: Functions page of Function Wizard.
To select cells, either click directly upon the cell or hold down the left mouse button
and drag to select the required area.
When the area has been selected, click the Shrink button again to return to the
wizard.
If multiple arguments are needed select the next text box below the first and repeat
the selection process for the next cell or range of cells. Repeat this process as often
as required. The Wizard will accept up to 30 ranges or arguments in the SUM
function.
Click OK to accept the function and add it to the cell and get the result.
You can also select the Structure tab (Figure 157) to see a tree view of the parts of
the formula. The main advantage over the Function List is that each argument is
entered in its own field, making it easier to manage. The price of this reliability is
slower input, but this is often a small price to pay, since precision is generally more
important than speed when creating a spreadsheet.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 179
Figure 157: Structure page of Function Wizard
After you enter a function on the Input line, press the Enter key or click the Accept
button on the Function toolbar to add the function to the cell and get its result.
1Name Box showing list of common functions
2Function Wizard 4Accept
3Cancel 5Input Line
Figure 158: The Function toolbar
If you see the formula in the cell instead of the result, then Formulas are selected for
display in Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > View > Display. Deselect
Formulas, and the result will display. However, you can still see the formula in the
Input line.
Strategies for creating formulas and functions
Formulas that do more than a simple calculation or summation of rows or columns of
values usually take a number of arguments. For example, the classic equation of
motion s = s0+ vt - ½at2 calculates the position of a body knowing its original
position, its final velocity, its acceleration, and the time taken to move from the initial
state to the final state.
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For ease of presentation, it is good practice to set up a spreadsheet in a manner
similar to that shown in Figure 159. In this example, the individual variables are
input into cells on the sheet and no editing of the formula (in cell B9) is required.
Figure 159: Setting up a formula with arguments
You can take several broad approaches when creating a formula. In deciding which
approach to take, consider how many other people will need to use the worksheets,
the life of the worksheets, and the variations that could be encountered in use of the
formula.
If people other than yourself will use the spreadsheet, make sure that it is easy to see
what input is required and where. Explanation of the purpose of the spreadsheet,
basis of calculation, input required and output(s) generated are often placed on the
first worksheet.
A spreadsheet that you build today, with many complicated formulas, may not be
quite so obvious in its function and operation in 6 or 12 months time. Use comments
and notes liberally to document your work.
You might be aware that you cannot use negative values or zero values for a
particular argument, but if someone else inputs such a value will your formula be
robust or simply return a standard (and often not too helpful) Err: message? It is a
good idea to trap errors using some form of logic statements or with conditional
formatting.
Place a unique formula in each cell
The most basic strategy is to view whatever formulas are needed as simple and with
a limited useful life. The strategy is then to place a unique formula in each
appropriate cell. This can be recommended only for very simple or “throw away”
(single use) spreadsheets.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 181
Break formulas into parts and combine the parts
The second strategy is similar to the first, but instead you break down longer
formulas into smaller parts and then combine the parts into the whole. Many
examples of this type exist in complex scientific and engineering calculations where
interim results are used in a number of places in the worksheet. The result of
calculating the flow velocity of water in a pipe may be used in estimating losses due
to friction, whether the pipe is flowing full or partially empty, and in optimizing the
diameter for the given flow regime.
In all cases you should adopt the basic principles of formula creation described
previously.
Use the Basic editor to create functions
A third strategy is to use the Basic editor and create your own functions and macros. This
approach would be used where the result would greatly simplify the use of the spreadsheet
by the end user and keep the formulas simple with a better chance of avoiding errors. This
approach also can make the maintenance easier by having corrections or updates kept in
one central location. The use of macros is described in Chapter 12 of this book and is a
specialized topic in itself. The danger of overusing macros and custom functions is that the
principles upon which the spreadsheet is based become much more difficult to see by a
user other than the original author (and sometimes even by the author!).
Finding and fixing errors
It is common to find situations where errors are displayed. Even with all the tools
available in Calc to help you to enter formulas, making mistakes is easy. Many people
find inputting numbers difficult and many may make a mistake about the kind of
entry that a function's argument needs. In addition to correcting errors, you may
want to find the cells used in a formula to change their values or to check the answer.
Calc provides three tools for investigating formulas and the cells that they reference:
error messages, color coding, and the Detective.
Error messages
The most basic tool is error messages. Error messages display in a formula’s cell or
in the Function Wizard instead of the result.
An error message for a formula is usually a three-digit number from 501 to 527, or
sometimes an unhelpful piece of text such as NAME?, REF, or VALUE. The error
number appears in the cell, and a brief explanation of the error on the right side of
the status bar.
Most error messages indicate a problem with how the formula was input, although
several indicate that you have run up against a limitation of either Calc or its current
settings.
Error messages are not user-friendly, and may intimidate new users. However, they
are valuable clues to correcting mistakes. You can find detailed explanations of them
in the help, by searching for Error codes in OpenOffice.org Calc. A few of the most
common are shown in the following table.
182 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
NAME? (525) No valid reference exists for the argument.
REF (525) The column, row, or sheet for the referenced cell is missing.
VALUE (519) The value for one of the arguments is not the type that the
argument requires. The value may be entered incorrectly; for
example, double-quotation marks may be missing around the value.
At other times, a cell or range used may have the wrong format,
such as text instead of numbers.
509 An operator such as an equals sign is missing from the formula.
510 An argument is missing from the formula.
502 The column, row, or sheet for the referenced cell is missing.
Examples of common errors
Err:503 Division by zero
This error is the result of dividing a number by either the number zero (0) or a blank
cell. There is an easy way to avoid this type of problem. When you have a zero or
blank cell displayed, use a conditional function. Figure 160 depicts division of column
B by column C yielding 2 errors arising from a zero and a blank cell showing in
column C.
Figure 160: Examples of Err:503, Division by zero
It is very common to find an error such as this arising from a situation where data
was not reported or reported incorrectly. When such an occurrence is possible, an IF
function can be used to display the data correctly. The formula =IF(C3>0, B3/C3,
"No Report") can be entered. The formula is then copied over the remainder of
Column D. The meaning of this formula roughly would be: “If C3 is greater than 0,
then compute B3 divided by C3, otherwise enter ‘No Report’”.
It is also possible for the last parameter to use double quotes for a blank to be
entered, or a different formula with a standardized number being substituted for the
lower number. An example of this might be to use the nursing staff in the unit.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 183
Figure 161: Division by zero solution
#VALUE Non-existent value and #REF! Incorrect references
The non-existent value error is also very common. The most common appearance of
this error arises when a user copies a formula over a selected area. When copying, it
is typical for the program to increment the represented cells. If you were copying
downward from cell B3 the program would automatically substitute the cell B4 into
the next lower cell and so on until the end of the copying process. If that next cell
contains text or a value that is inappropriate for the formula, then this error may
result. The difficulty usually occurs when one or more of the parameters in the
formula need to be fixed.
Note
To avoid the #VALUE and #REF! errors, give the cell B3 a name such as
TotalExpenses. In that way, the program will carry that name to each
succeeding formula being copied and remove the need to use the $ to
anchor the reference to the TotalExpenses cell.
Color coding for input
Another useful tool when reviewing a formula is the color coding for input. When you
select a formula that has already been entered, the cells or ranges used for each
argument in the formula are outlined in color.
Calc uses eight colors for outlining referenced cells, starting with blue for the first
cell, and continuing with red, magenta, green, dark blue, brown, purple and yellow
before cycling through the sequence again.
The Detective
In a long or complicated spreadsheet, color coding becomes less useful. In these
cases, consider using the the submenu under Tools > Detective. The Detective is a
tool for checking which cells are used as arguments by a formula (precedents) and
which other formulas it is nested in (dependents), and tracking errors. It can also be
used for tracing errors, marking invalid data (that is, information in cells that is not
in the proper format for a function’s argument), or even for removing precedents and
dependents.
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To use the Detective, select a cell with a formula, then start the Detective. On the
spreadsheet, you will see lines ending in circles to indicate precedents, and lines
ending in arrows for dependents. The lines show the flow of information.
Use the Detective to assist in following the precedents referred to in a formula in a
cell. By tracing these precedents, you frequently can find the source of the errors.
Place the cursor in the cell in question and then choose Tools > Detective > Trace
Precedents from the menu bar or press Shift+F7. Figure 162 shows a simple
example of tracing precedents.
Cursor placed in cell
Figure 162: Tracing precedents using the Detective
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 185
a) Initiate trace by clicking Trace Precedents
b) Source area highlighted in Blue, with arrow pointing to the calculation cell
(continued): Tracing precedents using the Detective
186 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
We are concerned that the number shown in Cell C3 is incorrectly stated. The cause
can be seen in the highlighted cells. In this case cell C16 contains both numeric data
as well as letters. Removing the letters resolves the problem in the calculation.
In other cases we must trace the error. Use the Trace Error function, found under
Tools > Detective > Trace Error, to find the cells that cause the error.
Examples of functions
For novices, functions are one of the most intimidating features of OpenOffice.org's
Calc. New users quickly learn that functions are an important feature of
spreadsheets, but there are almost four hundred, and many require input that
assumes specialized knowledge. Fortunately, Calc includes dozens of functions that
anyone can use.
Basic arithmetic and statistic functions
The most basic functions create formulas for basic arithmetic or for evaluating
numbers in a range of cells.
Basic arithmetic
The simple arithmetic functions are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Except for subtraction, each of these operations has its own function:
•SUM for addition
•PRODUCT for multiplication
•QUOTIENT for division
Traditionally, subtraction does not have a function.
SUM, PRODUCT, and QUOTIENT are useful for entering ranges of cells in the same
way as any other function, with arguments in brackets after the function name.
However, for basic equations, many users prefer the time-honored computer symbols
for these operations, using the plus sign (+) for addition, the hyphen (–) for
subtraction, the asterisk (*) for multiplication and the forward slash (/) for division.
These symbols are quick to enter without requiring your hands to stray from the
keyboard.
A similar choice is also available if you want to raise a number by the power of
another. Instead of entering =POWER(A1;2), you can enter =A1^2.
Moreover, they have the advantage that you enter formulas with them in an order
that more closely approximates human readable format than the spreadsheet-
readable format used by the equivalent function. For instance, instead of entering
=SUM (A1:A2), or possibly =SUM (A1;A2), you enter =A1+A2. This almost-human
readable format is especially useful for compound operations, where writing
=A1*(A2+A3) is briefer and easier to read than =PRODUCT(A1;SUM(A2:A3)).
The main disadvantage of using arithmetical operators is that you cannot directly use
a range of cells. In other words, to enter the equivalent of =SUM (A1:A3), you would
need to type =A1+A2+A3.
Otherwise, whether you use a function or an operator is largely up to you—except, of
course, when you are subtracting. However, if you use spreadsheets regularly in a
group setting such as a class or an office, you might want to standardize on an entry
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 187
format so that everyone who handles a spreadsheet becomes accustomed to a
standard input.
Simple statistics
Another common use for spreadsheet functions is to pull useful information out of a
list, such as a series of test scores in a class, or a summary of earnings per quarter
for a company.
You can, of course, scan a list of figures if you want basic information such as the
highest or lowest entry or the average. The only trouble is, the longer the list, the
more time you waste and the more likely you are to miss what you’re looking for.
Instead, it is usually quicker and more efficient to enter a function. Such reasons
explain the existence of a function like COUNT, which does no more than give the
total number of entries in the designated cell range.
Similarly, to find the highest or lowest entry, you can use MIN or MAX. For each of
these formulas, all arguments are either a range of cells, or a series of cells entered
individually.
Each also has a related function, MINA or MAXA, which performs the same function,
but treats a cell formatted for text as having a value of 0 (The same treatment of text
occurs in any variation of another function that adds an "A" to the end). Either
function gives the same result, and could be useful if you used a text notation to
indicate, for example, if any student were absent when a test was written, and you
wanted to check whether you needed to schedule a makeup exam.
For more flexibility in similar operations, you could use LARGE or SMALL, both of
which add a specialized argument of rank. If the rank is 1 used with LARGE, you get
the same result as you would with MAX. However, if the rank is 2, then the result is
the second largest result. Similarly, a rank of 2 used with SMALL gives you the
second smallest number. Both LARGE and SMALL are handy as a permanent control,
since, by changing the rank argument, you can quickly scan multiple results.
You would need to be an expert to want to find the Poisson Distribution of a sample,
or to find the skew or negative binomial of a distribution (and, if you are, you will find
functions in Calc for such things). However, for the rest of us, there are simpler
statistical functions that you can quickly learn to use.
In particular, if you need an average, you have a number to choose from. You can find
the arithmetical means—that is, the result when you add all entries in a list then
divided by the number of entries by enter a range of numbers when using AVERAGE,
or AVERAGE A to include text entries and to give them a value of zero.
In addition, you can get other information about the data set:
•MEDIAN: The entry that is exactly half way between the highest and lowest
number in a list.
•MODE: The most common entry in a list of numbers.
•QUARTILE:The entry at a set position in the array of numbers. Besides the cell
range, you enter the type of Quartile: 0 for the lowest entry, 1 for the value of
25%, 2 for the value of 50%, 3 for 75%, and 4 for the highest entry. Note that
the result for types 1 through 3 may not represent an actual item entered.
•RANK: The position of a given entry in the entire list, measured either from top
to bottom or bottom to top. You need to enter the cell address for the entry, the
range of entries, and the type of rank (0 for the rank from the highest, or 1 for
the rank from the bottom.
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Some of these functions overlap; for example, MIN and MAX are both covered by
QUARTILE. In other cases, a custom sort or filter might give much the same result.
Which you use depends on your temperament and your needs. Some might prefer to
use MIN and MAX because they are easy to remember, while others might prefer
QUARTILE because it is more versatile.
Using these functions
In some cases, you may be able to get similar results to some of these functions by
setting up a filter or a custom sort. However, in general, functions are more easily
adjusted than filters or sorts, and provide a wide range of possibilities.
At times, you may just want to enter one or more formulas temporarily in a
convenient blank cell, and delete it once you have finished. However, if you find
yourself using the same functions constantly, you should consider creating a template
and including space for all the functions you use, with the cell to their left used as a
label for them. Once you have created the template, you can easily update each
formula as entries change, either automatically and on-the-fly or pressing the F9 key
to update all selected cells.
No matter how you use these functions, you will probably find them simple to use and
adaptable for many purposes. By the time you have mastered this handful, you will be
ready to try more complex functions.
Rounding off numbers
For statistical and mathematical purposes, Calc includes a variety of ways to round
off numbers. If you’re a programmer, you may also be familiar with some of these
methods. However, you don’t need to be a specialist to find some of these methods
useful. You may want to round off for billing purposes, or because decimal places
don’t translate well into the physical world—for instance, if the parts you need come
in packages of 100, then the fact you only need 66 is irrelevant to you; you need to
round up for ordering. By learning the options for rounding up or down, you can
make your spreadsheets more immediately useful.
When you use a rounding function, you have two choices about how to set up your
formulas. If you choose, you can nest a calculation within one of the rounding
functions. For instance, the formula =ROUND((SUM(A1;A2)) adds the figures in cells
A1 and A2, then rounds them off to the nearest whole number. However, even though
you don’t need to work with exact figures every day, you may still want to refer to
them occasionally. If that is the case, then you are probably better off separating the
two functions, placing =SUM(A1;A2) in cell A3, and =ROUND (A3) in A4, and clearly
labelling each function.
Rounding methods
The most basic function for rounding numbers in Calc is ROUND. This function will
round off a number according to the usual rules of symmetric arithmetic rounding: a
decimal place of .4 or less gets rounded down, while one of .5 or more gets rounded
up. However, at times, you may not want to follow these rules. For instance, if you are
one of those contractors who bills a full hour for any fraction of an hour you work,
you would want to always round up so you didn’t lose any money. Conversely, you
might choose to round down to give a slight discount to a long-established customer.
In these cases, you might prefer to use ROUNDUP or ROUNDDOWN, which, as their
names suggest, round a number to the nearest integer above or below it.
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 189
All three of these functions require the single argument of number—the cell or
number to be rounded. Used with only this argument, all three functions round to the
nearest whole number, so that 46.5 would round to 47 with ROUND or ROUNDUP
and 46 with ROUNDDOWN. However, if you use the optional count argument, you
can specify the number of decimal places to include. For instance, if number was set
to 1, then 48.65 would round to 48.7 with ROUND or ROUNDUP and to 48.6 with
ROUNDDOWN.
As an alternative to ROUNDDOWN when working with decimals, you can use TRUNC
(short for truncate). It takes exactly the same arguments as ROUNDDOWN, so which
function you use is a matter of choice. If you aren't working with decimals, you might
choose to use INT (short for integer), which takes only the number argument.
Another option is the ODD and EVEN pair of functions. ODD rounds up to the nearest
odd number if what is entered in the number argument is a positive number, and
rounds down if it is a negative number, while EVEN does the same for an even
number.
Options are the CEILING and FLOOR functions. As you can guess from the names,
CEILING rounds up and FLOOR rounds down. For both functions, the number that
they round to is determined by the closest multiple of the number that you enter as
the significance argument. For instance, if your business insurance is billed by the
work week, the fact that you were only open three days one week would be irrelevant
to your costs; you would still be charged for an entire week, and therefore might
want to use CEILING in your monthly expenses.
Conversely, if you are building customized computers and completed 4.5 in a day,
your client would only be interested in the number ready to ship, so you might use
FLOOR in a report of your progress. If cell E1 contains the value 46.7,
=CEILING(E1;7) will return the value 49.
Besides number and significance, both CEILING and FLOOR include an optional
argument called mode, which takes a value of 0 or 1. If mode is set to 0, and both the
number and the significance are negative numbers, then the result of either function
is rounded up; if it is set to 1, and both the number and the significance are negative
numbers, then the results are rounded down. In other words, if the number is -11 and
the significance is -5, then the result is -10 when the mode is set to 0, but -15 when
set to 1.
However, if you are exchanging spreadsheets between Calc and MS Excel, remember
that the mode argument is not supported by Excel. If you want the answers to be
consistent between the two spreadsheets, set the mode in Calc to -1.
A function somewhat similar to CEILING and FLOOR is MROUND. Like CEILING
AND FLOOR, MROUND requires two arguments, although, somewhat confusingly,
the second one is called multiple rather than significance, even though the two are
identical. The difference between MROUND and CEILING and FLOOR is that
MROUND rounds up or down using symmetric arithmetic rounding. For example, if
the number is 77 and the multiple is 5, then MROUND gives a result of 75. However,
if the multiple is changed to 7, then MROUND's result becomes 77.
Once you become familiar with Calc’s long, undifferentiated list of functions, you can
start to decide which is most useful for your purposes.
However, one last point is worth mentioning: If you are working with more than two
decimal places, don't be surprised if you don’t see the same number of decimal places
on the spreadsheet as you do on the function wizard. If you don’t, the reason is that
Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > Calculate > Decimal Places defaults
190 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
to 2. Change the number of decimal places, and, if necessary, uncheck the Precision
as shown box on the same page, and the spreadsheet will display as expected.
Using regular expressions in functions
A number of functions in Calc allow the use of regular expressions: SUMIF,
COUNTIF, MATCH, SEARCH, LOOKUP, HLOOKUP, VLOOKUP, DCOUNT, DCOUNTA,
DSUM, DPRODUCT, DMAX, DMIN, DAVERAGE, DSTDEV, DSTDEVP, DVAR, DVARP,
DGET.
Whether or not regular expressions are used is selected on the Tools > Options >
OpenOffice.org Calc > Calculate dialog.
Figure 163: Enabling regular expressions in formulas
For example =COUNTIF(A1:A6;"r.d") with Enable regular expressions in
formulas selected will count cells in A1:A6 which contain red and ROD.
Additionally if Search criteria = and <> must apply to whole cells is not
selected, then Fred, bride, and Ridge will also be counted. If that setting is selected,
then it can be overcome by wrapping the expression thus:
=COUNTIF(A1:A6;".*r.d.*").
Figure 164: Using the COUNTIF function
Chapter 7 Using Formulas and Functions 191
Regular expression searches within functions are always case insensitive,
irrespective of the setting of the Case sensitive checkbox on the dialog in Figure
163—so red and ROD will always be matched in the above example. This case-
insensitivity also applies to the regular expression structures ([:lower:]) and
([:upper:]), which match characters irrespective of case.
Regular expressions will not work in simple comparisons. For example: A1="r.d" will
always return FALSE if A1 contains red, even if regular expressions are enabled. It
will only return TRUE if A1 contains r.d (r then a dot then d). If you wish to test using
regular expressions, try the COUNTIF function: COUNTIF(A1; "r.d") will return 1 or
0, interpreted as TRUE or FALSE in formulas like =IF(COUNTIF(A1; "r.d");"hooray";
"boo").
Activating the Enable regular expressions in formulas option means all the above
functions will require any regular expression special characters (such as
parentheses) used in strings within formulas, to be preceded by a backslash, despite
not being part of a regular expression. These backslashes will need to be removed if
the setting is later deactivated.
Advanced functions
As is common with other spreadsheet programs, OOo Calc can be enhanced by user-
defined functions or add-ins. Setting up user-defined functions can be done either by
using the Basic IDE or by writing separate add-ins or extensions.
The basics of writing and running macros is covered in Chapter 12 (Calc Macros).
Macros can be linked to menus or toolbars for ease of operation or stored in template
modules to make the functions available in other documents.
Calc Add-ins are specialized office extensions which can extend the functionality of
OpenOffice.org with new built-in Calc functions. Writing Add-ins requires knowledge
of the C++ language, the OOo SDK, and is for experienced programmers. More
information is available on the OOo wiki page at
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Calc/Add-In/Simple_Calc_Add-In. A number of
extensions for Calc have been written and these can be found on the extensions site
at http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/. Refer to Chapter 14 (Setting up and
Customizing Calc) for more details.
192 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 8
Using the DataPilot
This chapter is adapted from a German original written by Stefan Weigel and
translated into English by Sigrid Kronenberger. It is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License, version 3.0.
Introduction
Many requests for software support are the result of using complicated formulas and
solutions to solve simple day to day problems. More efficient and effective solutions
use the DataPilot, a tool for combining, comparing, and analyzing large amounts of
data easily. Using the DataPilot, you can view different summaries of the source data,
display the details of areas of interest, and create reports, whether you are a
beginner, an intermediate or advanced user.
This chapter is divided into two sections:
•“Examples with step by step descriptions” uses three typical cases to
demonstrate the advantages and applications of the DataPilot. Follow the
examples to learn how easy it is to use the DataPilot.
•“DataPilot functions in detail” starting on page 214 describes the DataPilot in
detail. You can use this part to look up how a function is used.
Examples with step by step descriptions
This section demonstrates some of the possibilities of the DataPilot in typical use
cases. By following the step by step description, you can recreate the examples and
learn about the power of the DataPilot.
Example 1: Sales volume overview
A typical introductory example in courses and books for beginners with spreadsheets
is a simple sales volume overview.
Figure 165: Typical example for beginners
This example demonstrates the user interface and how to insert text and numbers
into cells. Useful aids like AutoFill and drag and drop have been demonstrated in
other chapters. The most important part is the connection between cells through
formulas, for example addition with the plus operator or the SUM function.
This small exercise might be useful for a first contact with the program, but it shows
only a very small fraction of the tasks in an office. To create such a sales overview,
you also need the original base data. That is, before you can use a spreadsheet to
create a sales overview, you need to add the (possibly many) single purchases from
different lists and then enter the sums into the relevant cells C5 to F7.
194 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Practical problems and questions
•To display additional values for May, June, July, and so on, you need to add
extra columns; that is, you have to change the structure of the calculation
sheet. This is not only somewhat inefficient from a workflow point of view, but
it also raises some practical questions: How do references react if you add
more columns or rows to the sum formulas?
•The layout, where the timeline is displayed horizontally, is less convenient if
you want to add more months. A vertical layout might be a more efficient use
of space. How can the table be transposed? Do you have to enter everything
again?
•What if management asks unexpected questions or adds an additional
subdivision for the different sales regions or a constraint of the sales for a
given employee? In these cases you again have to manually add all the sums
and create different tables in many variations.
•Is it really acceptable and realistic to create such an overview by adding the
different values manually? This is really a lot of work and extremely error-
prone!
Solution
The most important part of your task in the example is the addition of the Total sales
per month cells, which had to be done manually. To do this automatically with the
program, just get the data into Calc. You can enter the single numbers by hand or you
can import a file from your bookkeeping software. In any case we assume a
continuous table that keeps track of all sales in a somewhat primitive form.
Figure 166: Basic data in Calc
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 195
You can create the sales volume overview by following these instructions:
1) Select the cell A1 (or any other single cell within the list).
2) Select Data > DataPilot > Start. On the Select Source dialog, choose
Current selection and click OK.
3) The DataPilot dialog (Figure 167) has four white layout areas and several
fields that look like buttons. These small fields are the titles of the different
columns of your list.
•Move (drag and drop with the mouse) the date field into the Column
Fields area.
•Move the sales field into the Data Fields area.
•Move the category field into the Row Fields area.
4) Click More, to see more options in the lower part of the dialog.
5) In the Results to drop-down list, select – new sheet –.
6) Click OK.
Figure 167: DataPilot dialog
7) The result appears on a new sheet. It has the desired structure, but the
columns are not yet grouped into months.
196 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 168: DataPilot result without grouping
8) To group the columns, select cell B4 or any other cell that contains a date.
Then select Data > Group and Outline > Group. On the Grouping dialog
(Figure 169), make sure Intervals and Months are selected in the Group by
section, and click OK. The result is now grouped for months (Figure 170).
Figure 169: Grouping on months
Figure 170: DataPilot result grouped for months
In this result you will recognize the beginners’ example. It is very easy to produce,
without any further knowledge about the spreadsheet. You do not have to enter any
formulas.
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 197
Advantages
1) No manual entering or adding of any values is necessary. There is less work
and fewer errors.
2) The layout is very flexible: months horizontal and categories vertical or vice
versa, in two mouse clicks.
3) Additional differentiating factors are immediately available.
4) Many types of evaluation are possible; for example, number or average instead
of sum, accumulated values, comparisons, and so on.
We will now demonstrate some of these advantages.
Starting with the result of Figure 170, use the mouse to drag the Date field under the
Category field, as shown in Figure 171.
Figure 171: Drag Date field under Category field
Now the summary is as shown in Figure 172.
Figure 172: Changed layout
198 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
To transpose the table completely, just drag the Category field above the area of the
displayed values, to cell C3 (see Figure 173). The result of this action is shown in
Figure 174.
Figure 173: Drag Category field to right of Data field
Figure 174: Transposed layout of Figure 172
In contrast to the beginners’ example in Figure 165, it is now very simple to view or
add different aspects of the underlying data. For example, to see the values for
different regions, do the following:
1) Select the cell A3 (or any other single cell that is part of the DataPilot result).
2) Select Data > DataPilot > Start to start the DataPilot again.
Drag the Region field into the Row Fields area. Depending on the order you
choose for the row fields, the result is either regions with date subdivisions or
vice versa.
3) Click OK. The result is shown in Figure 175.
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 199
Figure 175: Additional subdivision into regions, added later
In another variation you may want to add the employees.
1) Select the cell A3 (or any other single cell that is part of the DataPilot result).
2) Select Data > DataPilot > Start, to start the DataPilot again.
•You do not need the Region field in this case. Drag it out of the layout
area.
•Drag the Employee field into the Page Fields area.
3) Click OK. The result is shown in Figure 176.
Fields that you use as page fields are placed in the result above the summary with
the name Filter. You then have a drop-down list that you can use to show only the
sums of a given employee.
Up to now we have not seen the most powerful features of the DataPilot. The
following examples will show you more.
200 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 176: Selection of subtotals for several employees.
Example 2: Timekeeping
This example is often used by consultants and in several variations in user support.
The task is to provide a means for one or more users to keep track of working hours.
Note
In the real world timekeeping requires tracking working time on
individual projects. Specialized database software is often used but for
simple applications in a small company a Calc spreadsheet and the Data
Pilot might be all that is needed to track work done.
A typical way of doing this is to create a spreadsheet per month and a sum sheet with
all the results of one year. For each employee, there is one file (see Figures 177 and
178 for examples of two pages from the file for one employee).
Practical problems and questions
•It is very difficult and time-consuming to create the timekeeping table: 12
sheets that have to be copied from a raw template and adjusted for each
month, and a sheet with all the yearly sums with references to all the other
sheets. Users often search for a macro to make the creation easier.
•The file shown contains only the data of one employee. How can you get all the
data for all the employees, so that you can have a summary of all the work
hours from all employees of a department or the whole company?
•How can you compare employees and/or departments?
•The file shown contains data for one year. How can you compare it with the
data of the previous years?
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 201
Figure 177: One month of timekeeping for one employee
Figure 178: Yearly sums for one employee
202 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Solution
To use the DataPilot for this task, collect all the data into one single table. This can be
done either manually or by importing a file from an (electronic) timekeeping
machine.
In very simple cases, each employee takes care of their own working hours. If you
need calculations that cover several employees, departments, or the whole company,
just copy everything into one huge table (Figure 179).
Figure 179: Database in Calc
Using the DataPilot requires only 12 mouse clicks and gives you a nice overview
within seconds:
1) Select the cell A1 (or any other single cell within the list).
2) Choose Data > DataPilot > Start and click OK.
3) On the DataPilot dialog (Figure 180):
•Drag date into the Row Fields area.
•Drag hours into the Data Fields area. Notice that it becomes Sum –
hours.
•Drag name into the Column Fields area.
4) Click More to show more options in the lower part of the dialog.
5) Choose – new sheet – for Results to.
6) Click OK.
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 203
Figure 180: Part of DataPilot dialog
The result appears on a new sheet (Figure 181).
Figure 181: The evaluation, done within seconds with DataPilot
The result is much more powerful than is possible with the classic formula-based
calculation. For example, you can summarize the daily results to a monthly result
very easily:
1) To group together the rows, select the cell A5 (or any other cell that contains a
date).
204 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
2) Choose Data > Group and Outline > Group . On the Grouping dialog, leave
Start and End as Automatically; in the Group by section, choose Intervals
and Months. Click OK. The result is now grouped into months.
Figure 182: Monthly sums
If you need a result with a percentage, start the DataPilot from this page.
1) Select the cell A3 (or any other single cell that contains a result of the
DataPilot).
2) Choose Data > DataPilot > Start.
3) Double-click on Sum – hours to open the Data Field dialog (Figure 183).
4) Click on More, to see more options.
5) Switch Displayed value > Type to % of column.
6) Click OK to return to the DataPilot dialog, then click OK again.
The result shows percentages as a decimal number. If you prefer to have a percent
format, select the cells and click on the % icon in the menu bar (Figure 184).
Figure 183: Properties of the data field
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 205
Figure 184: Result with percentages
To get a comparison between employees, start the DataPilot again from the output
sheet:
1) Select the cell A3 (or any other cell that contains a result of the DataPilot).
2) Choose Data > DataPilot > Start.
3) Double-click on Sum – hours to open the Data Field dialog.
4) Click More, to see more options.
•Switch the Type of the displayed value to Difference from.
•Switch the Base field to name.
•Switch the Base item to Brigitte.
5) Click OK to return to the DataPilot dialog, then click OK again.
Figure 185: Absolute comparison with Brigitte
As a final example we switch to an accumulated view; that is, continuing sums of all
values:
1) Select the cell A3 (or any other cell that contains a result of the DataPilot).
1) Choose Data > DataPilot > Start.
2) Double-click on Sum – hours to open the Data Field dialog.
3) Click More, to see more options.
•Switch the type of the displayed value to Running total in.
•Switch the Base field to Date.
4) Click OK to return to the DataPilot dialog, then click OK again.
206 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 186: The DataPilot now shows accumulated values
Differences and advantages
These examples show an important aspect of the DataPilot. Normally you have to
collect your data according to the way you want the result to be represented. This
means you have to use a specific structure and you are stuck with it.
The DataPilot works more like a real database. The source data are collected in a
simple spreadsheet that contains all data. Only when you want to look at it do you
select which part of the data you want to use.
Example 3: Frequency distribution
For showing the frequency of incidents, Calc uses the function FREQUENCY. This
formula has to be used in a so-called matrix formula. This is an advanced feature.
Alternatively you can use the DataPilot, which requires almost no knowledge of
spreadsheets.
In our example we want to investigate the number of emails that go to the
Germanophone support mailing list (users@de.openoffice.org). We want to know how
the activity on the list is distributed during the day.
The starting point for this example is the mailbox file of the Thunderbird mail client.
The command (in Linux)
grep 'Delivery-Date:' Inbox > users.txt
creates a text file that contains, for the timespan of more than 2 years, one line for
each message, with date and time. (See Figure 187.)
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 207
Figure 187: Raw data for the frequency of the
messages
To import the data into a table in Calc, choose Insert > Sheet From File and select
the text file users.txt containing the raw data. The Text Import dialog (Figure 188)
appears. Here you can choose your import options. Use the following properties:
Separator options: Fixed width
Divide into columns at position 20, 31 and 40
Column types:
Column 1: Hide
Column 2: Date (DMY)
Column 3: Standard
Column 4: Hide
208 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 188: Import settings
Figure 189 shows the imported raw data with a row added at the top containing titles
for each column.
Figure 189: Raw data in Calc
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 209
Solution with a matrix formula
To calculate the frequency you have to create 24 classes, one for each hour. In the
next column you enter the number of emails with the function FREQUENCY.
Figure 190: FREQUENCY function
in a matrix formula
The first argument is the cell area with the times of all approximately 38,000 emails.
The second argument is the cell area E2:E25 that describes the frequency classes. To
enter the formula, first select the cell area F2:F25, then enter the formula. Then
finish the formula by using the key combination Shift+Ctrl+Enter. This indicates to
the program that you want to use a matrix formula. To indicate the matrix formula,
the program uses curly brackets.
This technique is most often known only to (and used by) advanced users.
Solution with the DataPilot
With the DataPilot you can achieve the same result much easier and faster. The
solution is also possible for less advanced users. Starting with the raw data
(Figure 189), you need only a few mouse clicks.
210 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 191: Part of DataPilot dialog
1) Select the cell A1 (or any other cell within the list).
2) Choose Data > DataPilot > Start and click OK.
3) In the DataPilot:
•Drag Time into the Row Fields area.
•Drag Date into the Data Fields area.
4) Click More to show more options in the lower part of the dialog.
5) Choose – new sheet – for Results to.
6) In this case we need to count the number of values, not their sum. Double-click
on Sum – Date to open the Data Field dialog and select the function Count
(see Figure 192).
7) Click OK. As an intermediate result, you get a DataPilot table that has for
every time within the raw data a separate line.
Figure 192: Properties of the data field
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 211
Note
This may be a very time-consuming process because of the large number
of items. The time does not depend that much on the number of lines but
rather on the number of rows needed for the table that contains the
results.
8) For grouping the rows, select the cell A4 or any other cell that contains a time.
9) Choose Data > Group and Outline > Group, select for the interval Hours
and click OK. The result is now grouped according to hours as shown in
Figure 195.
Figure 193: properties for grouping according to hours
10) Restart the DataPilot and double-click on the Sum-Date data field. Figure 194
shows the Data Field dialog for the data field Number – Date. Click More and
select as type % of column. The result is shown in Figure 196. Figure 195
shows the absolute occurrence.
Whether the relative values are shown as a decimal (0.1) or as a percentage
(10%) depends only on the cell formatting itself and has nothing to do with the
DataPilot.
212 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 194: Data Field settings for relative values
Figure 195: Frequency distribution
with the DataPilot
Figure 196: Relative occurrence
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 213
DataPilot functions in detail
This part describes the use and options of the DataPilot in detail.
The database (preconditions)
The first thing needed to work with the DataPilot is a list of raw data, similar to a
database table, consisting of rows (data sets) and columns (data fields). The field
names are in the first row above the list.
The data source could be an external file or database. For the simplest case, where
data is contained in a Calc spreadsheet, Calc offers sorting functions that do not
require the DataPilot.
For processing data in lists, the program needs to know where in the spreadsheet the
table is. The table can be anywhere in the sheet, in any position. A spreadsheet can
contains several unrelated tables.
Calc recognizes your lists automatically. It uses the following logic:
Starting from the cell you’ve selected (which must be within your list), Calc checks
the surrounding cells in all 4 directions (left, right, above, below). The border is
recognized if the program discovers an empty row or column, or if it hits the left or
upper border of the spreadsheet.
This means that the described functions can only work correctly if there are no empty
rows or columns in your list. Avoid empty lines (for example for formatting). You can
format your list by using cell formats.
Rule No empty rows or empty columns are allowed within lists.
If you select more than one single cell before you start sorting, filtering or calling the
DataPilot, then the automatic list recognition is switched off. Calc assumes that the
list matches exactly the cells you have selected.
Rule For sorting, filtering, or using the DataPilot, always select only one cell.
A relatively common source of errors is to inadvertently declare a list by mistake and
then sort the list. If you select multiple cells (for example, a whole column) then the
sorting mixes up the data that should be together in one row.
In addition to these formal aspects, the logical structure of your table is very
important when using the DataPilot.
Rule Calc lists must have the normal form; that is, they must have a simple
linear structure.
When entering the data, do not add outlines, groups, or summaries. This becomes
clear when we think about what we could have done wrong in our Sales list example
in the section “Examples with step by step descriptions” starting at page 194. Here
are some mistakes commonly made by inexperienced spreadsheet users:
1) You made several sheets, for example, a sheet for each group of articles.
Analyses are then possible only within each group. Analyses for several groups
would be a lot of work.
214 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
2) In the Sales list, instead of only one column for the amount, you made a
column for the amounts for each employee. The amounts then had to be
entered into the appropriate column. An analysis with the DataPilot would not
be possible any more. In contrast, one result of the DataPilot is that you can
get results for each employee if you have entered everything in one column.
3) You entered the amounts in chronological order. At the end of each month you
made a sum total. In this case, sorting the list for different criteria is not
possible because the DataPilot will treat the sum totals the same as any other
figure. Getting monthly results is one of the very fast and easy features of the
DataPilot.
Start
Start the DataPilot with Data > DataPilot > Start. If the list to be analyzed is in a
spreadsheet table, select only one cell within this list. Calc recognizes and selects the
list automatically for use with the DataPilot.
Figure 197: After starting the DataPilot
Data source
There are three possibile data sources for the DataPilot: a Calc spreadsheet, an
external data source that has to be registered in OpenOffice.org, or access to an
OLAP system (not available at this time).
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 215
Calc spreadsheet
The simplest and most often used case is analyzing a list in a Calc spreadsheet. The
list might be updated regularly or the data might be imported from a different
application.
For example, a huge list can be copied from a different application and pasted into
Calc. The behavior of Calc while inserting the data depends on the format of the data.
If the data is in a common spreadsheet format, it is copied directly into Calc.
However, if the data is in plain text, the Text Import dialog appears; see Figure 188 in
this chapter and Chapter 1 (Introducing Calc) for more more information.
Calc can import data from a huge number of foreign data formats, for example from
other spreadsheets (Excel, Lotus 1, 2, 3), from databases (like dBase), and from
simple text files including CSV formats.
The drawback of copying or importing foreign data is that it will not update
automatically if there are changes in the source file. With a Calc file you were
previously limited to 65,535 rows but this has been expanded to one million rows.
Registered data source
A registered data source in OpenOffice.org is a connection to data held in a database
outside Calc. This means that the data to be analyzed will not be saved in Calc; Calc
always uses the data from the original source. Calc is able to use many different data
sources and also databases that are created and maintained with OpenOffice.org
Base. See Chapter 10 (Linking Calc Data) for more information.
External data (OLAP)
No implementation exists at the moment so this option is not available.
The DataPilot dialog
The function of the DataPilot is managed in two places: first in the DataPilot dialog
and second through manipulations of the result in the spreadsheet. This section
describes the dialog in detail.
Basic layout
In the DataPilot (Figure 198) are four white areas that show the layout of the result.
Beside these white areas are buttons with the names of the fields in your data source.
To choose a layout, drag and drop the field buttons into the white areas.
The Data Fields area in the middle must contain at least one field. Advanced users
can use more than one field here. For the data field an aggregate function is used.
For example, if you move the sales field into the Data Fields area, it appears there as
Sum – sales.
216 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 198: DataPilot dialog
Row Fields and Column Fields indicate in which groups the result will be sorted in
the rows and columns. If there are no entries in one of these area, then partial sums
will not be provided for the corresponding rows or columns. Often more than one
field is used at the same time get partial sums for rows or columns. The order of the
fields gives the order of the sums from overall to specific.
For example, if you drag region and employee into the Row Fields area, the sum will
be divided into the employees. Within the employees will be the listing for the
different regions.
Fields that are placed into the Page Fields area appear in the result above as a drop
down list. The summary in your result takes only that part of your base data into
account that you have selected. For example, if you use employee as a page field,
you can filter the result shown for each employee.
To remove a field from the white layout area just drag it to the border and drop it (the
cursor will change to a crossed symbol), or click the Remove button.
More options
To expand the DataPilot and show more options, click More.
Figure 199: Expanded dialog of the DataPilot
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 217
Selection from
Shows the range of cells used in the DataPilot.
Results to
Results to defines where your result will be shown. If you do not enter anything,
the DataPilot will put your result below the list that contains your data. This could
result in overwriting any data that is already in that location. To avoid overwriting
data, you can leave Results to as – undefined – and enter a cell reference to tell
the DataPilot where to show the results.1 However, a generally better approach is
to use - new sheet – to add a new sheet to the spreadsheet file and place the
results there.
Ignore empty rows
If the source data is not in the recommended form, this option tells the DataPilot
to ignore empty rows.
Identify categories
If the source data has missing entries in a list and does not meet the
recommended data structure (see Figure 200), the DataPilot adds it to the listed
category above it. If this option is not chosen, then the DataPilot inserts (empty)
(see Figure 202).
Figure 200: Example of data with missing entries in
Column A
The option Identify categories ensures that in this case rows 3 and 4 are added to
the product Apples and row 6 is added to Pears (see Figure 201).
Figure 201: DataPilot result with Identify categories selected
Without category recognition, the DataPilot shows an (empty) category (Figure
202).
1 In this case the word - undefined – is misleading because the output position is in fact
defined.
218 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 202: DataPilot result without Identify categories selected
Logically, the behavior without category recognition is better. A list with the
shown missing entries is also less useful, because you cannot use other functions
such as sorting or filtering.
Total columns / total rows
With this option you decide if the DataPilot will show an extra row with the sums
of each column or if it adds on the very right a column with the sums of each row.
In some cases, an added total sum is meaningless, for example if your entries are
accumulated or the result of comparisons.
Add filter
Use this option to add or hide the cell labelled Filter above the DataPilot results.
This cell is a convenient button for additional filtering options within the
DataPilot.
Enable drill to details
If you double-click on a single cell in the DataPilot result, this function gives a
more detailed listing of an individual entry. If this function is disabled, the double-
click will keep its usual edit function within a spreadsheet.
More settings for the fields – Field Options
The options discussed in the previous section are valid for the DataPilot in general.
Additionally, you can change settings for every field that you have added to the
DataPilot layout. Do this either by clicking on the Options button in the DataPilot
dialog or by double-clicking on the appropriate field.
There are differences between data fields, row or column fields, and page fields of
the DataPilot.
Data fields
In the Options dialog of a data field you can select the Sum function for accumulating
the values from your data source. In many cases you will need the sum function, but
other functions (like standard distribution or a counting function) are also available.
For example, the counting function can be useful for non-numerical data fields.
On the Data Field dialog, click More to see more options.
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 219
Figure 203: Expanded dialog for a data field
In the Displayed value section, you can choose other possibilities for analysis by using
the aggregate function. Depending on the setting for Type, you may have to choose
definitions for Base field and Base element. The table below lists the possible types
of displayed value and associated base field and element, together with a note on
usage.
Type Base field Base element Analysis
Normal — — Simple use of the
chosen aggregate
function (for example,
sum)
Difference
from
Selection of a field
from the data
source of the
DataPilot (for
example, employee)
Selection of an
element from the
selected base field
(for example,
Brigitte)
Result as difference to
the result of the base
element (for example,
Sales volume of the
employees as
difference of the sales
volume of Brigitte)
% of Selection of a field
from the data
source of the
DataPilot (for
example, employee)
Selection of an
element from the
selected base field
(for example,
Brigitte)
Result as a ratio based
on the result of the
base element (for
example, Sales result
of the employee
relative to the sales
result of Brigitte)
220 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Type Base field Base element Analysis
% difference
from
Selection of a field
from the data
source of the
DataPilot (for
example, employee)
Selection of an
element from the
selected base field
(for example.
Brigitte)
Result as relative
difference to the result
of the base element
(for example, Sales
volume of the
employees as relative
difference of the sales
volume of Brigitte)
Running
total in
Selection of a field
from the data
source of the
DataPilot (for
example, date)
— Result as a continuing
sum (for example,
Continuing sum of the
sales volume for days
or months)
% of row — — Result as relative part
of the result in the
whole row (for
example the row sum)
% of column — — Result as relative part
of the total column (for
example, the column
sum)
% of total — — Result as relative part
of the overall result
(for example the total
sum)
Index — — Default result x total
result / (row result x
column result)
Row and column fields
In the Options dialog for the row or column fields, you can choose to show partial
sums for each category. Partial sums are deactivated by default. They are only useful
if the values in one row or column field can be divided into partial sums for another
(sub)field.
Some examples are shown in the next three figures.
Figure 204: No subdivision with only one row or column field
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 221
Figure 205: Division of the regions for employees (two row fields) without partial sums
Figure 206: Division of the regions for employees with partial sums (by region)
222 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Choose the option Automatically to use the aggregate function for the partial
results that can also be used for the data fields (see above). To set up the aggregate
function for the partial results independently from the overall settings of the
DataPilot, choose User-defined.
Figure 207: Preferences dialog of a row or column field
Normally, the DataPilot does not show a row or column for categories that have no
entries in the underlying database. By choosing the Show items with no data
option, you can force this.
For illustration purposes, the data was manipulated in such a way, that the employee
Brigitte has no sales values for the category golfing.
Figure 208: Default setting
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 223
Figure 209: Setting “Show Items with no data”
Page fields
The Options dialog for page fields is the same as for row and column fields, even
though it appears to be useless to have the same settings as described for the row
and column fields. With the flexibility of the DataPilot you can switch the different
fields between pages, columns or rows. The fields keep the settings that you made for
them. The page field has the same properties as a row or column field. These settings
only take effect when you use the field not as page field but as row or column field.
Working with the results of the DataPilot
As mentioned above, the DataPilot is very flexible. An analysis can be totally
restructured with only a few mouse clicks. Some functions of the DataPilot can be
used only with the results of an analysis.
Start the dialog
Right-click in the area of the resulting table of the DataPilot. The command Start
opens the DataPilot dialog with all current settings.
Change layout by using drag and drop
The easiest and fastest method to change the layout of the DataPilot is drag and
drop. Within the result table of the DataPilot, move one of the page, column, or row
fields to a different position (see “Examples with step by step descriptions” starting
on page 194).
You can remove a column, row, or page field from the DataPilot by clicking on and
dragging it out of the DataPilot.
Grouping rows or columns
For many analyses or summaries, the categories have to be grouped. You can merge
the results in classes or periods. In the DataPilot you do a grouping only after you
have first made an ungrouped DataPilot table.
You can access the grouping with the menu entry Data > Group and Outline >
Group or by pressing F12. It is important that you select the correct cell area. How
the grouping function works is determined mainly by the type of values that have to
be grouped. You need to distinguish between scalar values, date or time values, or
other values, such as text, that you want grouped.
224 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Note
Before you can group, you have to produce a DataPilot with ungrouped
data. The time needed for creating a DataPilot depends mostly on the
number of columns and rows and not on the size of the basic data.
Through grouping you can produce the DataPilot with a small number of
rows and columns. The DataPilot can contain a lot of categories,
depending on your data source.
Grouping of categories with scalar values
For grouping scalar values, select a single cell in the row or column of the category to
be grouped.
Figure 210: DataPilot without
grouping (frequency of the km/h
values of a radar control)
Figure 211: DataPilot with grouping
(classes of 10 km/h each)
Choose Data > Group and Outline > Group from the menu bar or press F12; you
get the following dialog.
Figure 212: Grouping dialog with scalar categories
You can define in which value range (start/end) the grouping should take place. The
default setting is the whole range from smallest to biggest value. In the field
Grouping after you can enter the class size, this means the interval size (in this
example groups of 10 km/h each).
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 225
Grouping of categories with date or time values
For grouping date or time values select a single cell in the column or row of the
category to be grouped. This was demonstrated in all three examples in the section
“Examples with step by step descriptions” starting on page 194.
With the menu entry Data > Group and Outline > Group or by pressing F12, you
get the following dialog.
Figure 213: Grouping dialog for categories with dates or
times
You can decide the range of dates or times (start/finish) over which grouping should
take place. The default setting is the entire period from the earliest to the latest
value. In the field Group by you can enter the class size (the interval), that should be
used for grouping.
Possible intervals are: seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, quarters and years.
These can be combined, for example grouping first by years and then within each
year according to month.
Alternatively you can enter any number of days as grouping interval.
Tip
For grouping the output of the DataPilot in calendar weeks, choose the
beginning date on a Sunday or Monday and enter the grouping interval
(Number of Days) as 7.
Grouping without the automatic creation of intervals
If the categories contain text fields, then the automatic creation of intervals is not
possible. You can define for each field (for example Department) which values you
want to put together in one group.
Every time you use the menu entry Data > Group and Outline > Group or you
press F12 and you have more than one cell selected, then all the cells will be selected
as one group.
226 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 214: Database with nonscalar
categories (departments)
Figure 215: DataPilot
with nonscalar
categories
For grouping of non scalar categories, select in the result of the DataPilot all the
individual field values that you want to put in the one group.
Tip You can select several non-contiguous cells in one step by pressing and
holding the Control key while left-clicking with the mouse.
Given the input data shown in Figure 214, execute the Data Pilot with Department in
the Row Field and Sum (Sick Days) in the Data Field. The output should look like that
in Figure 215. Select with the mouse the Departments Accounting, Purchasing and
Sales.
Choose the Data > Group and Outline > Group from the Menu bar or press F12.
The output should now look like that in Figure 216. Repeat this for all groups that
you want to create from the different categories (Select Assembly, Production and
Warehouse and Group again. The output should look like Figure 217.
Figure 216: Summary of single categories
in one group Figure 217: Grouping finished
You can change the automatically given names for the groups and the newly created
group field by editing the name in the input field (for example changing 'Group2' to
'Technical'). The DataPilot will remember these settings, even if you change the
layout later on. For the following pictures, the dialog was called again (with a right-
click, Start) and by selecting the icon “Department 2”, then Options, and finally from
the preferences menu Automatic was selected. This generated the partial sum
results shown in Figure 218. Double-clicking Group 1 and Technical collapses the
entries, as shown in Figure 219.
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 227
Figure 218: Renamed groups and partial results
Figure 219: Reduced to the
new groups
Note
A well-structured database makes manual sorting within the DataPilot
obsolete. In the example shown, you could add another column with the
name Department, that has the correct entry for each person based on
whether the employee’s department belongs to the group Office or
Technical. The mapping for this (1:n relationship) can be done easily with
the VLOOKUP function from Calc.
Sorting the result
The result of any DataPilot is sorted (categories) in columns and rows in an ascending
order. You can change the sorting in three ways:
•Select sort order from drop-down menus on each column heading.
•Sort manually by using drag and drop.
•Sort automatically by choosing the options in the preferences dialog of the row
or column field.
Select sort order from drop-down menus on each column heading
The simplest way to sort entries is to click the arrow on the right side of the heading
and check the box(es) for the desired sort order. The custom sorting dialog is shown
in Figure 220. Additional options exitst to show all, only the current item or to hide
only the current item.
Figure 220: Custom sorting
228 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Sort manually by using drag and drop
You can change the order within the categories by moving the cells with the category
values in the result table of the DataPilot.
Be aware that in Calc a cell must be selected. It is not enough that this cell contains
the cell cursor. The background of a selected cell is marked with a different color. To
achieve this, click in one cell with no extra key pressed and redo this by pressing also
the Shift or Ctrl key. Another possibility is to keep the mouse button pressed on the
cell you want to select, move the mouse to a neighbor cell and move back to your
original cell before you release the mouse button.
Sort automatically
To sort automatically, start the options of the preferences of the row or column field:
right-click on the table area with the DataPilot result and choose Start to open the
DataPilot (Figure 167). Within the Layout area of the DataPilot, double-click the field
you want to sort. In the Data Field dialog (Figure 197), click Options to display the
Data Field Options dialog (Figure 221).
Figure 221: Options for a row or column field
For Sort by choose either Ascending or Descending. On the left side is a drop-down
list where you can choose the field this setting should apply to. With this method you
can specify that sorting does not happen according to the categories but according to
the results of the data field.
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 229
Drilling (showing details)
Drill allows you to show the related detailed data for a single, compressed value in
the DataPilot result. To activate a drill, double-click on the cell or choose Data >
Group and Outline > Show Details. You have to distinguish two cases:
1) The active cell is the category of a row or column field.
In this case drill means an additional breakdown into the categories of another
field.
For example, double-click on the cell with the value golfing in the row field
region. In this case the values that are aggregated in the category golfing are
subdivided according to another field.
Figure 222: Before the drill down for the category golfing
Since there are more possibilities for subdivision, a dialog appears so you can
choose your setting.
Figure 223: Selection of the field for the subdivision
Figure 224: After the drill down
230 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
To hide the details again, double-click on the cell golfing or choose Data >
Group and Outline > Hide Details.
The DataPilot remembers your selection (in our example the field employee),
so that for the next drill down for a category in the field region the dialog does
not appear. To remove the selection employee, open the DataPilot dialog by
right-clicking and choosing Start, then delete the unwanted selection in the
row or column field.
2) The active cell is a value of the data field.
In this case drill down means a listing of all data entries of the data source that
aggregates to this value.
Double-click on the cell with the value $18,741 from Figure 222. You now have
a new list of all data sets that are included in this value. This list is shown in a
new sheet.
Figure 225: New table sheet after the drilldown for a value
in a data field
Filtering
To limit the DataPilot analysis to a subset of the information that is contained in the
data basis, you can filter with the DataPilot.
Note
An Autofilter or default filter used on the sheet has no effect on the
DataPilot analysis process. The DataPilot always uses the complete list
that was selected when it was started.
To do this, click Filter on the top left side above the results.
Figure 226: Filter field in the upper left area of the DataPilot
In the Filter dialog, you can define up to 3 filter options that are used in the same
way as Calc’s default filter.
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 231
Figure 227: Dialog for defining the filter
Note
Even if they are not called a filter, page fields are a practical way to filter
the results. The advantage is that the filtering criteria used are clearly
visible.
Updating (refreshing) changed values
After you have created the DataPilot, changes in the source data do not cause an
automatic update in the resulting table. You have to always update (refresh) the
DataPilot manually after changing any of the underlying data values.
Changes in the source data could appear in two ways:
1) The content of existing data sets has been changed.
For example, you might have changed a sales value afterward. To update the
DataPilot, right-click in the result area and choose Refresh (or choose Data >
DataPilot > Refresh from the menu bar).
2) You have added or deleted data sets in the original list.
In this case the change means that the DataPilot has to use a different area of
the spreadsheet for its analysis. A change of the data reference for an existing
DataPilot is not possible. You must redo the DataPilot from the beginning.
Cell formatting
The cells in the results area of the DataPilot are automatically formatted in a simple
format by Calc. You can change this formatting using all the tools in Calc, but note
that if you make any change in the design of the DataPilot or any updates, the
formatting will return to the format applied automatically by Calc.
For the number format in the data field, Calc uses the number format that is used in
the corresponding cell in the source list. In most cases, this is useful (for example, if
the values are in the currency format, then the corresponding cell in the result area
is also formatted as currency). However, if the result is a fraction or a percentage,
the DataPilot does not recognize that this might be a problem; such results must
either be without a unit or be displayed as a percentage. Although you can correct
the number format manually, the correction stays in effect only until the next update.
Multiple data fields
Until now we have assumed that the layout of the DataPilot contains only one data
field. However, it is possible to have several data fields in the middle of the layout.
This makes summaries and analyses of multiple aspects possible.
232 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
You could, for example, list all the sales values per day and additionally give the
number of entries per day. To do this, put both the sales field and the date field into
the Data Fields area. For the date field, choose the Count option for the aggregate
function (see Figure 228).
Since every entry has a specific date, this field will give you the number of entries for
each date. If you group the values per month, you get an overview with the sales
value and the number of closed sales for each category and month (see Figure 229).
Figure 228: Multiple data fields in the DataPilot
Figure 229: DataPilot shows sales value and number of entries
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 233
When using multiple data fields, the DataPilot result area contains a field called Data
to allow for manipulating the existing data fields. You can move this field just like any
other row or column field by using drag and drop. This is an easy way to achieve
different structures for the results (see Figures 230 and 231; drag and drop the Data
field onto the date field label, or onto the category field label).
Figure 230: Layout option for presenting the sums and numbers
of the sales values
Figure 231: Another layout option for presenting the sums and numbers of the sales
values
If you want to put the different data fields in different columns and your DataPilot
does not contain another column field or you sort the different data fields in different
rows and don’t have another row field, then it is useful to disable the view of the row
or column sums. Just drag the category field label up to the Filter area.
Figure 232: Unnecessary columns
234 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 233: Disabled column sums
A frequent use case for multiple data fields is the aggregation of one value according
to different aggregate functions at the same time. You can create a DataPilot that
shows you the monthly sales values and shows you additionally the smallest and the
largest amounts.
Figure 234: Multiple analyses for the same data field
Unfortunately, Calc does not allow you to use the same data field multiple times. For
such multiple analyses you have to duplicate the respective column in the source.
This column is then available within the DataPilot; it just happens to have identical
values (but the three columns are referenced in the example as sales, sales2 and
sales3).
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 235
Figure 235: Multiple identical fields for sales value, that have been created as
duplicates within your source.
Shortcuts
If you use the DataPilot very often, you might find the frequent use of the menu paths
(Data > DataPilot > Start and Data > Group and Outline > Group) inconvenient.
For grouping, a shortcut is already defined: F12. For starting the DataPilot, you can
define your own keyboard shortcut. If you prefer to have toolbar icons instead of
keyboard shortcuts, you can create a user-defined symbol and add it to either your
own custom made toolbar or the Standard toolbar.
For an explanation how to create keyboard shortcuts or add icons to toolbars, see
Chapter 14 (Setting Up and Customizing Calc).
Function GETPIVOTDATA
The function GETPIVOTDATA can be used with formulas in Calc if you want to reuse
the results from the DataPilot elsewhere in your spreadsheet.
Difficulty
Normally you create a reference to a value by entering the address of the cell that
contains the value. For example, the formula =C6*2 creates a reference to cell C6 and
returns the doubled value.
If this cell is located in the results area of the DataPilot, it contains the result that
was calculated by referencing specific categories of the row and column fields. In
Figure 236, the cell C6 contains the sum of the sales values of the employee Hans in
the category Sailing. The formula in the cell C12 uses this value.
236 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 236: Formula reference to a cell of the DataPilot
If the underlying data or the layout of the DataPilot changes, then you must take into
account that the sales value for Hans might appear in a different cell. Your formula
still references the cell C6 and therefore uses a wrong value. The correct value is in a
different location. For example, in Figure 237, the location is now C7.
Figure 237: The value that you really want to use can be found now
in a different location.
The function GETPIVOTDATA allows you to have a reference to a value inside the
DataPilot by using the specific identifying categories for this value.
Syntax
The syntax has two variations:
GETPIVOTDATA(target field, DataPilot; [ Field name / Element; ... ])
GETPIVOTDATA(DataPilot; specification)
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 237
First syntax variation
The target field to specify which data field of the DataPilot is used within the
function. If your DataPilot has only one data field, this entry is ignored, but you must
enter it anyway.
If your DataPilot has more than one data field, then you have to enter the field name
from the underlying data source (for example “sales value”) or the field name of the
data field itself (for example “sum – sales value”).
The argument DataPilot specifies the DataPilot that you want to use. It is possible
that your document contains more than one DataPilot. Enter here a cell reference
that is inside the results area of your DataPilot. It might be a good idea to always use
the upper left corner cell of your DataPilot, so you can be sure that the cell will
always be within your DataPilot even if the layout changes.
Example: GETPIVOTDATA("sales value";A1)
If you enter only the first two arguments, then the function returns the total result of
the DataPilot (“Sum – sales value” as the field will return a value of 408,765).
You can add more arguments as pairs with field name and element to retrieve
specific partial sums. In the example in Figure 238, where we want to get the partial
sum of Hans for sailing, the formula in cell C12 would look like this:
=GETPIVOTDATA("sales
value";A1;"employee";"Hans";"category";"sailing")
Figure 238: First syntax variation
Second syntax variation
The argument DataPilot has to be given in the same way as for the first syntax
variation.
For the specifications, enter a list separated by spaces to specify the value you want
from the DataPilot. This list must contain the name of the data field, if there is more
than one data field, otherwise it is not required. To select a specific partial result, add
more entries in the form of Field name[element].
In the example in Figure 236, where we want to get the partial sum of Hans for
Sailing, the formula in cell C12 would look like this:
=GETPIVOTDATA(A1;"sales value employee[Hans] category[sailing]")
238 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 239: Second syntax variation
Chapter 8 Using the DataPilot 239
Chapter 9
Data Analysis
Using Scenarios, Goal Seek, Solver, others
Introduction
Once you are familiar with functions and formulas, the next step is to learn how to
use Calc's automated processes to quickly perform useful analysis of your data.
Calc includes several tools to help you manipulate the information in your
spreadsheets, ranging from features for copying and reusing data, to creating
subtotals automatically, to varying information to help you find the answers you need.
These tools are divided between the Tools and Data menus.
If you are a newcomer to spreadsheets, these tools can be overwhelming at first.
However, they become simpler if you remember that they all depend on input from
either a cell or a range of cells that contain the data with which you are working.
You can always enter the cells or range manually, but in many cases it is easier to
select the cells with the mouse. Click the Shrink/Maximize icon beside a field to
temporarily reduce the size of the tool’s window, so you can see the spreadsheet
underneath and select the cells required.
Sometimes, you may have to experiment to find out which data goes into which field,
but then you can set a selection of options, many of which can be ignored in any
given case. Just keep the basic purpose of each tool in mind, and you should have
little trouble with Calc’s function tools.
You don’t need to learn them, especially if your spreadsheet use is simple, but as your
manipulation of data becomes more sophisticated, they can save time in making
calculations, especially as you start to deal with hypothetical situations. Just as
importantly, they can allow you to preserve your work and to share it with other
people—or yourself at a later session.
One function tool not mentioned here are DataPilots (also known as pivot tables), but
they are a topic that is sufficiently complex that it requires a separate chapter. (See
Chapter 8.)
Consolidating data
Data > Consolidate provides a way to combine data from two or more ranges of
cells into a new range while running one of several functions (such as Sum or
Average) on the data. During consolidation, the contents of cells from several sheets
can be combined into one place.
1) Open the document containing the cell ranges to be consolidated.
2) Choose Data > Consolidate to open the Consolidate dialog. Figure 240 shows
this dialog after making the changes described below.
3) The Source data range list contains any existing named ranges (created
using Data > Define Range) so you can quickly select one to consolidate with
other areas.
4) If the source range is not named, click in the field to the right of the drop-down
list and either type a reference for the first source data range or use the mouse
to select the range on the sheet. (You may need to move the Consolidate dialog
or click on the Shrink icon to reach the required cells.)
5) Click Add. The selected range is added to the Consolidation ranges list.
6) Select additional ranges and click Add after each selection.
Chapter 9 Data Analysis 241
Figure 240: Defining the data to be consolidated
7) Specify where you want to display the result by selecting a target range from
the Copy results to drop-down list.
If the target range is not named, click in the field next to Copy results to and
enter the reference of the target range or select the range using the mouse or
position the cursor in the top left cell of the target range. Copy results to takes
only the first cell of the target range instead of the entire range as is the case
for Source data range.
8) Select a function from the Function list. This specifies how the values of the
consolidation ranges will be calculated. The default setting is Sum, which adds
the corresponding cell values of the Source data range and gives the result in
the target range.
Most of the available functions are statistical (such as Average, Min, Max,
Stdev), and the tool is most useful when you are working with the same data
over and over.
9) At this point you can click More in the Consolidate dialog to access the
following additional settings:
•Select Link to source data to insert formulas that generate the results
into the target range, rather than the actual results (the default action). If
you link the data, any values subsequently modified in the source range
are automatically updated in the target range.
Caution The corresponding cell references in the target range are inserted in
consecutive rows, which are automatically ordered and then hidden
from view. Only the final result, based on the selected function, is
displayed.
242 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
•Under Consolidate by, select either Row labels or Column labels if the
cells of the source data range are not to be consolidated corresponding to
the identical position of the cell in the range, but instead according to a
matching row label or column label. To consolidate by row labels or
column labels, the label must be contained in the selected source ranges.
The text in the labels must be identical, so that rows or columns can be
accurately matched. If the row or column label of one source data range
does not match any that exist in other source data ranges, it is added to
the target range as a new row or column.
10) Click OK to consolidate the ranges.
11) If you are continually working with the same range, then you probably want to
use Data > Define Range to give it a name.
The consolidation ranges and target range are saved as part of the document. If you
later open a document in which consolidation has been defined, this data is still
available.
Creating subtotals
SUBTOTAL is a function listed under the Mathematical category when you use the
Function Wizard (Insert > Function). Because of its usefulness, the function has a
graphical interface accessible from Data > Subtotals.
As the name suggests, SUBTOTAL totals data arranged in an array—that is, a group
of cells with labels for columns. Using the Subtotals dialog, you can select up to three
arrays, then choose a statistical function to apply to them. When you click OK, Calc
adds subtotal and grand total rows to the selected arrays, using the Result and
Result2 cell styles to differentiate those entries. By default, matching items
throughout your array will be gathered together as a single group above a subtotal.
To insert subtotal values into a sheet:
1) Ensure that the columns have labels.
2) Select the range of cells that you want to calculate subtotals for, and then
choose Data > Subtotals.
3) In the Subtotals dialog (Figure 241), in the Group by list, select the column by
which the subtotals need to be grouped. A subtotal will be calculated for each
distinct value in this column.
4) In the Calculate subtotals for box, select the columns containing the values
that you want to create subtotals for. If the contents of the selected columns
change later, the subtotals are automatically recalculated.
5) In the Use function box, select the function that you want to use to calculate
the subtotals.
6) Click OK.
If you use more than one group, then you can also arrange the subtotals according to
choices made on the dialog’s Options page (Figure 242), including ascending and
descending order or using one of the predefined custom sorts defined in Tools >
Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > Sort Lists.
Chapter 9 Data Analysis 243
Figure 241: Setting up subtotals
Figure 242: Choosing options for subtotals
244 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Using “what if” scenarios
Scenarios are a tool to test “what-if” questions. Each scenario is named, and can be
edited and formatted separately. When you print the spreadsheet, only the contents
of the currently active scenario are printed.
A scenario is essentially a saved set of cell values for your calculations. You can easily
switch between these sets using the Navigator or a drop-down list which can be
shown beside the changing cells. For example, if you wanted to calculate the effect of
different interest rates on an investment, you could add a scenario for each interest
rate, and quickly view the results. Formulas that rely on the values changed by your
scenario are updated when the scenario is opened. If all your sources of income used
scenarios, you could efficiently build a complex model of your possible income.
Creating scenarios
Tools > Scenarios opens a dialog with options for creating a scenario.
To create a new scenario:
1) Select the cells that contain the values that will change between scenarios. To
select multiple ranges, hold down the Ctrl key as you click. You must select at
least two cells.
2) Choose Tools > Scenarios.
3) On the Create Scenario dialog (Figure 243), enter a name for the new
scenario. It’s best to use a name that clearly identifies the scenario, not the
default name as shown in the illustration. This name is displayed in the
Navigator and in the title bar of the border around the scenario on the sheet
itself.
Figure 243: Creating a scenario
Chapter 9 Data Analysis 245
4) Optionally add some information to the Comment box. The example shows the
default comment. This information is displayed in the Navigator when you click
the Scenarios icon and select the desired scenario.
5) Optionally select or deselect the options in the Settings section. See page 246
for more information about these options.
6) Click OK to close the dialog. The new scenario is automatically activated.
You can create several scenarios for any given range of cells.
Settings
The lower portion of the Create Scenario dialog contains several options. The default
settings (as shown in Figure 243) are likely to be suitable in most situations.
Display border
Places a border around the range of cells that your scenario alters. To choose the
color of the border, use the field to the right of this option. The border has a title
bar displaying the name of the active scenario. Click the arrow button to the right
of the scenario name to open a drop-down list of all the scenarios that have been
defined for the cells within the border. You can choose any of the scenarios from
this list at any time.
Copy back
Copies any changes you make to the values of scenario cells back into the active
scenario. If you do not select this option, the saved scenario values are never
changed when you make changes. The actual behavior of the Copy back setting
depends on the cell protection, the sheet protection, and the Prevent changes
setting (see Table 11 on page 247).
Caution
If you are viewing a scenario which has Copy back enabled and then
create a new scenario by changing the values and selecting Tools >
Scenarios, you also inadvertently overwrite the values in the first
scenario.
This is easily avoided if you leave the current values alone, create a new
scenario with Copy back enabled, and then change the values only when
you are viewing the new scenario.
Copy entire sheet
Adds to your document a sheet that permanently displays the new scenario in full.
This is in addition to creating the scenario and making it selectable on the original
sheet as normal.
Prevent changes
Prevents changes to a Copy back-enabled scenario when the sheet is protected
but the cells are not. Also prevents changes to the settings described in this
section while the sheet is protected. A fuller explanation of the effect this option
has in different situations is given below.
Changing scenarios
Scenarios have two aspects that can be altered independently:
•Scenario properties (the settings described above)
•Scenario cell values (the entries within the scenario border)
246 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
The extent to which either of these aspects can be changed is dependent upon both
the existing properties of the scenario and the current protection state of the sheet
and cells.
Changing scenario properties
If the sheet is protected (Tools > Protect Document > Sheet), and Prevent
changes is selected then scenario properties cannot be changed.
If the sheet is protected, and Prevent changes is not selected, then all scenario
properties can be changed except Prevent changes and Copy entire sheet, which
are disabled.
If the sheet is not protected, then Prevent changes does not have any effect, and all
scenario properties can be changed.
Changing scenario cell values
Table 11 summarizes the interaction of various settings in preventing or allowing
changes in scenario cell values.
Table 11: Prevent changes behavior for scenario cell value changes
Settings Change allowed
Sheet protection ON
Scenario cell protection OFF
Prevent changes ON
Copy back ON
Scenario cell values cannot be changed.
Sheet protection ON
Scenario cell protection OFF
Prevent changes OFF
Copy back ON
Scenario cell values can be changed, and
the scenario is updated.
Sheet protection ON
Scenario cell protection OFF
Prevent changes ON or OFF
Copy back OFF
Scenario cell values can be changed, but the
scenario is not updated due to the Copy
back setting.
Sheet protection ON
Scenario cell protection ON
Prevent changes ANY SETTING
Copy back ANY SETTING
Scenario cell values cannot be changed.
Sheet protection OFF
Scenario cell protection ANY SETTING
Prevent changes ANY SETTING
Copy back ANY SETTING
Scenario cell values can be changed and the
scenario is updated or not, depending on
the Copy back setting.
Chapter 9 Data Analysis 247
Working with scenarios using the Navigator
After scenarios are added to a spreadsheet, you can jump to a particular scenario by
selecting it from the list in the Navigator.
Click the Scenarios icon in the Navigator. The defined scenarios are listed, along
with the comments that were entered when the scenarios were created.
To apply a scenario to the current sheet, double-click the scenario name in the
Navigator.
To delete a scenario, right-click the name in the Navigator and choose Delete.
To edit a scenario, including its name and comments, right-click the name in the
Navigator and choose Properties. The Edit Properties dialog is the same as the
Create Scenario dialog (Figure 243).
Figure 244: Scenarios in the Navigator
Tracking values in scenarios
To learn which values in the scenario affect other values, choose Tools > Detective
> Trace Dependents. Arrows point to the cells that are directly dependent on the
current cell.
248 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Using other “what if” tools
Like scenarios, Data > Multiple Operations is a planning tool for “what if”
questions. Unlike a scenario, the Multiple Operations tool does not present the
alternate versions in the same cells or with a drop-down list. Instead, the Multiple
Operations tool creates a formula array: a separate set of cells showing the results of
applying the formula to a list of alternative values for the variables used by the
formula. Although this tool is not listed among the functions, it is really a function
that acts on other functions, allowing you to calculate different results without having
to enter and run them separately.
To use the Multiple Operations tool, you need two arrays of cells. The first array
contains the original or default values and the formulas applied to them. The
formulas must be in a range.
The second array is the formula array. It is created by entering a list of alternative
values for one or two of the original values.
Once the alternative values are created, you use the Multiple Operations tool to
specify which formulas you are using, as well as the original values used by the
formulas. The second array is then filled with the results of using each alternative
value in place of the original values.
The Multiple Operations tool can use any number of formulas, but only one or two
variables. With one variable, the formula array of alternative values for the variables
will be in a single column or row. With two variables, you should outline a table of
cells such that the alternative values for one variable are arranged as column
headings, and the alternative values for the other variable act as row headings.
Setting up multiple operations can be confusing at first. For example, when using two
variables, you need to select them carefully, so that they form a meaningful table. Not
every pair of variables is useful to add to the same formula array. Yet, even when
working with a single variable, a new user can easily make mistakes or forget the
relationships between cells in the original array and cells in the formula array. In
these situations, Tools > Detective can help to clarify the relations.
You can also make formula arrays easier to work with if you apply some simple design
logic. Place the original and the formula array close together on the same sheet, and
use labels for the rows and columns in both. These small exercises in organizational
design make working with the formula array much less painful, particularly when you
are correcting mistakes or adjusting results.
Note
If you export a spreadsheet containing multiple operations to Microsoft
Excel, the location of the cells containing the formula must be fully
defined relative to the data range.
Multiple operations in columns or rows
In your spreadsheet, enter a formula to calculate a result from values that are stored
in other cells. Then, set up a cell range containing a list of alternatives for one of the
values used in the formula. The Multiple Operations command produces a list of
results adjacent to your alternative values by running the formula against each of
these alternatives.
Chapter 9 Data Analysis 249
Note
Before you choose the Data > Multiple Operations option, be sure to
select not only your list of alternative values but also the adjacent cells
into which the results should be placed.
In the Formulas field of the Multiple Operations dialog, enter the cell reference to the
formula that you wish to use.
The arrangement of your alternative values dictates how you should complete the
rest of the dialog. If you have listed them in a single column, you should complete the
field for Column input cell. If they are along a single row, complete the Row input cell
field. You may also use both in more advanced cases. Both single and double-variable
versions are explained below.
The above can be explained best by examples. Cell references correspond to those in
the following figures.
Let’s say you produce toys that you sell for $10 each (cell B1). Each toy costs $2 to
make (cell B2), in addition to which you have fixed costs of $10,000 per year (cell
B3). How much profit will you make in a year if you sell a particular number of toys?
Calculating with one formula and one variable
1) To calculate the profit, first enter any number as the quantity (items sold); in
this example, 2000 (cell B4). The profit is found from the formula
Profit=Quantity * (Selling price – Direct costs) – Fixed costs. Enter this formula
in B5: =B4*(B1-B2)-B3.
2) In column D enter a variety of alternative annual sales figures, one below the
other; for example, 500 to 5000, in steps of 500.
3) Select the range D2:E11, and thus the values in column D and the empty cells
(which will receive the results of the calculations) alongside in column E.
4) Choose Data > Multiple Operations.
5) With the cursor in the Formulas field of the Multiple operations dialog, click
cell B5.
6) Set the cursor in the Column input cell field and click cell B4. This means that
B4, the quantity, is the variable in the formula, which is to be replaced by the
column of alternative values. Figure 245 shows the worksheet and the Multiple
operations dialog.
7) Click OK. The profits for the different quantities are now shown in column E.
See Figure 246.
Tip
You may find it easier to mark the required reference in the sheet if you
click the Shrink icon to reduce the Multiple operations dialog to the size
of the input field. The icon then changes to the Maximize icon; click it to
restore the dialog to its original size.
250 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 245: Sheet and Multiple operations dialog showing input
Figure 246: Sheet showing results of multiple operations calculations
Calculating with several formulas simultaneously
1) In the sheet from the previous example, delete the contents of column E.
2) Enter the following formula in C5: =B5/B4. You are now calculating the annual
profit per item sold.
3) Select the range D2:F11, thus three columns.
Chapter 9 Data Analysis 251
4) Choose Data > Multiple Operations.
5) With the cursor in the Formulas field of the Multiple operations dialog, select
cells B5 and C5.
6) Set the cursor in the Column input cell field and click cell B4. Figure 247
shows the worksheet and the Multiple operations dialog.
Figure 247: Sheet and dialog showing input
7) Click OK. Now the profits are listed in column E and the annual profit per item
in column F.
Figure 248: Results of multiple operations calculations
252 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Multiple operations across rows and columns
You can carry out multiple operations simultaneously for both columns and rows in
so-called cross-tables. The formula must use at least two variables, the alternative
values for which should be arranged so that one set is along a single row and the
other set appears in a single column. These two sets of alternative values will form
column and row headings for the results table produced by the Multiple Operations
procedure.
Select the range defined by both data ranges (thus including all of the blank cells
that are to contain the results) and choose Data > Multiple operations. Enter the
cell reference to the formula in the Formulas field. The Row input cell and the
Column input cell fields are used to enter the reference to the corresponding cells of
the formula.
Caution Beware of entering the cell reference of a variable into the wrong field.
The Row input cell field should contain not the cell reference of the
variable which changes down the rows of your results table, but that of
the variable whose alternative values have been entered along a single
row.
Calculating with two variables
You now want to vary not just the quantity produced annually, but also the selling
price, and you are interested in the profit in each case.
Expand the table shown in Figure 247. D2 thru D11 already contain the numbers
500, 1000 and so on, up to 5000. In E1 through H1 enter the numbers 8, 10, 15 and
20.
1) Select the range D1:H11.
2) Choose Data > Multiple Operations.
Figure 249: Sheet and dialog showing input
3) With the cursor in the Formulas field of the Multiple operations dialog, click
cell B5 (profit).
Chapter 9 Data Analysis 253
4) Set the cursor in the Row input cell field and click cell B1. This means that B1,
the selling price, is the horizontally entered variable (with the values 8, 10, 15
and 20).
5) Set the cursor in the Column input cell field and click cell B4. This means that
B4, the quantity, is the vertically entered variable.
6) Click OK. The profits for the different selling prices are now shown in the
range E2:H11.
Figure 250: Results of multiple operations calculations
Working backwards using Goal Seek
Usually, you create a formula to calculate a result based upon existing values. By
contrast, using Tools > Goal Seek you can discover what values will produce the
result that you want.
To take a simple example, imagine that the Chief Financial Officer of a company is
developing sales projections for each quarter of the forthcoming year. She knows
what the company’s total income must be for the year to satisfy stockholders. She
also has a good idea of the company’s income in the first three quarters, because of
the contracts that are already signed. For the fourth quarter, however, no definite
income is available. So how much must the company earn in Q4 to reach its goal? The
CFO can enter the projected earnings for each of the other three quarters along with
a formula that totals all four quarters. Then she runs a goal seek on the empty cell for
Q4 sales, and receives her answer.
Other uses of goal seek may be more complicated, but the method remains the same.
Only one argument can be altered in a single goal seek.
Goal Seek example
To calculate annual interest (I), create a table with the values for the capital (C),
number of years (n), and interest rate (i). The formula is I = C*n*i.
Let us assume that the interest rate i of 7.5% and the number of years n (1) will
remain constant. However, you want to know how much the investment capital C
would have to be modified in order to attain a particular return I. For this example,
calculate how much capital C would be required if you want an annual return of
$15,000.
254 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Enter each of the values mentioned above into adjacent cells (for Capital, C, an
arbitrary value like $100,000 or it can be left blank; for number of years, n, 1; for
interest rate, i, 7.5%). Enter the formula to calculate the interest, I, in another cell.
Instead of C, n, and i, use the reference to the cell with the corresponding value. In
our example (Figure 249), this would be =B1*B2*B3.
1) Place the cursor in the formula cell (B4), and choose Tools > Goal Seek.
2) In the Goal Seek dialog, the correct cell is already entered in the Formula cell
field.
3) Place the cursor in the Variable cell field. In the sheet, click in the cell that
contains the value to be changed, in this example it is B1.
4) Enter the desired result of the formula in the Target value field. In this
example, the value is 15000. Figure 251 shows the cells and fields.
Figure 251: Example setup for goal seek
5) Click OK. A dialog appears informing you that the Goal Seek was successful.
Click Yes to enter the goal value into the variable cell. The result is shown
below.
Figure 252: Result of goal seek operation
Chapter 9 Data Analysis 255
Using the Solver
Tools > Solver amounts to a more elaborate form of Goal Seek. The difference is
that the Solver deals with equations with multiple unknown variables. It is
specifically designed to minimize or maximize the result according to a set of rules
that you define.
Each of these rules defines whether an argument in the formula should be greater
than, less than, or equal to the figure you enter. If you want the argument to remain
unchanged, you must enter a rule that specifically states that the cell should be equal
to its current entry. For arguments that you would like to change, you need to add
two rules to define a range of possible values: the limiting conditions. For example,
you can set the constraint that one of the variables or cells must not be bigger than
another variable, or not bigger than a given value. You can also define the constraint
that one or more variables must be integers (values without decimals), or binary
values (where only 0 and 1 are allowed).
Once you have finished setting up the rules, click the Solve button to begin the
automatic process of adjusting values and calculating results. Depending on the
complexity of the task, this may take some time.
Solver example
Let’s say you have $10,000 that you want to invest in two mutual funds for one year.
Fund X is a low risk fund with 8% interest rate and Fund Y is a higher risk fund with
12% interest rate. How much money should be invested in each fund to earn a total
interest of $1000?
To find the answer using Solver:
1) Enter labels and data:
•Row labels: Fund X, Fund Y, and total, in cells A2 thru A4.
•Column labels: interest earned, amount invested, interest rate, and time
period, in cells B1 thru E1.
•Interest rates: 8 and 12, in cells D2 and D3.
•Time period: 1, in cells E2 and E3.
•Total amount invested: 10000, in cell C4.
2) Enter an arbitrary value (0 or leave blank) in cell C2 as amount invested in
Fund X.
3) Enter formulas:
•In cell C3, enter the formula C4–C2 (total amount – amount invested in
Fund X) as the amount invested in Fund Y.
•In cells B2 and B3, enter the formula for calculating the interest earned
(see Figure 253).
•In cell B4, enter the formula B2+B3 as the total interest earned.
256 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 253: Example setup for Solver
4) Choose Tools > Solver. The Solver dialog opens.
Figure 254: The Solver dialog
5) Click in the Target cell field. In the sheet, click in the cell that contains the
target value. In this example it is cell B4 containing total interest value.
6) Select Value of and enter 1000 in the field next to it. In this example, the target
cell value is 1000 because your target is a total interest earned of $1000.
Select Maximum or Minimum if the target cell value needs to be one of those
extremes.
7) Click in the By changing cells field and click on cell C2 in the sheet. In this
example, you need to find the amount invested in Fund X (cell C2).
8) Enter limiting conditions for the variables by selecting the Cell reference,
Operator and Value fields. In this example, the amount invested in Fund X (cell
C2) should not be greater than the total amount available (cell C4) and should
not be less than 0.
Chapter 9 Data Analysis 257
9) Click OK. A dialog appears informing you that the Solving successfully
finished. Click Keep Result to enter the result in the cell with the variable
value. The result is shown in Figure 255.
Figure 255: Result of Solver operation
Note
The default solver supports only linear equations. For nonlinear
programming requirements, try the EuroOffice Solver or Sun’s Solver for
Nonlinear Programming [Beta]. Both are available from the
OpenOffice.org extensions repository. (For more about extensions, see
Chapter 14 (Setting up and Customizing Calc.)
258 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 10
Linking Calc Data
Sharing data in and out of Calc
Why use multiple sheets?
Chapter 1 introduced the concept of multiple sheets in a spreadsheet. Multiple sheets
help keep information organized; once you link those sheets together, you unleash
the full power of Calc. Consider this case.
John is having trouble keeping track of his personal finances. He has
several bank accounts and the information is scattered and disorganized.
He can’t get a good grasp on his finances until he can see everything at
once.
To resolve this, John decided to track his finances in OOo Calc. John knows
Calc can do simple mathematical computations to help him keep a running
tab of his accounts, and he wants to set up a summary sheet so that he can
see all of his account balances at once.
This can be accomplished easily.
Note
For users with experience using Microsoft Excel, a Calc sheet is called
either a sheet or worksheet in Excel. What Excel calls a workbook, Calc
calls a spreadsheet (the whole document).
Setting up multiple sheets
Chapter 1 gives a detailed explanation of how to set up multiple sheets in a
spreadsheet. Here is a quick review.
Identifying sheets
When you open a new spreadsheet it has, by default, three sheets named Sheet1,
Sheet2, and Sheet3. Sheets in Calc are managed using tabs at the bottom of the
spreadsheet, as shown below.
Figure 256: Default sheet tabs
Renaming sheets
Sheets can be renamed at any time. To give a sheet a more meaningful name:
•Enter the name in the name box when you create the sheet, or
•Double click on the sheet tab, or
•Right-click on a sheet tab, select Rename Sheet from the pop-up menu and
replace the existing name.
260 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Note
If you want to save the spreadsheet to Microsoft Excel format, the
following characters are not allowed in sheet names: \ / ? * [ ] : and ' as
the first or last character of the name.
Inserting new sheets
There are several ways to insert a new sheet. The first step, in all cases, is to select
the sheet that will be next to the new sheet. Then do any of the following:
•Select Insert > Sheet from the menu bar, or
•Right-click on the tab and select Insert Sheet, or
•Click in an empty space at the end of the line of sheet tabs.
Figure 257: Creating a new sheet
Each method opens the Insert Sheet dialog. You can choose to put the new sheet
before or after the selected sheet, give it a name and decide how many sheets to
insert.
Figure 258. Insert Sheet dialog
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 261
Click here to
create a new
sheet
To insert just one sheet, choose whether before or after then currently selected sheet,
give it a new name if desired, and click OK. The new sheet will be selected and
visible in the line of sheet tabs.
In our example, we need 6 sheets (one for each of the 5 accounts and one as a
summary sheet), so we will add 3 more. We also want to name each of these sheets
for the account they represent: Summary, Checking Account, Savings Account, Credit
Card 1, Credit Card 2, and Car Loan.
We have two choices: insert 3 new sheets and rename all 6 sheets afterwards; or
rename the existing sheets, then insert the 3 new sheets one at a time, renaming
each new sheet during the insert step.
To insert sheets and rename afterwards:
1) In the Insert Sheet dialog, choose the position for the new sheets (in this
example, we use After current sheet).
2) Choose New sheet and 3 as the No. of sheets. (Three sheets are already
provided by default.) Because you are inserting more than one sheet, the
Name box is not available.
3) Click OK to insert the sheets.
4) For the next steps, see “Renaming sheets” on page 260.
To insert sheets and name them at the same time:
1) Rename the existing sheets Summary, Checking Account, and Savings Account,
as described in “Renaming sheets” on page 260.
2) In the Insert Sheet dialog, choose the position for the first new sheet.
3) Choose New sheet and 1 as the No. of sheets. The Name box is now available.
4) In the Name box, type a name for this new sheet, for example Credit Card 1.
5) Click OK to insert the sheet.
6) Repeat steps 1–4 for each new sheet, giving them the names Credit Card 2 and
Car Loan.
Your sheet tab area should now look like this.
Figure 259: Six renamed sheets
Now we will set up the account ledgers. This is just a simple summary that includes
the previous balance plus the amount of the current transaction. For withdrawals, we
enter the current transaction as a negative number so the balance gets smaller. A
basic ledger is shown in Figure 260.
This ledger is set up in the sheet named Checking Account. The total balance is
added up in cell F3. You can see the equation for it in the formula bar. It is the
summary of the opening balance, cell C3, and all of the subsequent transactions.
262 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 260: Checking ledger
Inserting sheets from a different spreadsheet
On the Insert Sheet dialog, you can also add a sheet from a different spreadsheet file
(for example, another Calc or Excel spreadsheet), by choosing the From file option.
Click Browse and select the file; a list of the available sheets appears in the box.
Select the sheet to import. If, after you select the file, no sheets appear you probably
selected an invalid file type (not a spreadsheet, for example).
Tip
For a shortcut to inserting a sheet from another file, choose Insert >
Sheet from file from the menu bar. The Insert Sheet dialog opens with
the From file option preselected, and then the Insert dialog opens on top
of it.
The above method adds a sheet from another file as an embedded object – it is
contained within the document and is independent of the original sheet. If you prefer,
select the Link option to insert the external sheet as a link instead as a copy. This is
one of several ways to include “live” data from another spreadsheet. (See also
“Linking to external data” on page 270.) The links can be updated manually to show
the current contents of the external file; or, depending on the options you have
selected in Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > General > Updating,
whenever the file is opened.
If the sheet is contained in an already open spreadsheet you can use the Move/Copy
command in the other spreadsheet to copy (or move) a sheet to another document.
Referencing other sheets in the spreadsheet
On the Summary sheet we display the balance from each of the other sheets. If you
copy the example in Figure 260 onto each account, the current balance will be in cell
F3 of each sheet.
There are two ways to enter cell references in other sheets: by entering the formula
directly using the keyboard or by using the mouse. We will look at the mouse method
first.
Creating the reference with the mouse
On the Summary sheet, set up a place for all five account balances, so we know
where to put the cell reference. Figure 261 shows a summary sheet with a blank
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 263
Balance column. We want to place the reference for the checking account balance in
cell B3.
Figure 261: Blank summary
To make the cell reference in cell B3, select the cell and follow these steps:
1) Click on the = icon next to the input line. The icons change and an equals sign
appears in the input line as in Figure 262.
Figure 262: Equal sign in input line
2) Now, click on the sheet tab for the sheet containing the cell to be referenced.
In this case, that is the Checking Account sheet as shown in Figure 263.
Figure 263: Click on the checking account tab
3) Click on cell F3 (where the balance is) in the Checking Account sheet. The
phrase ‘Checking Account’.F3 should appear in the input line as in Figure 264.
Figure 264: Cell reference selected
4) Click the green checkmark in the input line to finish.
5) The Summary sheet should now look like Figure 265.
264 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 265: Finished checking account reference
Creating the reference with the keyboard
From Figure 265, you can deduce how the cell reference is constructed. The
reference has two parts: the sheet name (‘Checking Account’) and the cell reference
(F3). Notice that they are separated by a period.
Note The sheet name is in single quotes because it contains a space, and the
mandatory period (.) always falls outside any quotes.
So, you can fill in the Savings Account cell reference by just typing it in. Assuming
that the balance is in the same cell (F3) in the Savings Account sheet, the cell
reference should be =’Savings Account’.F3 (see Figure 266).
Figure 266: Savings account reference
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 265
Referencing other documents: links to sheets in
other spreadsheets
John decides to keep his family account information in a different spreadsheet file
from his own summary. Fortunately Calc can link different files together. The process
is the same as described for different sheets in a single spreadsheet, but we add one
more step to indicate which file the sheet is in. For this example we use two different
spreadsheet files.
Creating the reference using the mouse
To create the reference with the mouse, both spreadsheets need to be open. Select
the cell in which the formula is going to be entered.
1) Click the = icon next to the input line.
2) Switch to the other spreadsheet (the process to do this will vary depending on
which operating system you are using).
3) Select the sheet (Savings Account) and then the reference cell (F3). See Figure
267.
4) Switch back to the original spreadsheet.
5) Click on the green check mark on the input line.
Your spreadsheet should now resemble Figure 268.
Figure 267: Selecting the savings account reference cell
Figure 268: Linked files
To get a good idea of the format of the reference, look closely at the input line. Based
on this line you can create the reference using the keyboard.
266 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Creating the reference with the keyboard
Typing the reference is simple once you know the format the reference takes. The
reference has three parts:
•Path and file name
•Sheet name
•Cell
Looking at Figure 268 you can see the the general format for the reference is
=’file:///Path & File Name’#$SheetName.CellName
Note
The reference for a file has three forward slashes /// and the reference
for a hyperlink has two forward slashes //. The format of the path and file
name depends on the operating system in use.
If a cell with a reference in it shows #REF it may mean that the link is no
longer valid. Check the location of the file and amend the reference to
the correct path and name.
Hyperlinks and URLs
Hyperlinks can be used in Calc to jump to a different location from within a
spreadsheet to other parts of the current file, to different files or even to web sites.
Relative and absolute hyperlinks
Hyperlinks can be stored within your file as either relative or absolute.
A relative hyperlink says, Here is how to get there starting from where you are now
(meaning from the folder in which your current document is saved) while an absolute
hyperlink says, Here is how to get there no matter where you start from.
An absolute link will stop working if the target is moved. A relative link will stop
working only if the start and target locations change in relation to each other. For
instance, if you have two spreadsheets in the same folder linked to each other and
you move the entire folder to a new location, a relative hyperlink will not break.
To change the way that OOo stores the hyperlinks in your file, select Tools >
Options > Load/Save > General and choose if you want URLs saved relatively
when referencing the File System, or the Internet, or both.
Calc will always display an absolute hyperlink. Don’t be alarmed when it does this
even when you have saved a relative hyperlink—this ‘absolute’ target address will be
updated if you move the file.
Note
Make sure that the folder structure on your computer is the same as the
file structure on your web server if you save your links as relative to the
file system and you are going to upload pages to the Internet.
Tip
When you rest the mouse pointer on a hyperlink, a help tip displays the
absolute reference, since OOo uses absolute path names internally. The
complete path and address can only be seen when you view the result of
the HTML export (saving the spreadsheet as an HTML file), by loading
the HTML file as Text, or by opening it with a text editor.
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 267
Creating hyperlinks
When you type text that can be used as a hyperlink (such as a website address or
URL), Calc formats it automatically, creating the hyperlink and applying to the text a
color and background shading. If this does not happen, you can enable this feature
using Tools > AutoCorrect Options > Options and selecting URL Recognition.
Tips
To change the color of hyperlinks, go to Tools > Options >
OpenOffice.org > Appearance, scroll to Unvisited links and/or Visited
links, pick the new colors and click OK. Caution: this will change the
color for all hyperlinks in all components of OpenOffice.org—this may
not be what you want.
You can also insert and modify links using the Hyperlink dialog. To display the dialog,
click the Hyperlink icon on the Standard toolbar or choose Insert > Hyperlink
from the menu bar. To turn existing text into a link, highlight it before opening the
dialog.
On the left side, select one of the four categories of hyperlinks:
•Internet: the hyperlink points to a web address, normally starting with http://
•Mail & News: the hyperlink opens an email message that is pre-addressed to
a particular recipient.
•Document: the hyperlink points to a place in either the current document or
another existing document.
•New document: the hyperlink creates a new document.
Figure 269. Hyperlink dialog showing details for Internet links
The top right part of the dialog changes according to the choice made for the
hyperlink category from the left panel. A full description of all the choices, and their
interactions, is beyond the scope of this chapter. Here is a summary of the most
common choices used in spreadsheets.
For an Internet hyperlink, choose the type of hyperlink (Web, FTP, or Telnet), and
enter the required web address (URL).
268 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
For a Mail and News hyperlink, specify whether it is a mail or news link, the receiver
address and for email, also the subject.
For a Document hyperlink, specify the document path (the Open File button opens a
file browser); leave this blank if you want to link to a target in the same spreadsheet.
Optionally specify the target in the document (for example a specific sheet). Click on
the Target in document icon to open the Navigator where you can select the target,
or if you know the name of the target, you can type it into the box.
For a New Document hyperlink, specify whether to edit the newly created document
immediately (Edit now) or just create it (Edit later), and enter the file name and the
type of document to create (text, spreadsheet, etc.). The Select path button opens a
directory picker dialog.
The Further settings section in the bottom right of the dialog is common to all the
hyperlink categories, although some choices are more relevant to specific types of
links.
•Set the value of Frame to determine how the hyperlink will open. This applies
to documents that open in a Web browser.
•Form specifies if the link is to be presented as text or as a button. Figure 270
shows a link formatted as a button.
Figure 270: OOo Authors hyperlink as button
•Text specifies the text that will be visible to the user. If you do not enter
anything here, Calc will use the full URL or path as the link text. Note that if
the link is relative and you move the file, this text will not change, though the
target will.
•Name is applicable to HTML documents. It specifies text that will be added as
a NAME attribute in the HTML code behind the hyperlink.
•Events button: this button will be activated to allow Calc to react to events for
which the user has written some code (macro). This function is not covered in
this chapter.
Note
A hyperlink button is a type of form control. As with all form controls, it
can be anchored or positioned by right-clicking on the button in design
mode. More information about forms can be found in Chapter 15 of the
Writer Guide.
For the button to work , the spreadsheet must not be in design mode. To
toggle design mode on and off, view the Form Controls toolbar (View >
Toolbars > Form Controls) and click the Design Mode On/Off button
. See Chapter 15 of the Writer Guide, Using forms in Writer, for more
information on forms and their use in documents.
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 269
Editing hyperlinks
To edit an existing link, place the cursor anywhere in the link and click the Hyperlink
icon on the Standard toolbar or select Edit > Hyperlink from the menu bar. The
Hyperlink dialog (Figure 269) opens. If the Hyperlink is in button form, the
spreadsheet must have Design Mode on in order to edit the Hyperlink. Make your
changes and click Apply. If you need to edit several hyperlinks, you can leave the
Hyperlink dialog open until you have edited all of them. Be sure to click Apply after
each one. When you are finished, click Close.
Removing hyperlinks
You can remove the clickable link from hyperlink text—leaving just the text—by right-
clicking on the link and selecting Default Formatting. This option is also available
from the Format menu. You may then need to re-apply some formatting in order for it
to match the rest of your document.
To erase the link text or button from the document completely, select it and press the
Backspace or Delete key.
Linking to external data
You can insert tables from HTML documents, and data located within named ranges
from an OpenOffice.org Calc or Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, into a Calc spreadsheet.
(To use other data sources, including database files in OOo Base, see “Linking to
registered data sources” on page 274.)
You can do this in two ways: using the External Data dialog or using the Navigator. If
your file has named ranges or named tables, and you know the name of the range or
table you want to link to, using the External Data dialog method is quick and easy.
However, if the file has several tables, and you want to pick only one of them, you
may not be able to easily determine which is which; in that case, the Navigator
method may be easier.
Using the External Data dialog
1) Open the Calc document where the external data is to be inserted. This is the
target document.
2) Select the cell where the upper left-hand cell of the external data is to be
inserted.
3) Choose Insert > Link to External Data.
4) On the External Data dialog (Figure 271), type the URL of the source
document or click the [...] button to open a file selection dialog. Press Enter to
get Calc to load the list of available tables.
5) In the Available tables/range list, select the named ranges or tables you want
to insert. You can also specify that the ranges or tables are updated every
(number of) seconds.
6) Click OK to close the dialog and insert the linked data.
270 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 271: Selecting a table or range in a source document from the Web
Notes
1) The Available tables/ranges list remains empty until you press Enter
after typing the URL of the source. If you select the source document
using the […] button, then pressing Enter is not required.
2) The OK button remains unavailable (grayed out) until you select one
or more tables/ranges in the list. You can hold down the Ctrl key
while clicking on tables/ranges to select more than one.
3) No images are imported.
Using the Navigator
1) Open the OpenOffice.org Calc spreadsheet in which the external data is to be
inserted (target document).
2) Open the document from which the external data is to be taken (source
document). If the source document is a Web page, choose Web Page Query
(OpenOffice.org Calc) as the file type; you will need to scroll down the list of
File types to find this entry. (See Figure 272.)
3) In the target document, press F5 to open the Navigator.
4) At the bottom of the Navigator, select the source document. (In Figure 273, the
source is named actives.)
5) The Navigator now shows the range names or the tables contained in the
source document (the example contains range names; other documents have a
list of tables). Click on the + or ▶ next to Range names to display the list.
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 271
Figure 272: Opening a file using the Web Page Query filter
6) In the Navigator, select the Insert as Link drag mode, as shown in Figure
273.
7) Select the required range or table and drag it from the Navigator into the
target document, to the cell where you want the upper left-hand cell of the
data range to be.
Figure 273: Selecting a data range in a
source document, to be inserted as a link
8) In the target document, check the Navigator. Instead of a + or ▶ by Range
names, it shows a + or ▶ by Linked areas. Click the + or ▶ to see the range
name you just dragged into the target document (see Figure 274).
272 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 274: Linked areas in target spreadsheet
How to find the required data range or table
The examples above show that the import filter gave names to the data ranges
(tables) in the sample web page starting from HTML_1. It also created two additional
range names (not visible in the illustration):
HTML_all – designates the entire document
HTML_tables – designates all HTML tables in the document
If the data tables in the source HTML document have been given names (using the ID
attribute on the TABLE tag), or the external spreadsheet includes named ranges,
those names appear in the list along with the ranges Calc has sequentially numbered.
If the data range or table you want is not named, how can you tell which one to
select?
Go to the source document, which you opened in Calc. In the Navigator, double-click
on a range name: that range is highlighted on the sheet (see Figure 276).
If the Formula Bar is visible, the range name is also displayed in the Name box at the
left-hand end (see Figure 275).
Figure 275: Using the Name box to find a data range name
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 273
Figure 276: Using the Navigator to find a data range name
Linking to registered data sources
You can access a variety of databases and other data sources and link them into Calc
documents.
First you need to “register” the data source with OpenOffice.org. (To register means
to tell OOo what type of data source it is and where the file is located.) The way to do
this depends on whether or not the data source is a database in *.odb format.
To register a data source that is in *.odb format:
1) Choose Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Base > Databases.
2) Click the New button (below the list of registered databases) to open the
Create Database Link dialog (Figure 277).
3) Enter the location of the database file, or click Browse to open a file browser
and select the database file.
4) Type a name to use as the registered name for the database and click OK. The
database is added to the list of registered databases. The OK button is enabled
only when both fields are filled in.
274 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 277: Registering databases
To register a data source that is not in *.odb format:
1) Choose File > New > Database to open the Database Wizard.
2) Select Connect to an existing database. The choice of database type
depends on your operating system. For example, Microsoft Access and other
Microsoft products are not available choices if you are using Linux. In our
example, we chose dBASE. See Figure 278.
Figure 278: Registering a database using the Database Wizard
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 275
3) Click Next. Type the path to the database file or click Browse and use the
Open dialog to navigate to and select the database file before clicking Open.
4) Click Next. Select Yes, register the database for me, but clear the checkbox
marked Open the database for editing.
5) Click Finish. Name and save the database in the location of your choice. Note:
changes made to the *.odb do not affect the original dBASE file.
Once a data source has been registered, it can be used by any OOo component (for
example Calc).
Viewing data sources
Open a document in Calc. To view the data sources available, press F4 or select View
> Data Sources from the menu bar. The Data Source View pane opens above the
spreadsheet. A list of registered databases is in the Data Explorer area on the left.
(The built-in Bibliography database is included in the list.)
To view each database, click on the + or ▶ to the left of the name of the database.
(This has been done for the Automobile database in Figure 279.) Click on the + or ▶
next to Tables to view the individual tables.
Figure 279: Databases
Now click on a table to see all the records held in it. The data records are displayed
on the right side of the Data Source View pane. To see more columns, you can click
the Explorer On/Off button to hide the Data Explorer area.
At the top of the Data Source View pane, below the Calc toolbars, is the Table Data
bar. This toolbar includes buttons for saving records, editing data, finding records,
sorting, filtering, and other functions. For more details about this toolbar, see the
Help topic in Calc for data source browser.
Below the records is the Form Navigation bar, which shows which record is selected
and the total number of records. To the right are five tiny buttons; the first four move
backwards or forwards through the records, or to the beginning or end.
Figure 280: Data Source View navigation buttons
Editing data sources
Some data sources (such as spreadsheets) cannot be edited in the data source view.
In editable data sources, records can be edited, added, or deleted. If you cannot save
your edits, you need to open the database in Base and edit it there; see “Launching
Base to work on data sources”. You can also hide columns and make other changes to
the display.
276 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Launching Base to work on data sources
You can launch OOo Base at any time from the Data Source View pane. Right-click on
a database or the Tables or Queries icons and select Edit Database File. Once in
Base, you can edit, add, and delete tables, queries, forms, and reports.
For more about using Base, see Chapter 8 (Getting Started with Base) in the Getting
Started guide.
Using data sources in Calc spreadsheets
Data from tables in the data source pane can be placed into Calc documents in a
variety of ways.
You can select a cell or an entire row in the data source pane and drag and drop the
data into the spreadsheet. The data is inserted at the place where you release the
mouse button.
An alternative method uses the Data to Text icon and will include the column
headings above the data you insert:
1) Click the cell of the spreadsheet which you want to be the top left of your data
set including the column names.
2) Press F4 to open the database source window and select the table containing
the data you want to use.
3) Select the rows of data you want to add to the spreadsheet:
•Click the gray box to the left of the row you want to select if only selecting
one row. That row is highlighted.
•To select multiple adjacent rows, hold down the Shift key while clicking
the gray box of the rows you need.
•To select multiple separate rows, hold down the Control key while
selecting the rows. The selected rows are highlighted.
•To select all the rows, click the gray box in the upper left corner. All rows
are highlighted.
4) Click the Data to text icon to insert the data into the spreadsheet cells.
You can also drag the data source column headings (field names) onto your
spreadsheet to create a form for viewing and editing individual records one at a time.
Follow these steps:
1) Click the gray box at the top of the column (containing the field name you wish
to use) to highlight it.
2) Drag and drop the gray box to where you want the record to appear in the
spreadsheet.
3) Repeat until you have moved all of the fields you need to where you want
them.
4) Close the Data Source window: press F4.
5) Save the spreadsheet and click the Edit File button on the Standard
toolbar, to make the spreadsheet read-only. All of the fields will show the value
for the data of the first record you selected.
6) Add the Form Navigation toolbar: View > Toolbars > Form Navigation. By
default, this toolbar opens at the bottom of the Calc window, just above the
status bar.
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 277
7) Click the arrows on the Form Navigation toolbar to view the different records
of the table. The number in the Record box changes as you move through the
records. The data in the fields changes to correspond to the data for that
particular record number. You can also search for a specific record, sort and
filter records, and do other tasks using this toolbar.
Embedding spreadsheets
Spreadsheets can be embedded in other OOo files. This is often used in Writer or
Impress documents so that Calc data can be used in a text document. You can embed
the spreadsheet as either an OLE or DDE object. The difference between a DDE
object and a Linked OLE object is that a Linked OLE object can be edited from the
document in which it is added as a link, but a DDE object cannot.
For example, if a Calc spreadsheet is pasted into a Writer document as a DDE object,
then the spreadsheet cannot be edited in the Writer document. But if the original
Calc spreadsheet is updated, the changes are automatically made in the Writer
document. If the spreadsheet is inserted as a Linked OLE object into the Writer
document, then the spreadsheet can be edited in the Writer as well as in the Calc
document and both documents will remain in sync with each other.
Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)
The major benefit of an OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) object is that it is quick
and easy to edit the contents just by double-clicking on it. You can also insert a link to
the object that will appear as an icon rather than an area showing the contents itself.
OLE objects can be linked to a target document or embedded in the target document.
Linking inserts information which will be updated with any subsequent changes to
the original file, while embedding inserts a static copy of the data. If you want to edit
the embedded spreadsheet, double-click on the object.
To embed a spreadsheet as an OLE object in a presentation:
1) Place the cursor in the document and location you want the OLE object to be.
2) Select Insert > Object > OLE Object. The dialog below opens.
Figure 281: Insert OLE object dialog
3) You can either create a new OLE object or create from a file.
278 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
To create a new object:
1) Select Create new and select the object type from the available options.
Note “Further objects” is only available if you are using the Windows operating
system.
2) Click OK. An empty container is placed in the sheet.
3) Double-click on the OLE object to enter the edit mode of the object. The
application devoted to handling that type of file will open the object.
Note
If the object inserted is handled by OpenOffice.org, then the transition to
the program to manipulate the object will be seamless; in other cases the
object opens in a new window and an option in the File menu becomes
available to update the object you inserted.
To insert an existing object:
1) To create from a file, select Create from file. The dialog changes to look like
Figure 282.
2) To insert the object as a link, select the Link to file option. Otherwise, the
object will be embedded.
3) Click Search, select the required file in the Open dialog, then click Open. A
section of the inserted file is shown in the document.
Figure 282: Inserting an object as a link
Other OLE objects
Under Windows, the Insert OLE Object dialog box has an extra entry, Further objects,
as shown in Figure 281.
1) Double-click on the entry Further objects to open the dialog shown below.
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 279
Figure 283: Inserting an OLE object under Windows
2) Select Create New to insert a new object of the type selected in the Object
Type list, or select Create from File to create a new object from a file.
3) If you choose Create from File, the dialog shown below opens. Click Browse
and choose the file to insert. The inserted file object is editable by the
Windows program that created it.
If instead of inserting an object, you want to insert a link to an object, select
the Display As Icon option.
Figure 284: Insert object from a file
Non-linked OLE object
If the OLE object is not linked, it can be edited in the new document. For instance, if
you insert a spreadsheet into a Writer document, you can essentially treat it as a
Writer table (with a little more power). To edit it, double-click on it.
280 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Linked OLE object
When the spreadsheet OLE object is linked, if you change it in Writer it will change in
Calc; if you change it in Calc, it will change in Writer. This can be a very powerful tool
if you create reports in Writer using Calc data, and want to make a quick change
without opening Calc.
Note
You can only edit one copy of a spreadsheet at a time. If you have a linked
OLE spreadsheet object in an open Writer document and then open the
same spreadsheet in Calc, the Calc spreadsheet will be a read-only copy.
Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)
DDE is an acronym for Dynamic Data Exchange, a mechanism whereby selected data
in document A can be pasted into document B as a linked, ‘live’ copy of the original.
It would be used, for example, in a report written in Writer containing time-varying
data, such as sales results sourced from a Calc spreadsheet. The DDE link ensures
that, as the source spreadsheet is updated so is the report, thus reducing the scope
for error and reducing the work involved in keeping the Writer document up to date.
DDE is a predecessor of OLE. With DDE, objects are linked through file reference,
but not embedded. You can create DDE links either within Calc cells in a Calc sheet,
or in Calc cells in another OOo doc such as in Writer.
DDE link in Calc
Creating a DDE link in Calc is similar to creating a cell reference. The process is a
little different, but the result is the same.
1) In Calc, select the cells that you want to make the DDE link to.
2) Copy them: Edit > Copy or Ctrl+C.
3) Go to the place in the spreadsheet where you want the link to be.
4) Select Edit > Paste Special.
5) When the Paste Special dialog opens, select the Link option on the bottom left
of the dialog (Figure 285). Click OK.
The cells now reference the copied data, and the formula bar shows a reference
beginning with {=DDE.
If you now edit the original cells, the linked cells will update.
Figure 285: Location of Link option on Paste Special dialog in Calc
Chapter 10 Linking Calc Data 281
DDE link in Writer
The process for creating a DDE link from Calc to Writer is similar to creating a link
within Calc.
1) In Calc, select the cells to make the DDE link to. Copy them.
2) Go to the place in your Writer document where you want the DDE link. Select
Edit > Paste Special.
3) Select DDE Link (Figure 286). Click OK.
Now the link has been created in Writer. When the Calc spreadsheet is updated, the
table in Writer is automatically updated.
Figure 286: Paste Special dialog in Writer, with DDE link selected
282 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 11
Sharing and Reviewing
Documents
Introduction
This chapter covers methods for editing shared documents: sharing (collaboration),
recording changes, adding comments, reviewing changes, merging and comparing
documents, and saving and using document versions. Basic editing techniques are
discussed in Chapter 2 (Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data).
Sharing documents (collaboration)
In OpenOffice.org Writer, Impress, and Draw, only one user at a time can open any
document for editing. In Calc, many users can open the same spreadsheet for writing
at the same time.
Each user who wants to collaborate should be sure to enter a name on the Tools >
Options > OpenOffice.org > User Data page.
Some menu commands are not available (grayed out) when change tracking or
document sharing is activated.
Setting up a spreadsheet for sharing
At any time, you can set up a spreadsheet for sharing with others. With the
spreadsheet document open, choose Tools > Share Document to activate the
collaboration features for this document. A dialog opens where you can enable or
disable sharing.
Figure 287: Choosing to share a spreadsheet
To enable sharing, select the box at the top of the dialog, and then click OK. A
message appears stating that you must save the document to activate shared mode.
Click Yes to continue. The word (shared) is then shown on the title bar after the
document’s title.
The Tools > Share Document command can be used to switch the mode for a
document from unshared to shared. However, if you want to use a shared document
284 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
in unshared mode, you need to save the shared document using another name or
path. This creates a copy of the spreadsheet that is not shared.
Opening a shared spreadsheet
When you open a spreadsheet document that is in shared mode, a message appears
stating that the document is in shared mode and that some features are not available
in this mode. After clicking OK, the document is opened in shared mode.
The following features are known to be disabled in a shared spreadsheet document:
Edit > Changes, except for Merge Document
Edit > Compare Document
Edit > Sheet > Move/Copy & Delete
Insert > Cells Shift Cells Down & Shift Cells Right
Insert > Sheet from file
Insert > Names
Insert > Comment
Insert > Picture > From File
Insert > Movie and Sound
Insert > Object
Insert > Chart
Insert > Floating Frame
Format > Sheet > Rename, Tab Color
Format > Merge Cells
Format > Print Ranges
Format > Page (but format in Print Preview is enabled)
Tools > Protect Document
Data > Define Range
Data > Sort
Data > Subtotals
Data > Validity
Data > Multiple Operations
Data > Consolidate
Data > Group and Outline (all)
Data > DataPilot (all)
Saving a shared spreadsheet
When you save a shared spreadsheet, one of several situations may occur:
•If the document was not modified and saved by another user since you opened
it, the document is saved.
•If the document was modified and saved by another user since you opened it,
one of the following events will occur:
–If the changes do not conflict, the document is saved, the message below
appears, and any cells modified by the other user are shown with a red
border.
Figure 288: Update message after saving
Chapter 11 Sharing and Reviewing Documents 285
–If the changes conflict, the Resolve Conflicts dialog is shown. You must
decide for each conflict which version to keep, yours or the other person’s.
When all conflicts are resolved, the document is saved. While you are
resolving the conflicts, no other user can save the shared document.
Figure 289: Resolve Conflicts dialog
•If another user is trying to save the shared document and resolve conflicts, you
see a message that the shared spreadsheet file is locked due to a merge-in in
progress. You can choose to cancel the Save command for now, or retry saving
later.
When you successfully save a shared spreadsheet, the document shows the latest
version of all changes saved by all users.
Recording changes
You can use several methods to record and then view changes that you or others
make to a document.
•You can use change marks to show added material, deleted material, and
changes to formatting. Later, you or another person can review the document
and accept or reject each change.
•If you are not using file sharing, you can make changes to a copy of the
document (stored in a different folder, under a different name, or both), then
use Calc to compare the files and show the changes. See page 295.
•You can save versions that are stored as part of the original file. See page 295.
Reviewers can leave comments in the document, either attached to specific changes
or standalone.
286 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Preparing a document for review (optional)
When you send a document to someone else to review or edit, you may want to
protect it first so that the editor or reviewer does not have to remember to turn on
the revision marks. After you have protected the document, any user must enter the
correct password in order to turn off protection and accept or reject changes.
1) Open the document and make sure that the Edit > Changes > Record menu
item has a check mark next to it, indicating that change recording is active.
2) (Optional) Click Edit > Changes > Protect Records. On the Protect Records
dialog, type a password (twice) and click OK.
Note It is not necessary to password protect the document to prepare it for
review.
Identifying copies of spreadsheets
When not using the document sharing feature, it is important to keep track of the
different copies of the document. This can be done either in the file name or in the
file title. If you have not provided a file title in the spreadsheet’s properties, the
spreadsheet’s file name is displayed in the title bar. To set the title of the
spreadsheet, select File > Properties > Description.
Recording changes (tutorial)
For this chapter we will work with a budget proposal for a baseball team.
You are the sponsor of a youth baseball team. The coach has submitted a
budget to you for the season and you need to edit the costs and return it to
her.
You are concerned that if you just make the changes, then the coach won't
see the changes you made. You decide to use Calc with the record changes
feature turned on, so that the coach can easily see the change you have
made.
Figure 290 shows the budget spreadsheet your coach submitted.
Figure 290: Baseball budget spreadsheet
Chapter 11 Sharing and Reviewing Documents 287
Looking over the figures, you see a few places where money could be saved:
•Post-game snacks can be bought by parents.
•New uniforms can wait; only buy 10 to replace damaged ones.
•Buy cheaper baseballs.
•Only buy 2 spare gloves.
To make these changes, use the record changes feature in Calc. To start recording
changes:
1) Open the Budget Spreadsheet.
2) Select Edit > Changes > Record from the menu bar.
3) Begin editing the document.
A colored border, with a dot in the upper left-hand corner, appears around a cell
where changes were made (Figure 291). Other reviewers then quickly know which
cells were edited. A deleted column or row is marked by a heavy colored bar.
Figure 291: Edited document with red border on changed cells
Tip Some changes, for example cell formatting, are not recorded and marked.
Tip To change the color that indicates changes, select Tools > Options >
OpenOffice.org Calc > Changes.
When you finish editing the document, you can send it to your coach.
You may want to explain your rationale for the changes. You can share your insight in
two ways: by adding comments to the changes you made, or by adding general
comments to the spreadsheet.
Adding comments to changes
Calc automatically adds to any recorded change a comment that describes what was
changed (for example, Cell B4 changed from ‘9’ to ‘4’). Reviewers and authors can
add their own comments to explain their reasons for the changes.
288 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
To add a comment to a change:
1) Make the change to the spreadsheet.
2) Select the cell with the change.
3) Choose Edit > Changes > Comments. The dialog shown in Figure 292
appears. The automatically-added comment provided by Calc appears in the
title bar of this dialog and cannot be edited.
4) Type your own comment and click OK.
Figure 292: Comment dialog
Tip
You can step through your changes one at a time using the left and right
arrows on the right hand side of the Comment dialog, and add comments
to each change. The title bar for the Comment dialog shows the cell and
the change you are commenting on.
After you have added a comment to a changed cell, you can see it by hovering the
mouse pointer over the cell, as shown in Figure 293.
Figure 293: Comment added to cell B3
The comment also appears in the dialog when you are accepting and rejecting
changes, as shown in the first line of Figure 289 on page 286.
Editing change comments
1) Select the cell with the change comment that you want to edit.
2) Select Edit > Changes > Comments.
3) Edit the comment and click OK.
Chapter 11 Sharing and Reviewing Documents 289
Tip
You can view your comments one at a time using the left and right arrows
located on the right hand side of the Comment dialog. You do not need to
click OK after editing each comment; you can save them all at once when
you’re done editing.
Adding other comments
Calc provides another type of comment (formerly called “note”), which authors and
reviewers often use to exchange ideas, ask for suggestions, or brainstorm in the
document.
To add a comment:
1) Select the cell that the comment applies to.
2) Select Insert > Comment or right-click and select Insert Comment. (The
latter method does not work if the automatic spelling checker is active and the
cell contains a misspelled word.) The box shown in Figure 294 appears.
3) Type the text of your comment in the box.
4) Click outside the box to close it.
Figure 294: Inserting a comment
Now the cell to which you added the comment has a colored dot in the upper right-
hand corner, as shown in Figure 295. It does not have a colored border, unless the
cell was also changed.
Figure 295: Colored dot in cell containing a comment
Tip You can change the colors Calc uses for comments by selecting Tools >
Options > OpenOffice.org > Appearance.
To view the comment you just added, hover the mouse pointer over the cell that has a
comment; the comment appears, as shown below.
290 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 296: Viewing a comment
Editing comments
You can edit and format the text of a comment, just as you do for any other text.
1) Right-click on the cell containing the comment marker, and choose Show
comment from the pop-up menu.
2) Select the comment, then double-click on it. The cursor changes to the usual
blinking text-entry cursor, and the Formatting toolbar changes to show text
attributes.
3) When done, click outside the comment to deselect it. To hide the comment
again, right-click on the cell and deselect Show Comment on the pop-up
menu.
Formatting comments
You can change the background color, border style, transparency, and other
attributes of a comment.
1) Right-click on the cell containing the comment marker, and choose Show
comment from the pop-up menu.
2) Click on the comment itself. The Formatting toolbar changes to show many of
the comment formatting options. These are the same as the options for
formatting graphics; see Chapter 5 (Using Graphics in Calc) for more
information.
You can also right-click on the comment to see a menu of choices, some of
which lead to dialogs in which you can fine-tune the formatting; these dialogs
are also discussed in Chapter 5.
3) When done, click outside the comment to deselect it. To hide the comment
again, right-click on the cell and deselect Show Comment on the pop-up
menu.
Finding comments using the Navigator
The small comment markers in the corners of cells can be difficult to see, so Calc
provides another way to find them, by using the Navigator. If any comments are in
the spreadsheet, the Navigator shows a mark (usually a + or an arrow) next to the
word Comments. Click on this mark to display a list of comments. Double-click on a
comment to jump directly to its associated cell.
Reviewing changes
At this point, we are going to change our perspective from the point of view of the
team sponsor to that of the coach, so we can see how to review and accept or reject
the changes to the document the coach originally wrote.
Chapter 11 Sharing and Reviewing Documents 291
You are the coach of a youth baseball team and you submitted a potential
budget created in Calc to your team sponsor.
Your sponsor has reviewed the document using the record changes feature
of Calc. Now you want to review those changes and accept or reject the
counter proposal.
Because the sponsor recorded changes in Calc, you can easily see what
changes were made and decide how to act.
Viewing changes
Calc gives you tremendous control over what changes you see when reviewing a
document. To change the available filters, select Edit > Changes > Show. The
dialog shown in Figure 297 opens.
Figure 297: Show changes dialog
Using the different settings, you can control which changes appear on screen. You
can filter based on:
•Date – Only changes made in a certain time range are displayed.
•Author – Only changes made by a specific author are displayed. This is
especially useful if you have multiple reviewers on the document.
•Range – Only changes made in a specific range of cells are displayed. This is
especially useful if you have a large spreadsheet and only want to review a
part of it.
•Comment – Searches the content of the comments and only displays changes
which have comments that match the search criteria.
•Show accepted changes – Only changes you accepted are displayed.
•Show rejected changes – Only changes you rejected are displayed.
Note
You can also access the filter control in the Accept or Reject Changes
dialog shown in Figure 298. Click the Filter tab to get a set of options
similar to those shown in Figure 299.
292 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Accepting or rejecting changes
When you receive a document back with changes, the beauty of the recording
changes system becomes evident. Now, as the original author, you can step through
each change and decide how to proceed. To begin this process:
1) Open the edited document.
2) Select Edit > Changes > Accept or Reject. The dialog shown in Figure 289
appears.
3) Click Accept or Reject to step through the changes one at a time. You can also
choose to accept or reject all changes in one step. Calc creates separate lists of
Accepted and Rejected changes. Accepting or Rejecting changes is a non
reversible process. You can undo the changes by comparing the current
(edited) document with an earlier version (see page 295).
The Comment column by default contains an explanation of the change that was
made. If the reviewer added a comment to the change, it is displayed, followed by the
description of the change, as in the first line of Figure 289.
Figure 298: Accept or Reject changes dialog
If more than one person has reviewed the document, one reviewer may have modified
another reviewer’s change. If so, the changes are hierarchically arranged with a plus
sign for opening up the hierarchy.
On the Filter tab of this dialog (not shown here), you can choose how to filter the list
of changes: by date, author, cell range, or comments containing specific terms. After
selecting the filter criteria, switch back to the List tab to see the results.
Chapter 11 Sharing and Reviewing Documents 293
Merging documents
You submitted your budget proposal to your sponsor, but you sent it
to one of your assistant coaches as well. Both of them returned their
revised budget to you at the same time.
You could review each document and the changes separately, but to
save time, you want to see both of their revisions simultaneously.
The processes discussed to this point are effective when you have one reviewer at a
time. Sometimes, however, multiple reviewers all return edited versions of a
document at the same time. In this case, it may be quicker to review all of these
changes at once, rather than one review at a time. For this purpose, you can merge
documents in Calc.
To merge documents, all of the edited documents need to have recorded changes in
them.
1) Open the original document.
2) Select Edit > Changes > Merge Document.
3) A file selection dialog opens. Select a file you want to merge and click OK.
4) After the documents merge, the Accept or Reject Changes dialog opens, as in
Figure 288, showing changes by more than one reviewer. If you want to merge
more documents, close the dialog and then repeat steps 2 and 3.
Figure 299: Accept or Reject for merged documents
Now all of the changes are combined into one document and you can accept or reject
the changes. Changes from different authors appear in different colors in the
document, as shown in Figure 300. In this example, all of the changes from Robert
are blue and the changes from Mia are red.
294 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 300: Merged documents with different author colors
Comparing documents
Sometimes when sharing documents, reviewers may forget to record the changes
they make. This is not a problem with Calc, because Calc can find the changes by
comparing documents.
In order to compare documents you need to have the original document and the one
that is edited. To compare them:
1) Open the edited document that you want to compare with the original
document.
2) Select Edit > Compare Document.
3) An open document dialog appears. Select the original document and click
Insert.
Calc finds and marks the changes as follows:
•All data that occurs in the edited document but not in the original is identified
as inserted.
•All data that is in your original document but is not in the edited document is
identified as deleted.
•All data that is changed, is marked as changed.
From this point you can go through and accept or reject changes as you would
normally.
Saving versions
Most documents go through many drafts. It is often useful to save new versions of a
document. You can do this by saving a copy of the document (under a different name)
after each revision, or by using Calc’s version feature.
Caution
If you do a Save As... of a document with different versions stored in it,
the old versions are not saved in the new file.
Chapter 11 Sharing and Reviewing Documents 295
To use version management in Calc:
1) Choose File > Versions. The Versions dialog opens.
Figure 301: Version management dialog
2) Click the Save New Version button to save a new version.
3) A dialog opens where you can enter comments about this version.
Figure 302: Version comment dialog
4) After you enter your comment and click OK, the new version is included in the
version list.
Figure 303: Updated version list
296 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Now when you save the file, both versions are saved in the same file. From this point
you can:
•Open an old version – Select the version and click the Open button and a read-
only copy of a previous version opens.
•Compare all versions – Clicking the Compare button performs an action
similar to merging documents together. An Accept or Reject Changes dialog
opens showing all of the changes through the different versions.
•Review the comments – Select a version and click the Show button to display
the full comments made by yourself or other reviewers.
Note The new file is bigger in size, as two spreadsheets are effectively saved
together into one file.
Chapter 11 Sharing and Reviewing Documents 297
Chapter 12
Calc Macros
Automating repetitive tasks
Introduction
A macro is a saved sequence of commands or keystrokes that are stored for later use.
An example of a simple macro is one that “types” your address. The OpenOffice.org
(OOo) macro language is very flexible, allowing automation of both simple and
complex tasks. Macros are especially useful to repeat a task the same way over and
over again. This chapter briefly discusses common problems related to macro
programming using Calc.
Using the macro recorder
Chapter 13 of the Getting Started guide (Getting Started with Macros) provides a
basis for understanding the general macro capabilities in OpenOffice.org using the
macro recorder. An example is shown here without the explanations in the Getting
Started guide. The following steps create a macro that performs paste special with
multiply.
1) Open a new spreadsheet.
2) Enter numbers into a sheet.
Figure 304: Enter numbers
3) Select cell A3, which contains the number 3, and copy the value to the
clipboard.
4) Select the range A1:C3.
5) Use Tools > Macros > Record Macro to start the macro recorder. The
Record Macro dialog is displayed with a stop recording button.
Figure 305: Stop recording button
6) Use Edit > Paste Special to open the Paste Special dialog (Figure 306).
7) Set the operation to Multiply and click OK. The cells are now multiplied by 3
(Figure 307).
8) Click Stop Recording to stop the macro recorder. The OpenOffice.org Basic
Macros dialog (Figure 308) opens.
Chapter 12 Calc Macros 299
Figure 306: Paste Special dialog
Figure 307: Cells multiplied by 3
9) Select the current document (see Figure 308). For this example, the current
Calc document is Untitled 1. Existing documents show a library named
Standard. This library is not created until the document is saved or the library
is needed, so at this point your new document does not contain a library. You
can create a new library to contain the macro, but this is not necessary.
300 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
1My Macros 5Create new module in library
2OpenOffice.org Macros 6Macros in selected library
3Open documents 7Current document
4Create new library 8Expand/collapse list
Figure 308: Parts of the OpenOffice.org Basic Macros dialog
10) Click New Module. If no libraries exist, then the Standard library is
automatically created and used. In the New Module dialog, type a name for the
new module or leave the name as Module1.
11) Click OK to create a new module named Module1. Select the newly created
Module1, type PasteMultiply in the Macro name box at the upper left, and
click Save. (See Figure 309.)
Chapter 12 Calc Macros 301
Figure 309: Select the module and name the macro
The created macro is saved in Module1 of the Standard library in the Untitled 1
document. Listing 1 shows the contents of the macro.
Listing 1. Paste special with multiply.
sub PasteMultiply
rem --------------------------------------------------------------
rem define variables
dim document as object
dim dispatcher as object
rem --------------------------------------------------------------
rem get access to the document
document = ThisComponent.CurrentController.Frame
dispatcher = createUnoService("com.sun.star.frame.DispatchHelper")
rem --------------------------------------------------------------
dim args1(5) as new com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue
args1(0).Name = "Flags"
args1(0).Value = "A"
args1(1).Name = "FormulaCommand"
args1(1).Value = 3
args1(2).Name = "SkipEmptyCells"
args1(2).Value = false
args1(3).Name = "Transpose"
args1(3).Value = false
args1(4).Name = "AsLink"
args1(4).Value = false
args1(5).Name = "MoveMode"
args1(5).Value = 4
dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:InsertContents", "", 0,
args1())
end sub
302 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
More detail on recording macros is provided in Chapter 13 (Getting Started with
Macros) in the Getting Started guide; we recommend you read it if you have not
already done so. More detail is also provided in the following sections, but not as
related to recording macros.
Write your own functions
Calc can call macros as Calc functions. Use the following steps to create a simple
macro:
1) Create a new Calc document named CalcTestMacros.ods.
2) Use Tools > Macros > Organize Macros > OpenOffice.org Basic to open
the OpenOffice.org Basic Macros dialog. The Macro from box lists available
macro library containers including currently open OOo documents. My Macros
contains macros that you write or add to OOo. OpenOffice.org Macros contains
macros included with OOo and should not be changed.
Figure 310: OpenOffice.org Basic Macros dialog
3) Click Organizer to open the OpenOffice.org Basic Macro Organizer dialog
(Figure 311). On the Libraries tab, select the document to contain the macro.
Chapter 12 Calc Macros 303
Figure 311: OpenOffice.org Basic Macro Organizer
4) Click New to open the New Library dialog.
Figure 312: New Library dialog
5) Enter a descriptive library name (such as AuthorsCalcMacros) and click OK to
create the library. The new library name is shown the library list, but the
dialog may show only a portion of the name.
Figure 313: The library is shown in the organizer
6) Select AuthorsCalcMacros and click Edit to edit the library. Calc automatically
creates a module named Module1 and a macro named Main.
304 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 314: Basic Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
7) Modify the code so that it is the same as that shown in Listing 2.The important
addition is the creation of the NumberFive function, which returns the number
five. The Option Explicit statement forces all variables to be declared before
they are used. If Option Explicit is omitted, variables are automatically defined
at first use as type Variant.
8) Save the modified Module1.
Listing 2. Function that returns five.
REM ***** BASIC *****
Option Explicit
Sub Main
End Sub
Function NumberFive()
NumberFive = 5
End Function
Using a macro as a function
Using the newly created Calc document CalcTestMacros.ods, enter the formula
=NumberFive() (see Figure 315). Calc finds the macro and calls it.
Chapter 12 Calc Macros 305
Figure 315: Use the NumberFive() Macro as a Calc function
Tip Function names are not case sensitive. In Figure 315, you can enter
=NumberFive() and Calc clearly shows =NUMBERFIVE().
Save the Calc document, close it, and open it again. Depending on your settings in
Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > Security > Macro Security, Calc will
display the warning shown in Figure 316 or the one shown in Figure 317. You will
need to click Enable Macros, or Calc will not allow any macros to be run inside the
document. If you do not expect a document to contain a macro, it is safer to click
Disable Macros in case the macro is a virus.
Figure 316: OOo warns you that a document contains macros
Figure 317: Warning if macros are disabled
306 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
If you choose to disable macros, then when the document loads, Calc can no longer
find the function.
Figure 318: The function is gone
When a document is created and saved, it automatically contains a library named
Standard. The Standard library is automatically loaded when the document is
opened. No other library is automatically loaded.
Calc does not contain a function named NumberFive(), so it checks all opened and
visible macro libraries for the function. Libraries in OpenOffice.org Macros, My
Macros, and the Calc document are checked for an appropriately named function
(see Figure 310). The NumberFive() function is stored in the AuthorsCalcMacros
library, which is not automatically loaded when the document is opened.
Use Tools > Macros > Organize Macros > OpenOffice.org Basic to open the
OpenOffice.org Basic Macros dialog (see Figure 319). Expand CalcTestMacros and
find AuthorsCalcMacros. The icon for a loaded library is a different color from the
icon for a library that is not loaded.
Click the expansion symbol (usually a plus or a triangle) next to AuthorsCalcMacros
to load the library. The icon changes color to indicate that the library is now loaded.
Click Close to close the dialog.
Unfortunately, the cells containing =NumberFive() are in error. Calc does not
recalculate cells in error unless you edit them or somehow change them. The usual
solution is to store macros used as functions in the Standard library. If the macro is
large or if there are many macros, a stub with the desired name is stored in the
Standard library. The stub macro loads the library containing the implementation and
then calls the implementation.
1) Use Tools > Macros > Organize Macros > OpenOffice.org Basic to open
the OpenOffice.org Basic Macros dialog. Select the NumberFive macro and
click Edit to open the macro for editing.
Figure 319: Select a macro and click Edit
Chapter 12 Calc Macros 307
2) Change the name of NumberFive to NumberFive_Implementation (Listing 3).
Listing 3. Change the name of NumberFive to NumberFive_Implementation
Function NumberFive_Implementation()
NumberFive_Implementation() = 5
End Function
3) In the Basic IDE (see Figure 312), hover the mouse cursor over the toolbar
buttons to display the tool tips. Click the Select Macro button to open the
OpenOffice.org Basic Macros dialog (see Figure 308).
4) Select the Standard library in the CalcTestMacros document and click New to
create a new module. Enter a meaningful name such as CalcFunctions and
click OK. OOo automatically creates a macro named Main and opens the
module for editing.
5) Create a macro in the Standard library that calls the implementation function
(see Listing 4). The new macro loads the AuthorsCalcMacros library if it is not
already loaded, and then calls the implementation function.
6) Save, close, and reopen the Calc document. This time, the NumberFive()
function works.
Listing 4. Change the name of NumberFive to NumberFive_Implementation.
Function NumberFive()
If NOT BasicLibraries.isLibraryLoaded("AuthorsCalcMacros") Then
BasicLibraries.LoadLibrary("AuthorsCalcMacros")
End If
NumberFive = NumberFive_Implementation()
End Function
Passing arguments to a macro
To illustrate a function that accepts arguments, we will write a macro that calculates
the sum of its arguments that are positive —it will ignore arguments that are less
than zero (see Listing 5).
Listing 5. PositiveSum calculates the sum of the positive arguments.
Function PositiveSum(Optional x)
Dim TheSum As Double
Dim iRow As Integer
Dim iCol As Integer
TheSum = 0.0
If NOT IsMissing(x) Then
If NOT IsArray(x) Then
If x > 0 Then TheSum = x
Else
For iRow = LBound(x, 1) To UBound(x, 1)
For iCol = LBound(x, 2) To UBound(x, 2)
If x(iRow, iCol) > 0 Then TheSum = TheSum + x(iRow, iCol)
Next
Next
End If
End If
PositiveSum = TheSum
End Function
308 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
The macro in Listing 5 demonstrates some important techniques:
1) The argument x is optional. When an argument is not optional and the function
is called without it, OOo prints a warning message every time the macro is
called. If Calc calls the function many times, then the error is displayed many
times.
2) IsMissing checks that an argument was passed before the argument is used.
3) IsArray checks to see if the argument is a single value, or an array. For
example, =PositiveSum(7) or =PositiveSum(A4). In the first case, the number
7 is passed as an argument, and in the second case, the value of cell A4 is
passed to the function.
4) If a range is passed to the function, it is passed as a two-dimensional array of
values; for example, =PositiveSum(A2:B5). LBound and UBound are used to
determine the array bounds that are used. Although the lower bound is one, it
is considered safer to use LBound in case it changes in the future.
Tip
The macro in Listing 5 is careful and checks to see if the argument is an
array or a single argument. The macro does not verify that each value is
numeric. You may be as careful as you like. The more things you check, the
more robust the macro is, and the slower it runs.
Passing one argument is as easy as passing two: add another argument to the
function definition (see Listing 6). When calling a function with two arguments,
separate the arguments with a semicolon; for example, =TestMax(3; -4).
Listing 6. TestMax accepts two arguments and returns the larger of the two.
Function TestMax(x, y)
If x >= y Then
TestMax = x
Else
TestMax = y
End If
End Function
Arguments are passed as values
Arguments passed to a macro from Calc are always values. It is not possible to know
what cells, if any, are used. For example, =PositiveSum(A3) passes the value of cell
A3, and PositiveSum has no way of knowing that cell A3 was used. If you must know
which cells are referenced rather than the values in the cells, pass the range as a
string, parse the string, and obtain the values in the referenced cells.
Writing macros that act like built-in functions
Although Calc finds and calls macros as normal functions, they do not really behave
as built-in functions. For example, macros do not appear in the function lists. It is
possible to write functions that behave as regular functions by writing an Add-In.
However, this is an advanced topic that is not covered here; see
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/SimpleCalcAddIn
Chapter 12 Calc Macros 309
Accessing cells directly
You can access the OOo internal objects directly to manipulate a Calc document. For
example, the macro in Listing 7 adds the values in cell A2 from every sheet in the
current document. ThisComponent is set by StarBasic when the macro starts to
reference the current document. A Calc document contains sheets:
ThisComponent.getSheets(). Use getCellByPosition(col, row) to return a cell at
a specific row and column.
Listing 7. Add cell A2 in every sheet.
Function SumCellsAllSheets()
Dim TheSum As Double
Dim i As integer
Dim oSheets
Dim oSheet
Dim oCell
oSheets = ThisComponent.getSheets()
For i = 0 To oSheets.getCount() - 1
oSheet = oSheets.getByIndex(i)
oCell = oSheet.getCellByPosition(0, 1) ' GetCell A2
TheSum = TheSum + oCell.getValue()
Next
SumCellsAllSheets = TheSum
End Function
Tip
A cell object supports the methods getValue(), getString(), and
getFormula() to get the numerical value, the string value, or the formula
used in a cell. Use the corresponding set functions to set appropriate
values.
Use oSheet.getCellRangeByName("A2") to return a range of cells by name. If a
single cell is referenced, then a cell object is returned. If a cell range is given, then
an entire range of cells is returned (see Listing 8). Notice that a cell range returns
data as an array of arrays, which is more cumbersome than treating it as an array
with two dimensions as is done in Listing 5.
Listing 8. Add cell A2:C5 in every sheet
Function SumCellsAllSheets()
Dim TheSum As Double
Dim iRow As Integer, iCol As Integer, i As Integer
Dim oSheets, oSheet, oCells
Dim oRow(), oRows()
oSheets = ThisComponent.getSheets()
For i = 0 To oSheets.getCount() - 1
oSheet = oSheets.getByIndex(i)
oCells = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("A2:C5")
REM getDataArray() returns the data as variant so strings
REM are also returned.
REM getData() returns data data as type Double, so only
REM numbers are returned.
oRows() = oCells.getData()
310 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
For iRow = LBound(oRows()) To UBound(oRows())
oRow() = oRows(iRow)
For iCol = LBound(oRow()) To UBound(oRow())
TheSum = TheSum + oRow(iCol)
Next
Next
Next
SumCellsAllSheets = TheSum
End Function
Tip When a macro is called as a Calc function, the macro cannot modify any
value in the sheet from which the macro was called.
Sorting
Consider sorting the data in Figure 320. First, sort on column B descending and then
column A ascending.
Figure 320: Sort column B descending and column A ascending
The example in Listing 9, however, demonstrates how to sort on two columns.
Listing 9. Sort cells A1:C5 on Sheet 1.
Sub SortRange
Dim oSheet ' Calc sheet containing data to sort.
Dim oCellRange ' Data range to sort.
REM An array of sort fields determines the columns that are
REM sorted. This is an array with two elements, 0 and 1.
REM To sort on only one column, use:
REM Dim oSortFields(0) As New com.sun.star.util.SortField
Dim oSortFields(1) As New com.sun.star.util.SortField
REM The sort descriptor is an array of properties.
REM The primary property contains the sort fields.
Dim oSortDesc(0) As New com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue
REM Get the sheet named "Sheet1"
oSheet = ThisComponent.Sheets.getByName("Sheet1")
REM Get the cell range to sort
oCellRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("A1:C5")
Chapter 12 Calc Macros 311
REM Select the range to sort.
REM The only purpose would be to emphasize the sorted data.
'ThisComponent.getCurrentController.select(oCellRange)
REM The columns are numbered starting with 0, so
REM column A is 0, column B is 1, etc.
REM Sort column B (column 1) descending.
oSortFields(0).Field = 1
oSortFields(0).SortAscending = FALSE
REM If column B has two cells with the same value,
REM then use column A ascending to decide the order.
oSortFields(1).Field = 0
oSortFields(1).SortAscending = True
REM Setup the sort descriptor.
oSortDesc(0).Name = "SortFields"
oSortDesc(0).Value = oSortFields()
REM Sort the range.
oCellRange.Sort(oSortDesc())
End Sub
As this macro is a subroutine, you execute it with Tools > Macros > Run Macro
and then open CalcTestMacros > AuthorsCalcMacros > Module1. Click on the
macro SortRange and then Run.
Conclusion
This chapter provides a brief overview on how to create libraries and modules, using
the macro recorder, using macros as Calc functions, and writing your own macros
without the macro recorder. Each topic deserves at least one chapter, and writing
your own macros for Calc could easily fill an entire book. In other words, this is just
the beginning of what you can learn!
312 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 13
Calc as a Simple Database
A guide for users and macro programmers
Introduction
A Calc document is a very capable database, providing sufficient functionality to
satisfy the needs of many users. This chapter presents the capabilities of a Calc
document that make it suitable as a database tool. Where applicable, the functionality
is explained using both the GUI (Graphical User Interface) and macros.
Note
Although this document was initially created for macro programmers, the
content should be accessible to all users. If you do not use macros, then
skip those portions that deal with macros. On the other hand, if you want
to learn more about macros, be certain to check out the book
OpenOffice.org Macros Explained.
In a database, a record is a group of related data items treated as a single unit of
information. Each item in the record is called a field. A table consists of records. Each
record in a table has the same structure. A table can be visualized as a series of rows
and columns. Each row in the table corresponds to a single record and each column
corresponds to the fields. A spreadsheet in a Calc document is similar in structure to
a database table. Each cell corresponds to a single field in a database record. For
many people, Calc implements sufficient database functionality that no other
database program or functionality is required.
While teaching, a spreadsheet might be used as a grading program. Each row
represents a single student. The columns represent the grades received on
homework, labs, and tests (see Table 23). The strong calculation capability provided
in a spreadsheet makes this an excellent choice.
Table 12. Simple grading spreadsheet
A B C D E F G
1Name Test 1 Test 2 Quiz 1 Quiz 2 Average Grade
2Andy 95 93 93 92 93.25
3Betty 87 92 65 73 79.25
4Bob 95 93 93 92 93.25
5Brandy 45 65 92 85 71.75
6Frank 95 93 85 92 91.25
7Fred 87 92 65 73 79.25
8Ilsub 70 85 97 79 82.75
9James 45 65 97 85 73
10 Lisa 100 97 100 93 97.5
11 Michelle 100 97 100 65 90.5
12 Ravi 87 92 86 93 89.5
13 Sal 45 65 100 92 75.5
14 Ted 100 97 100 85 95.5
15 Tom 70 85 93 65 78.25
16 Whil 70 85 93 97 86.25
314 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Tip
Although the choice to associate a row to a record rather than a column is
arbitrary, it is almost universal. In other words, you are not likely to hear
someone refer to a column of data as a single database record.
Associating a range with a name
In a Calc document, a range refers to a contiguous group of cells containing at least
one cell. You can associate a meaningful name to a range, which allows you to refer
to the range using the meaningful name. You can create either a database range,
which has some database-like functionality, or a named range, which does not. A
name is usually associated with a range for one of three reasons:
1) Associating a range with a name enhances readability by using a meaningful
name.
2) If a range is referenced by name in multiple locations, you can point the name
to another location and all references point to the new location.
3) Ranges associated to a name are shown in the Navigator, which is available by
pressing the F5 key or clicking on the icon. The Navigator allows for quick
navigation to the associated ranges.
Named range
The most common usage of a named range is, as its name implies, to associate a
range of cells to a meaningful name. For example, create a range named Scores, and
then use the following equation: =SUM(Scores). To create a named range, select the
range to define. Use Insert > Names > Define to open the Define Names dialog.
Use the Define Names dialog to add and modify one named range at a time.
Figure 321. Define a named range.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 315
In a macro, a named range is accessed, created, and deleted using the NamedRanges
property of a Calc document. Use the methods hasByName(name) and
getByName(name) to verify and retrieve a named range. The method
getElementNames() returns an array containing the names of all named ranges. The
NamedRanges object supports the method addNewByname, which accepts four
arguments; the name, content, position, and type. The macro in Listing 10 creates a
named range, if it does not exist, that references a range of cells.
Listing 10. Create a named range that references $Sheet1.$B$3:$D$6.
Sub AddNamedRange()
Dim oRange ' The created range.
Dim oRanges ' All named ranges.
Dim sName$ ' Name of the named range to create.
Dim oCell ' Cell object.
Dim s$
sName$ = "MyNRange"
oRanges = ThisComponent.NamedRanges
If NOT oRanges.hasByName(sName$) Then
REM Obtain the cell address by obtaining the cell
REM and then extracting the address from the cell.
Dim oCellAddress As new com.sun.star.table.CellAddress
oCellAddress.Sheet = 0 'The first sheet.
oCellAddress.Column = 1 'Column B.
oCellAddress.Row = 2 'Row 3.
REM The first argument is the range name.
REM The second argument is the formula or expression to use.
REM The second argument is usually a string that
REM defines a range.
REM The third argument specifies the base address for
REM relative cell references.
REM The fourth argument is a set of flags that define
REM how the range is used, but most ranges use 0.
REM The fourth argument uses values from the
REM NamedRangeFlag constants (see Table 13).
s$ = "$Sheet1.$B$3:$D$6"
oRanges.addNewByName(sName$, s$, oCellAddress, 0)
End If
REM Get a range using the created named range.
oRange = ThisComponent.NamedRanges.getByName(sName$)
REM Print the string contained in cell $Sheet1.$B$3
oCell = oRange.getReferredCells().getCellByPosition(0,0)
Print oCell.getString()
End Sub
316 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
The method addNewByname() accepts four arguments; the name, content, position,
and type. The fourth argument to the method addNewByName() is a combination of
flags that specify how the named range will be used (see Table 13). The most
common value is 0, which is not a defined constant value.
Table 13. com.sun.star.sheet.NamedRangeFlag constants.
Value Name Description
1 FILTER_CRITERIA The range contains filter criteria.
2 PRINT_AREA The range can be used as a print range.
4 COLUMN_HEADER The range can be used as column headers for
printing.
8 ROW_HEADER The range can be used as row headers for
printing.
The third argument, a cell address, acts as the base address for cells referenced in a
relative way. If the cell range is not specified as an absolute address, the referenced
range will be different based on where in the spreadsheet the range is used. The
relative behavior is illustrated in Listing 11, which also illustrates another usage of a
named range—defining an equation. The macro in Listing 11 creates the named
range AddLeft, which refers to the equation A3+B3 with C3 as the reference cell. The
cells A3 and B3 are the two cells directly to the left of C3, so, the equation
=AddLeft() calculates the sum of the two cells directly to the left of the cell that
contains the equation. Changing the reference cell to C4, which is below A3 and B3,
causes the AddLeft equation to calculate the sum of the two cells that are to the left
on the previous row.
Listing 11. Create the AddLeft named range.
Sub AddNamedFunction()
Dim oSheet 'Sheet that contains the named range.
Dim oCellAddress 'Address for relative references.
Dim oRanges 'The NamedRanges property.
Dim oRange 'Single cell range.
Dim sName As String 'Name of the equation to create.
sName = "AddLeft"
oRanges = ThisComponent.NamedRanges
If NOT oRanges.hasByName(sName) Then
oSheet = ThisComponent.getSheets().getByIndex(0)
oRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("C3")
oCellAddress = oRange.getCellAddress()
oRanges.addNewByName(sName, "A3+B3", oCellAddress, 0)
End If
End Sub
Tip
Listing 11 illustrates two capabilities that are not widely known. A named
range can define a function. Also, the third argument acts as the base
address for cells referenced in a relative way.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 317
Select the range containing the headers and the data and then use Insert > Names
> Create to open the Create Names dialog (see Figure 322), which allows you to
simultaneously create multiple named ranges based on the top row, bottom row, right
column or left column. If you choose to create ranges based on the top row, one
named range is created for each column header—the header is not included in the
named range. Although the header is not included in the range, the text in the header
is used to name the range.
Figure 322. Define a named range.
The macro in Listing 12 creates three named ranges based on the top row of a named
range.
Listing 12. Create many named ranges.
Sub AddManyNamedRanges()
Dim oSheet 'Sheet that contains the named range.
Dim oAddress 'Range address.
Dim oRanges 'The NamedRanges property.
Dim oRange 'Single cell range.
oRanges = ThisComponent.NamedRanges
oSheet = ThisComponent.getSheets().getByIndex(0)
oRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("A1:C20")
oAddress = oRange.getRangeAddress()
oRanges.addNewFromTitles(oAddress, _
com.sun.star.sheet.Border.TOP)
End Sub
The constants in Table 14 determine the location of the headers when multiple
ranges are created using the method addNewFromTitles().
Table 14. com.sun.star.sheet.Border constants.
Value Name Description
0 TOP Select the top border.
1 BOTTOM Select the bottom border.
2 RIGHT Select the right border.
3 LEFT Select the left border.
318 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Caution It is possible to create multiple named ranges with the same name.
Creating multiple ranges with a single command increases the
likelihood that multiple ranges will be created with the same name—
avoid this if possible.
Database range
Although a database range can be used as a regular named range, a database range
also defines a range of cells in a spreadsheet to be used as a database. Each row in a
range corresponds to a record and each cell corresponds to a field. You can sort,
group, search, and perform calculations on the range as if it were a database.
A database range provides behavior that is useful when performing database related
activities. For example, you can mark the first row as headings. To create, modify, or
delete a database range, use Data > Define Range to open the Define Data Range
dialog (see Figure 323). When you first define a range, the Modify button shown in
the example is labeled New.
Figure 323. Define a database range.
In a macro, a database range is accessed, created, and deleted from the
DatabaseRanges property. The macro in Listing 13 creates a database range named
MyName and sets the range to be used as an auto filter.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 319
Listing 13. Create a database range and an auto filter.
Sub AddNewDatabaseRange()
Dim oRange 'DatabaseRange object.
Dim oAddr 'Cell address range for the database range.
Dim oSheet 'First sheet, which will contain the range.
Dim oDoc 'Reference ThisComponent with a shorter name.
oDoc = ThisComponent
If NOT oDoc.DatabaseRanges.hasByName("MyName") Then
oSheet = ThisComponent.getSheets().getByIndex(0)
oRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("A1:F10")
oAddr = oRange.getRangeAddress()
oDoc.DatabaseRanges.addNewByName("MyName", oAddr)
End If
oRange = oDoc.DatabaseRanges.getByName("MyName")
oRange.AutoFilter = True
End Sub
Sorting
The sorting mechanism in a Calc document rearranges the data in the sheet. The first
step in sorting data is to select the data that you want to sort. To sort the data in
Table 23, select the cells from A1 to G16—if you include the column headers, indicate
this in the sort dialog (see Figure 325). Use Data > Sort to open the Sort dialog (see
Figure 324). You can sort by up to three columns or rows at a time.
Figure 324. Sort by the Name column.
320 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Click on the Options tab (see Figure 325) to set the sort options. Check the Range
contains column labels checkbox to prevent column headers from being sorted
with the rest of the data. The Sort by list box in Figure 324 displays the columns
using the column headers if the Range contains column labels checkbox in Figure
325 is checked. If the Range contains column labels checkbox is not checked,
however, then the columns are identified by their column name; Column A, for
example.
Normally, sorting the data causes the existing data to be replaced by the newly sorted
data. The Copy sort results to checkbox, however, causes the selected data to be
left unchanged and a copy of the sorted data is copied to the specified location. You
can either directly enter a target address (Sheet3.A1, for example) or select a
predefined range.
Check the Custom sort order checkbox to sort based on a predefined list of values.
To set your own predefined lists, use Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc >
Sort Lists and then enter your own sort lists. Predefined sort lists are useful for
sorting lists of data that should not be sorted alphabetically or numerically. For
example, sorting days based on their name.
Figure 325. Set sort options.
Caution
When a cell is moved during a sort operation, external references to
that cell are not updated. If a cell that contains a relative reference to
another cell is moved, the reference is relative to the new position
when sorting is finished. Know the behavior of references during
sorting and do not be alarmed; this is almost always what you want—
because the reference is to the right or left in the same row. Also, we
have not found a spreadsheet program that exhibits a different
behavior for references while sorting.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 321
Filters
Use filters to limit the visible rows in a spreadsheet. Generic filters, common to all
sorts of data manipulations, are automatically provided by the auto filter capability.
You can also define your own filters.
Caution
After applying a filter, some rows are visible and some rows are not. If
you select multiple rows in one operation, you will also select the
invisible rows contained between the selected visible rows. Operations,
such as delete, act on all of the selected rows. To avoid this problem,
you must individually select each of the filtered rows using the control
key.
Auto filters
Use auto filters to quickly create easily accessible filters found to be commonly used
in many different types of applications. After creating an auto filter for a specific
column, a combo box is added to the column. The combo box provides quick access to
each of the auto filter types.
•The All auto filter causes all rows to be visible.
•The Standard auto filter opens the Standard Filter dialog and is the same as
the standard filter.
•The Top 10 auto filter displays the ten rows with the largest value. If the value
70 is in the top ten values, then all rows containing the value 70 in the filtered
column are displayed. In other words, more than ten rows may be displayed.
•An auto filter entry is created for each unique entry in the column.
To create an auto filter, first select the columns to filter. For example, using the data
in Table 23, select data in columns B and C. If you do not select the title rows, Calc
asks if the title row or the current row should be used. Although you can place the
auto filter in any row, only the rows below the auto filter are filtered. Use Data >
Filter > AutoFilter to insert the auto filter combo box in the appropriate cell.
Finally, use the drop-down arrow to choose an appropriate auto filter (see Figure
326).
322 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 326: Use an auto filter with column C
Remove an auto filter by repeating the steps to create the auto filter—in other words,
the menu option acts as a toggle to turn the auto filter on and off. When an auto filter
is removed, the combo box is removed from the cell. The macro in Listing 13
demonstrates creating an auto filter for a range.
Standard filters
Use Data > Filter > Standard Filter to open Standard Filter dialog (see Figure
327) and limit the view based on 1 to 3 filter conditions. Use Data > Filter >
Remove Filter to turn off the filter.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 323
Figure 327: Use the standard filter
The macro in Listing 14 creates a simple filter for the first sheet.
Listing 14. Create a simple sheet filter.
Sub SimpleSheetFilter()
Dim oSheet ' Sheet that will contain the filter.
Dim oFilterDesc ' Filter descriptor.
Dim oFields(0) As New com.sun.star.sheet.TableFilterField
oSheet = ThisComponent.getSheets().getByIndex(0)
REM If argument is True, creates an empty filter
REM descriptor. If argument is False, create a
REM descriptor with the previous settings.
oFilterDesc = oSheet.createFilterDescriptor(True)
With oFields(0)
REM You could use the Connection property to indicate
REM how to connect to the previous field. This is
REM the first field, so this is not required.
'.Connection = com.sun.star.sheet.FilterConnection.AND
'.Connection = com.sun.star.sheet.FilterConnection.OR
REM The Field property is the zero based column
REM number to filter. If you have the cell, you
REM can use .Field = oCell.CellAddress.Column.
324 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
.Field = 5
REM Compare using a numeric or a string?
.IsNumeric = True
REM The NumericValue property is used
REM because .IsNumeric = True from above.
.NumericValue = 80
REM If IsNumeric was False, then the
REM StringValue property would be used.
REM .StringValue = "what ever"
REM Valid operators include EMPTY, NOT_EMPTY, EQUAL,
REM NOT_EQUAL, GREATER, GREATER_EQUAL, LESS,
REM LESS_EQUAL, TOP_VALUES, TOP_PERCENT,
REM BOTTOM_VALUES, and BOTTOM_PERCENT
.Operator = com.sun.star.sheet.FilterOperator.GREATER_EQUAL
End With
REM The filter descriptor supports the following
REM properties: IsCaseSensitive, SkipDuplicates,
REM UseRegularExpressions,
REM SaveOutputPosition, Orientation, ContainsHeader,
REM CopyOutputData, OutputPosition, and MaxFieldCount.
oFilterDesc.setFilterFields(oFields())
oFilterDesc.ContainsHeader = True
oSheet.filter(oFilterDesc)
End Sub
When a filter is applied to a sheet, it replaces any existing filter for the sheet. Setting
an empty filter in a sheet will therefore remove all filters for that sheet (see Listing
15).
Listing 15. Remove the current sheet filter.
Sub RemoveSheetFilter()
Dim oSheet ' Sheet to filter.
Dim oFilterDesc ' Filter descriptor.
oSheet = ThisComponent.getSheets().getByIndex(0)
oFilterDesc = oSheet.createFilterDescriptor(True)
oSheet.filter(oFilterDesc)
End Sub
Listing 16 demonstrates a more advanced filter that filters two columns and uses
regular expressions. Some unexpected behavior occurred while working with Listing
16. Although you can create a filter descriptor using any sheet cell range, the filter
applies to the entire sheet.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 325
Listing 16. A simple sheet filter using two columns.
Sub SimpleSheetFilter_2()
Dim oSheet ' Sheet to filter.
Dim oRange ' Range to be filtered.
Dim oFilterDesc ' Filter descriptor.
Dim oFields(1) As New com.sun.star.sheet.TableFilterField
oSheet = ThisComponent.getSheets().getByIndex(0)
oRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("E12:G19")
REM If argument is True, creates an
REM empty filter descriptor.
oFilterDesc = oRange.createFilterDescriptor(True)
REM Setup a field to view cells with content that
REM start with the letter b.
With oFields(0)
.Field = 0 ' Filter column A.
.IsNumeric = False ' Use a string, not a number.
.StringValue = "b.*" ' Everything starting with b.
.Operator = com.sun.star.sheet.FilterOperator.EQUAL
End With
REM Setup a field that requires both conditions and
REM this new condition requires a value greater or
REM equal to 70.
With oFields(1)
.Connection = com.sun.star.sheet.FilterConnection.AND
.Field = 5 ' Filter column F.
.IsNumeric = True ' Use a number
.NumericValue = 70 ' Values greater than 70
.Operator = com.sun.star.sheet.FilterOperator.GREATER_EQUAL
End With
oFilterDesc.setFilterFields(oFields())
oFilterDesc.ContainsHeader = False
oFilterDesc.UseRegularExpressions = True
oSheet.filter(oFilterDesc)
End Sub
Advanced filters
An advanced filter supports up to eight filter conditions, as opposed to the three
supported by the simple filter. The criteria for an advanced filter is stored in a sheet.
The first step in creating an advanced filter is entering the filter criteria into the
spreadsheet.
1) Select an empty space in the Calc document. The empty space may reside in
any sheet in any location in the Calc document.
326 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
2) Duplicate the column headings from the area to be filtered into the area that
will contain the filter criteria.
3) Enter the filter criteria underneath the column headings (see Table 24). The
criterion in each column of a row is connected with AND. The criteria from
each row are connected with OR.
Table 15. Example advanced filter criteria
Name Test 1 Test 2 Quiz 1 Quiz 2 Average Grade
="Andy" >80
<80
Tip
Define named ranges to reference your advanced filter criteria and any
destination ranges for filtered data (see Figure 321). Each appropriately
configured named range is available in drop down list boxes in the
Advanced Filter dialog (see Figure 328).
After creating one or more sets of filter criteria, apply an advanced filter as follows:
1) Select the sheet ranges that contain the data to filter.
2) Use Data > Filter > Advanced Filter to open the Advanced Filter dialog (see
Figure 328).
3) Select the range containing the filter criteria and any other relevant options.
4) Click OK.
Applying an advanced filter using a macro is simple (see Listing 17). The cell range
containing the filter criteria is used to create a filter descriptor, which is then used to
filter the range containing the data.
Figure 328. Apply an advanced filter using a previously defined named range.
Listing 17. Use an advanced filter.
Sub UseAnAdvancedFilter()
Dim oSheet 'A sheet from the Calc document.
Dim oRanges 'The NamedRanges property.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 327
Dim oCritRange 'Range that contains the filter criteria.
Dim oDataRange 'Range that contains the data to filter.
Dim oFiltDesc 'Filter descriptor.
REM Range that contains the filter criteria
oSheet = ThisComponent.getSheets().getByIndex(1)
oCritRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("A1:G3")
REM You can also obtain the range containing the
REM filter criteria from a named range.
REM oRanges = ThisComponent.NamedRanges
REM oRange = oRanges.getByName("AverageLess80")
REM oCritRange = oRange.getReferredCells()
REM The data that you want to filter
oSheet = ThisComponent.getSheets().getByIndex(0)
oDataRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("A1:G16")
oFiltDesc = oCritRange.createFilterDescriptorByObject(oDataRange)
oDataRange.filter(oFiltDesc)
End Sub
Change properties on the filter descriptor to change the behavior of the filter (see
Table 16).
The filter created in Listing 17 filters the data in place. Modify the OutputPosition
property to specify a different output position (see Listing 18). The filter descriptor
must be modified before the filter is applied.
328 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Table 16. Advanced filter properties.
Property Comment
ContainsHeader Boolean (true or false) that specifies if the first row (or
column) contains headers which should not be filtered.
CopyOutputData Boolean that specifies if the filtered data should be copied
to another position in the document.
IsCaseSensitive Boolean that specifies if the case of letters is important
when comparing entries.
Orientation Specifies if columns
(com.sun.star.table.TableOrientation.COLUMNS) or rows
(com.sun.star.table.TableOrientation.ROWS) are filtered.
OutputPosition If if CopyOutputData is True , specifies the position where
filtered data are to be copied.
SaveOutputPosition Boolean that specifies if the OutputPosition position is
saved for future calls.
SkipDuplicates Boolean that specifies if duplicate entries are left out of the
result.
UseRegularExpression
s
Boolean that specifies if the filter strings are interpreted as
regular expressions.
Listing 18. Copy filtered results to a different location.
REM Copy the output data rather than filter in place.
oFiltDesc.CopyOutputData = True
REM Create a CellAddress and set it for Sheet3,
REM Column B, Row 4 (remember, start counting with 0)
Dim x As New com.sun.star.table.CellAddress
x.Sheet = 2
x.Column = 1
x.Row = 3
oFiltDesc.OutputPosition = x
(Advanced material.) The OutputPosition property returns a copy of a struct. Because
a copy is returned, it is not possible to set the individual values directly. For example,
oFiltDesc.OutputPosition.Row = 2 does not work (because you set the Row on the
copy to 2, but do not change the original).
Manipulating filtered data
Filtered data copied to a new location may be selected, modified, and deleted at will.
Data that is not copied, however, requires special attention because rows that do not
match the filter criteria are simply hidden. OpenOffice.org behaves differently
depending on how the cells became hidden and what operation is done.
Cells may be hidden using an outline, data filter, or the hide command. When data is
moved by dragging or using cut and paste, all of the cells are moved—including the
hidden cells. When copying data, however, filtered data includes only the visible cells
and data hidden using an outline or the hide command copies all of the data.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 329
Calc functions similar to database functions
Although every Calc function can be used for database manipulation, the functions in
Table 17 are more commonly used as such. Some functions’ names differ only by the
letter appended at the end; AVERAGE and AVERAGEA, for example. Functions that
do not end with the letter A operate only on numeric values and cells that contain
text or are empty are ignored. The corresponding function whose name ends with the
letter A, treats text values as a number with the value of zero; blank cells are still
ignored.
Table 17. Functions frequently used as database functions.
Function Description
AVERAGE Return the average. Ignore empty cells and cells that contain
text.
AVERAGEA Return the average. The value of text is 0 and empty cells are
ignored.
COUNT Count the number of numeric entries; text entries are ignored.
COUNTA Count the number of non-empty entries.
COUNTBLANK Return the number of empty cells.
COUNTIF Return the number of cells that meet the search criteria.
HLOOKUP Search for a specific value across the columns in the first row of
an array. Return the value from a different row in the same
column.
INDEX Return the content of a cell, specified by row and column number
or an optional range name.
INDIRECT Return the reference specified by a text string.
LOOKUP Return the contents of a cell either from a one-row or one-column
range or from an array.
MATCH Search an array and return the relative position of the found
item.
MAX Return the maximum numeric value in a list of arguments.
MAXA Return the maximum numeric value in a list of arguments. The
value of text is 0.
MIN Return the minimum numeric value in a list of arguments.
MINA Return the minimum numeric value in a list of arguments. The
value of text is 0.
MEDIAN Return the median of a set of numbers.
MODE Return the most common value in a data set. If there are several
values with the same frequency, it returns the smallest value. An
error occurs when a value doesn’t appear twice.
OFFSET Return the value of a cell offset by a certain number of rows and
columns from a given reference point.
PRODUCT Return the product of the cells.
330 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Function Description
STDEV Estimate the standard deviation based on a sample.
STDEVA Estimate the standard deviation based on a sample. The value of
text is 0.
STDEVP Calculate the standard deviation based on the entire population.
STDEVPA Calculate the standard deviation based on the entire population.
SUBTOTAL Calculate a specified function based on a subset created using
AutoFilters.
SUM Return the sum of the cells.
SUMIF Calculate the sum for the cells that meet the search criteria.
VAR Estimate the variance based on a sample.
VARA Estimate the variance based on a sample. The value of text is 0.
VARP Estimate the variance based on the entire population.
VARPA Estimate the variance based on the entire population. The value
of a text is 0.
VLOOKUP Search for a specific value across the rows in the first column of
an array. Returns the value from a different column in the same
row.
Most of the functions in Table 17 require no explanation, either because they are well
understood (SUM, for example) or because if you need to use them then you know
what they are (STDEV, for example). Unfortunately, some of the more useful functions
are infrequently used because they are not well understood.
Count and sum cells that match conditions: COUNTIF and
SUMIF
The COUNTIF and SUMIF functions calculate their values based on search criteria.
The search criteria can be a number, expression, text string, or even a regular
expression. The search criteria can be contained in a referenced cell or it can be
included directly in the function call.
The COUNTIF function counts the number of cells in a range that match specified
criteria. The first argument to COUNTIF specifies the range to search and second
argument is the search criteria. Table 18 illustrates different search criteria using the
COUNTIF function referencing the data shown in Table 23.
The first two arguments for SUMIF serve the same purpose as the arguments for
COUNTIF; the range that contains the cells to search and the search criteria. The
third and final argument for SUMIF specifies the range to sum. For each cell in the
search range that matches the search criteria, the corresponding cell in the sum
range is added into the sum.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 331
Table 18. Examples of search criteria for the COUNTIF and SUMIF functions.
Criteria Type Function Result Description
Number =COUNTIF(B1:C16; 95) 3 Finds numeric values of
95.
Text =COUNTIF(B1:C16; "95") 3 Finds numeric or text
values of 95.
Expression =COUNTIF(B1:C16; ">95") 6 Finds numeric values
greater than 95.
Expression =COUNTIF(B1:C16; 2*45+5) 3 Finds only numeric
values of 95.
Regular
expression
=COUNTIF(B1:C16; "9.*") 12 Finds numbers or text
that start with 9.
Reference a
cell
=COUNTIF(B1:C16; B3) 3 Finds a number or
number and text
depending on the data
type in cell B3.
Regular
expression
=SUMIF(A1:A16; "B.*";
B1:B16)
227 Sum Column B for
names in Col. A starting
with the letter B.
Ignore filtered cells using SUBTOTAL
The SUBTOTAL function applies a function (see Table 19) to a range of data, but it
ignores cells hidden by a filter and cells that already contain a SUBTOTAL. For
example, =SUBTOTAL(2, "B2:B16") counts the number of cells in B2:B16 that are not
hidden by a filter.
Table 19. Function index for the SUBTOTAL function.
Function index Function
1 AVERAGE
2 COUNT
3 COUNTA
4 MAX
5 MIN
6 PRODUCT
7 STDEV
8 STDEVP
9 SUM
10 VAR
11 VARP
332 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Tip
Do not forget that the SUBTOTAL function ignores cells that use the
SUBTOTAL function. Say you have a spreadsheet that tracks investments.
The retirement investments are grouped together with a subtotal. The
same is true of regular investments. You can use a single subtotal that
includes the entire range without worrying about the subtotal cells.
Using formulas to find data
Calc offers numerous methods to find data in a sheet. For example, Edit > Find &
Replace moves the display cursor based on simple and advanced searching. Use
Data > Filter to limit what is displayed rather than simply moving the cursor. Calc
also offers lookup functions used in formulas, for example a formula to look up a
student’s grade based on their test score.
Search a block of data using VLOOKUP
Use VLOOKUP to search the first column (columns are vertical) of a block of data and
return the value from another column in the same row. For example, search the first
column for the name “Fred” and then return the value in the cell two columns to the
right. VLOOKUP supports two forms:
VLOOKUP(search_value; search_range; return_column_index)
VLOOKUP(search_value; search_range; return_column_index;
sort_order)
The first argument, search_value, identifies the value to find. The search value can
be text, a number, or a regular expression. For example, Fred searches for the text
Fred, 4 searches for the number 4, and F.* is the regular expression for finding
something that starts with the letter F.
The second argument, search_range, identifies the cells to search; only the first
column is searched. For example, B3:G10 searches the same sheet containing the
VLOOKUP formula and Sheet2.B3:G10 searches the range B3:G10 on the sheet
named Sheet2.
The return_column_index identifies the column to return; a value of 1 returns the
first column in the range. The statement =VLOOKUP("Bob"; A1:G9; 1) finds the first
row in A1:G9 containing the text Bob, and returns the value in the first column. The
first column is the searched column, so the text Bob is returned. If the column index
is 2, then the value in the cell to the right of Bob is returned: column B.
The final column, sort_order, is optional. The default value for sort_order is 1,
which specifies that the first column is sorted in ascending order; a value of 0
specifies that the data is not sorted. A non-sorted list is searched by sequentially
checking every cell in the first column for an exact match. If an exact match is not
found, the text #N/A is returned.
A more efficient search routine is used if the data is sorted in ascending order. If one
exact match exists, the returned value is the same as for a non-sorted list; but it is
faster. If a match does not exist, the largest value in the column that is less than or
equal to the search value is returned. For example, searching for 7 in (3, 5, 10)
returns 5 because 7 is between 5 and 10. Searching for 27 returns 10, and searching
for 2 returns #N/A because there is no match and no value less than 2.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 333
Use VLOOKUP when:
•The data is arranged in rows and you want to return data from the same row.
For example, student names with test and quiz scores to the right of the
student’s name.
•Searching the first column of a range of data.
Search a block of data using HLOOKUP
Use HLOOKUP to search the first row (rows are horizontal) of a block of data and
return the value from a row in the same column. HLOOKUP supports the same form
and arguments as VLOOKUP:
HLOOKUP(search_value; search_range; return_row_index)
HLOOKUP(search_value; search_range; return_row_index;
sort_order)
Use HLOOKUP when:
•The data is arranged in columns and you want to return data from the same
column. For example, student names with test and quiz scores underneath the
student’s name.
•Searching the first row of a range of data.
Search a row or column using LOOKUP
LOOKUP is similar to HLOOKUP and VLOOKUP. The search range for the LOOKUP
function is a single sorted row or column. LOOKUP has two forms:
LOOKUP(search_value; search_range)
LOOKUP(search_value; search_range; return_range)
The search value is the same as HLOOKUP and VLOOKUP. The search range,
however, must be a single row or a single column; for example, A7:A12 (values in
column A) or C5:Q5 (values in row 5). If the return_range is omitted, the matched
value is returned. Using LOOKUP without a return range is the same as using
HLOOKUP or VLOOKUP with a column index of 1.
The return range must be a single row or column containing the same number of
elements as the search range. If the search value is found in the fourth cell in the
search range, then the value in the fourth cell in the return range is returned. The
return range can have a different orientation than the search range. In other words,
the search range can be a row and the return range may be a column.
Use LOOKUP when:
•The search data is sorted in ascending order.
•The search data is not stored in the same row, column, or orientation as the
return data.
Use MATCH to find the index of a value in a range
Use MATCH to search a single row or column and return the position that matches
the search value. Use MATCH to find the index of a value in a range. The supported
forms for MATCH are as follows:
=MATCH(search_value; search_range)
=MATCH(search_value; search_range; search_type)
334 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
The search value and search range are the same as for LOOKUP. The final argument,
search type, controls how the search is performed. A search type of 1, sorted in
ascending order, is the default. A search type of -1 indicates that the list is sorted in
descending order. A search type of 0 indicates that the list is not sorted. Regular
expressions can only be used on an unsorted list.
Use MATCH when:
•You need an index into the range rather than the value.
•The search data is in descending order and the data is large enough that the
data must be searched assuming that it is sorted; because it is faster to sort a
sorted list.
Examples
Consider the data in Table 23. Each student’s information is stored in a single row.
Write a formula to return the average grade for Fred. The problem can be restated as
Search column A in the range A1:G16 for Fred and return the value in column F
(column F is the sixth column). The obvious solution is
=VLOOKUP("Fred"; A2:G16; 6). Equally obvious is
=LOOKUP("Fred"; A2:A16; F2:F16).
It is common for the first row in a range to contain column headers. All of the search
functions check the first row to see if there is a match and then ignore it if it does not
contain a match, in case the first row is a header.
What if the column heading Average is known, but not the column containing the
average? Find the column containing Average rather than hard coding the value 6. A
slight modification using MATCH to find the column yields
=VLOOKUP("Fred"; A2:G16; MATCH("Average"; A1:G1; 0)); notice that the
heading is not sorted. As an exercise, use HLOOKUP to find Average and then
MATCH to find the row containing Fred.
As a final example, write a formula to assign grades based on a student’s average
score. Assume that a score less than 51 is an F, less than 61 is an E, less than 71 is a
D, less than 81 is a C, less than 91 is a B, and 91 to 100 is an A. Assume that the
values in Table 20 are in Sheet2.
Table 20. Associate scores to a grade.
A B
1Score Grade
20 F
351 E
461 D
571 C
681 B
791 A
The formula =VLOOKUP(83; $Sheet2.$A$2:$B$7; 2) is an obvious solution. Dollar
signs are used so that the formula can be copied and pasted to a different location
and it will still reference the same values in Table 20.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 335
ADDRESS returns a string with a cell’s address
Use ADDRESS to return a text representation of a cell address based on the row,
column, and sheet; ADDRESS is frequently used with MATCH. The supported forms
for ADDRESS are as follows:
ADDRESS(row; column)
ADDRESS(row; column; abs)
ADDRESS(row; column; abs; sheet)
The row and column are integer values where ADDRESS(1; 1) returns $A$1. The abs
argument specifies which portion is considered absolute and which portion is
considered relative (see Table 21); an absolute address is specified using the $
character. The sheet is included as part of the address only if the sheet argument is
used. The sheet argument is treated as a string. Using
ADDRESS(MATCH("Bob";A1:A5 ; 0); 2) with the data in Table 20 returns $B$2.
Tip
Calc supports numerous powerful functions that are not discussed here.
For example, the ROW, COLUMN, ROWS, and COLUMNS statements are
not discussed; a curious person would investigate these functions.
Table 21. Values supported by the abs argument to ADDRESS.
Value Description
1 Use absolute addressing. This is the default value if the argument is
missing or an invalid value is used. ADDRESS(2; 5; 1) returns $E$2.
2 Use an absolute row reference and a relative column reference.
ADDRESS(2; 5; 2; "Blah") returns Blah.E$2.
3
Use a relative row reference and an absolute column reference.
ADDRESS(2; 5; 3) returns $E2.
4Use relative addressing. ADDRESS(2; 5; 4) returns E2.
INDIRECT converts a string to a cell or range
Use INDIRECT to convert a string representation of a cell or range address to a
reference to the cell or range. Table 22 contains examples accessing data as shown in
Table 20.
Table 22. Examples using INDIRECT.
Example Comment
INDIRECT("A2") Returns cell A2, which contains Bob.
INDIRECT(G1) If Cell G1 contains the text A2, then this returns
Bob.
SUM(INDIRECT("B1:B5")) Returns the sum of the range B1:B5, which is 194.
INDIRECT(ADDRESS(2; 1)) Returns the contents of cell $A$2, which is Bob.
OFFSET returns a cell or range offset from another
Use OFFSET to return a cell or range offset by a specified number of rows and
columns from a given reference point. The first argument, specifies the reference
336 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
point. The second and third arguments specify the number of rows and columns to
move from the reference point; in other words, where the new range starts. The
OFFSET function has the following syntax:
OFFSET(reference; rows; columns)
OFFSET(reference; rows; columns; height)
OFFSET(reference; rows; columns; height; width)
Tip If the width or height is included, the OFFSET function returns a range. If
both the width and height are missing, a cell reference is returned.
If the height or width are missing, they default to 1. If the height is present, then a
range reference is returned rather than a cell reference. Using values from Table 23,
Listing 19 uses OFFSET to obtain the quiz scores for the student named Bob.
Listing 19. Complex example of OFFSET.
=SUM(OFFSET(INDIRECT(ADDRESS(MATCH("Bob";A1:A16; 0); 4)); 0; 0; 1;
2))
In its entirety, Listing 19 is complex and difficult to understand. Table 12 isolates
each function in Listing 19, providing an easy to understand explanation of how the
example works.
Table 23. Breakdown of Listing 19.
Function Description
MATCH("Bob";A1:A16; 0) Return 4 because Bob is the fourth entry in column
A.
ADDRESS(4; 4) Return $D$4.
INDIRECT("$D$4") Convert $D$4 into a reference to the cell D4.
OFFSET($D$4; 0; 0; 1; 2) Return the range D4:E4.
SUM(D4:E4) Return the sum of Bob’s quiz scores.
Although Listing 19 works as intended, it breaks easily and unexpectedly. Consider,
for example, what happens if the range is changed to A2:A16. MATCH returns an
offset into the provided range, so MATCH("Bob";A2:A16 ; 0) returns 3 rather than 4.
ADDRESS(3; 4) returns $D$3 rather than $D$4 and Betty’s quiz scores are returned
instead of Bob’s. Listing 20 uses a slightly different method to obtain Bob’s quiz
scores.
Listing 20. Better use of OFFSET.
=SUM(OFFSET(A1; MATCH("Bob"; A1:A16; 0)-1; 3; 1; 2))
Table 15 contains a description of each function used in Listing 20. To help convince
yourself that Listing 20 is better than Listing 19, replace A1 with A2 in both Listing
20 and Table 15 and notice that you still obtain Bob’s quiz scores.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 337
Table 24. Breakdown of Listing 20.
Function Description
MATCH("Bob";A1:A16; 0)-1 Return 3 because Bob is the fourth entry in column
A.
OFFSET(A1; 3; 3; 1; 2) Return the range D4:E4.
SUM(D4:E4) Return the sum of Bob’s quiz scores.
Tip The first argument to OFFSET can be a range so you can use a defined
range name.
INDEX returns cells inside a specified range
INDEX returns the cells specified by a row and column number. The row and column
number are relative to the upper left corner of the specified reference range. For
example, using =INDEX(B2:D3; 1; 1) returns the cell B2. Table 25 lists shows the
syntax for using the INDEX function.
Table 25. Syntax for INDEX.
Syntax Description
INDEX(reference) Return the entire range.
INDEX(reference; row) Return the specified row in the range.
INDEX(reference; row;
column)
Return the cell specified by row and column. A row
and column of 1 returns the cell in the upper left
corner of the range.
INDEX(reference; row;
column; range)
A reference range can contain multiple ranges. The
range argument specifies which range to use.
The INDEX function can return an entire range, a row, or a single column (see Table
25). The ability to index based on the start of the reference range provides some
interesting uses. Using the values shown in Table 23, Listing 21 finds and returns
Bob’s quiz scores. Table 26 contains a listing of each function used in Listing 21.
Listing 21. Return Bob’s quiz scores.
=SUM(OFFSET(INDEX(A2:G16; MATCH("Bob"; A2:A16; 0)); 0; 3; 1;
2))
Table 26. Breakdown of Listing 21.
Function Description
MATCH("Bob";A2:A16; 0) Return 3 because Bob is the third entry in column
A2:A16.
INDEX(A2:A16; 3) Return A4:G4—the row containing Bob’s quiz
scores.
OFFSET(A4:G4; 0; 3; 1; 2) Return the range D4:E4.
SUM(D4:E4) Return the sum of Bob’s quiz scores.
338 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Tip
A simple range contains one contiguous rectangular region of cells. It is
possible to define a multi-range that contains multiple simple ranges. If
the reference consists of multiple ranges, you must enclose the reference
or range name in parentheses.
If reference argument to the INDEX function is a multi-range, then the range
argument specifies which simple range to use (see Table 27).
Table 27. Using INDEX with a multi-range.
Function Returns
=INDEX(B2:G2; 1; 2) 93
=INDEX(B5:G5; 1; 2) 65
=INDEX((B2:G2;B5:G5); 1; 2) 93
=INDEX((B2:G2;B5:G5); 1; 2; 1) 93
=INDEX((B2:G2;B5:G5); 1; 2; 2) 65
Database-specific functions
Although every Calc function can be used for database manipulation, the functions in
Table 28 are specifically designed for use as a database. The descriptions in Table 28
use the following terms interchangeably: row and record, cell and field, and database
and all rows.
Table 28. Database functions in a Calc document.
Function Description
DAVERAGE Return the average of all fields that matches the search criteria.
DCOUNT Count the number of records containing numeric data that match the
search criteria.
DCOUNTA Count the number of records containing text data that match the
search criteria.
DGET Return the contents of a field that matches the search criteria.
DMAX Return the maximum content of a field that matches the search
criteria.
DMIN Return the minimum content of a field that matches the search
criteria.
DPRODUCT Return the product of the fields that matches the search criteria.
DSTDEV Calculate the standard deviation using the fields that match the
search criteria. The fields are treated as a sample.
DSTDEVP Calculate the standard deviation using the fields that match the
search criteria. The fields are treated as the entire population.
DSUM Return the sum of all fields that matches the search criteria.
DVAR Calculate the variance using the fields that match the search criteria.
The fields are treated as a sample.
Chapter 13 Calc as a Simple Database 339
Function Description
DVARP Calculatesthe variance using the fields that match the search
criteria. The fields are treated as the entire population.
The syntax for the database functions are identical.
DCOUNT(database; database field; search criteria)
The database argument is the cell range that defines the database. The cell range
should contain the column labels (see Listing 22). The following examples, assume
that the data from Table 23 is placed in Sheet 1 and the filter criteria in Table 24 is
placed in Sheet 2.
Listing 22. The database argument includes the headers.
=DCOUNT(A1:G16; "Test 2"; Sheet2.A1:G3)
The database field specifies the column on which the function operates after the
search criteria is applied and the data rows are selected. The database field can be
specified using the column header name or as an integer. If the column is specified as
an integer, 0 specifies the entire data range, 1 specifies the first column, 2 specifies
the second column, and so on. Listing 23 calculates the average test score for the
rows that match the search criteria.
Listing 23. “Test 2” is column 3.
=DAVERAGE(A1:G16; "Test 2"; Sheet2.A1:G3)
=DAVERAGE(A1:G16; 3; Sheet2.A1:G3)
The search criteria is the cell range containing search criteria. The search criteria is
identical to the advanced filters; criteria in the same row is connected by AND and
criteria in different rows is connected by OR.
Conclusion
A Calc document provides sufficient database functionality to satisfy the needs of
most people. The infrequently used database functions, such as OFFSET and INDEX,
are worth the time to learn and they can save yourself time in the long run.
340 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Chapter 14
Setting up and
Customizing Calc
Introduction
This chapter describes some common customizations that you may wish to do. In
addition to selecting options from those provided, you can customize menus, toolbars,
and keyboard shortcuts, add new menus and toolbars, and assign macros to events.
However, you cannot customize context (right-click) menus.
Other customizations are made easy by extensions that you can install from the
OpenOffice.org website or from other providers.
Note
Customizations to menus and toolbars can be saved in a template. To do so,
first save them in a document and then save the document as a template as
described in Chapter 4 (Using Styles and Templates in Calc).
Choosing options that affect all of OOo
This section covers some of the settings that apply to all the components of
OpenOffice.org. Other general options are discussed in Chapter 2 (Setting Up
OpenOffice.org) in the Getting Started guide.
1) Choose Tools > Options. The list on the left-hand side varies depending on
which component of OOo is open.
2) Click the + sign to the left of OpenOffice.org on the left-hand side. A list of
subsections drops down.
Note
The Back button has the same effect on all pages of the Options dialog. It
resets the options to the values that were in place when you opened
OpenOffice.org.
342 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
User Data options
Calc uses the first and last name stored in the OpenOffice.org – User Data page to fill
in the Created and Modified fields in the document properties, and the optional
Author field often used in the footer of a printed spreadsheet. Fill in the form on this
page.
Print options
Set the print options to suit your default printer and your most common printing
method. You can change these settings at any time, either through this dialog or
during the printing process (by clicking the Options button on the Print dialog).
In the Options dialog, click OpenOffice.org > Print.
See Chapter 6 (Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing) for more about the options on this
page.
Color options
On the OpenOffice.org – Colors page, you can specify colors to use in OOo
documents. You can select a color from a color table, edit an existing color, and
define new colors. These colors are stored in your color palette and are then available
in all components of OOo.
Figure 329: Defining colors to use in color palettes in OOo
To modify a color:
1) Select the color to modify from the list or the color table.
2) Enter the new values that define the color. If necessary, change the settings
from RGB (Red, Green, Blue) to CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) or vice
versa. The changed color appears in the lower of the two color preview boxes
at the top.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 343
3) Modify the Name as required.
4) Click the Modify button. The newly defined color is now listed in the Color
table.
Alternatively, click the Edit button to open the Color dialog, shown in Figure 330.
Here you can select a color from one of the color windows in the upper area, or you
can enter values in the lower area using your choice of RGB, CMYK, or HSB (Hue,
Saturation and Brightness) values.
The upper right color window is linked directly with the color input fields in the lower
area; as you choose a color in the upper window, the numbers change accordingly.
The two color fields at the lower right show the value of the selected color on the left
and the currently set value from the color value fields on the right.
Modify the color components as required and click OK to exit the dialog. The newly
defined color now appears in the lower of the color preview boxes shown in Figure
329. Type a name for this color in the Name box, then click the Add button. A small
box showing the new color is added to the Color table.
Figure 330: Editing colors
Another way to define or alter colors is through the Colors page of the Area dialog,
where you can also save and load palettes, a feature that is not possible here. In Calc,
draw a temporary draw object and use the context menu of this object to open the
Area dialog. If you load a palette in one component of OOo, it is only active in that
component; the other components keep their own palettes.
Security options
Use the OpenOffice.org – Security page to choose security options for saving
documents and for opening documents that contain macros.
344 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Figure 331: Choosing security options for opening and saving documents
Security options and warnings
If you record changes, save multiple versions, or include hidden information or
notes in your documents, and you do not want some of the recipients to see that
information, you can set warnings to remind you to remove this information, or
you can have OOo remove some information automatically. Note that (unless
removed) much of this information is retained in a file whether the file is in
OpenOffice.org’s default OpenDocument format, or has been saved to other
formats, including PDF.
Click the Options button to open a separate dialog with specific choices (Figure
332).
Macro security
Click the Macro Security button to open the Macro Security dialog (not shown
here), where you can adjust the security level for executing macros and specify
trusted sources.
Security options and warnings
The following options are on the Security options and warnings dialog (Figure 332).
Remove personal information on saving
Select this option to always remove user data from the file properties when saving
the file. To manually remove personal information from specific documents,
deselect this option and then use the Delete button under File > Properties >
General.
Ctrl-click required to follow hyperlinks
In older versions of OOo, clicking on a hyperlink in a document opened the linked
document. Now you can choose whether to keep this behavior (by unchecking this
box). Many people find creation and editing of documents easier when accidental
clicks on links do not activate the links.
The other options on this dialog should be self-explanatory.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 345
Figure 332: Security options and warnings dialog
Appearance options
On the OpenOffice.org – Appearance page, you can specify which items are visible
and the colors used to display various items.
Figure 333: Changing the color of grid points in Calc
Scroll down in the page until you find Spreadsheet. To change the default color for
grid points, click the down-arrow by the color and select a new color from the pop-up
box.
If you wish to save your color changes as a color scheme, click Save, type a name in
the Scheme box; then click OK.
346 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Choosing options for loading and saving documents
You can set the Load/Save options to suit the way you work. This chapter describes
only a few of the options, those more relevant to working with Calc. See Chapter 2
(Setting Up OpenOffice.org) in the Getting Started guide for a description of the
other options.
If the Options dialog is not already open, click Tools > Options. Click the + sign to
the left of Load/Save to display the list of load/save options pages.
Figure 334: Load/Save options
General Load/Save options
Most of the choices on the Load/Save – General page are familiar to users of other
office suites. Those specific to OpenOffice.org are in the Default file format and ODF
settings section.
Figure 335: Choosing Load and Save options
ODF format version
OpenOffice.org by default saves documents in OpenDocument Format (ODF)
version 1.2 Extended. While this allows for improved functionality, there may be
backwards compatibility issues. When a file saved in ODF 1.2 Extended is opened
in an earlier version of OpenOffice.org (using ODF 1.0/1.1), some of the advanced
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 347
features may be lost. Two notable examples are cross-references to headings and
the formatting of numbered lists. If you plan to share documents with people who
are still using older versions of OpenOffice.org, save the document using ODF
version 1.0/1.1.
Size optimization for ODF format
OpenOffice.org documents are XML files. When you select this option, OOo writes
the XML data without indents and line breaks. If you want to be able to read the
XML files in a text editor in a structured form, deselect this option.
Document type
If you routinely share documents with users of Microsoft Excel, you might want to
change the Always save as attribute for spreadsheets to one of the Excel formats.
Note
Although OOo can open files in the .xlsx format produced by Microsoft
Office 2007, it cannot save in this format. This capability is planned for
a future release.
VBA Properties Load/Save options
On the Load/Save – VBA Properties page, you can choose whether to keep any
macros in Microsoft Office documents that are opened in OpenOffice.org.
Figure 336: Choosing Load/Save VBA Properties
•If you choose Save original Basic code, the macros will not work in
OpenOffice.org but are retained if you save the file into Microsoft Office
format.
•If you choose Load Basic code to edit, the changed code is saved in an
OpenOffice.org document but is not retained if you save into an Microsoft
Office format.
•If you are importing a Microsoft Excel file containing VBA code, you can select
the option Executable code. Whereas normally the code is preserved but
rendered inactive (if you inspect it with the StarBasic IDE you will notice that
it is all commented), with this option the code is ready to be executed.
348 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Microsoft Office Load/Save options
On the Load/Save – Microsoft Office page, you can choose what to do when importing
and exporting Microsoft Office OLE objects (linked or embedded objects or
documents such as spreadsheets or equations).
Select the [L] options to convert Microsoft OLE objects into the corresponding
OpenOffice.org OLE objects when a Microsoft document is loaded into OOo
(mnemonic: “L” for “load”).
Select the [S] options to convert OpenOffice.org OLE objects into the corresponding
Microsoft OLE objects when a document is saved in a Microsoft format (mnemonic:
“S” for “save”).
Figure 337: Choosing Load/Save Microsoft Office options
HTML compatibility Load/Save options
Choices made on the Load/Save – HTML Compatibility page (Figure 338) affect
HTML pages imported into OpenOffice.org and those exported from OOo. See HTML
documents; importing/exporting in the Help for more information.
The main items of interest for Calc users are in the Export section: OpenOffice.org
Basic and Display warning.
Export - OpenOffice.org Basic
Select this option to include OOo Basic macros (scripts) when exporting to HTML
format. You must activate this option before you create the OpenOffice.org Basic
macro; otherwise the script will not be inserted. OpenOffice.org Basic macros
must be located in the header of the HTML document. Once you have created the
macro in the OpenOffice.org Basic IDE, it appears in the source text of the HTML
document in the header.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 349
If you want the macro to run automatically when the HTML document is opened,
choose Tools > Customize > Events. See Chapter 12 (Calc Macros) for more
information.
Export - Display warning
When the OpenOffice.org Basic option (see above) is not selected, the Display
warning option becomes available. If the Display warning option is selected,
then when exporting to HTML a warning is shown that OpenOffice.org Basic
macros will be lost.
Figure 338: Choosing HTML compatibility options
Choosing options for Calc
In the Options dialog, click the + sign to the left of OpenOffice.org Calc on the left-
hand side. A list of subsections drops down.
350 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
General options for Calc
In the Options dialog, choose OpenOffice.org Calc > General.
Figure 339: Selecting general options for Calc
Metrics section
Choose the unit of measurement used in spreadsheets and the default tab stops
distance.
Updating section
Choose whether to update links when opening a document always, only on request,
or never. Regardless of this setting, you can manually update links at any time. You
might want to avoid updating links when opening documents if they often contain
many charts or linked graphics that would slow down loading.
Input settings section
Press Enter to move selection
Specifies that pressing Enter moves the cursor to another cell. If this option is
selected, you can also choose the direction the cursor moves: up, down, left, or
right. If this option is not selected, pressing Enter completes data entry for a cell
but does not move the cursor.
Press Enter to switch to edit mode
Specifies that pressing Enter puts the selected cell into edit mode.
Expand formatting
Specifies whether to automatically apply the formatting attributes of an inserted
cell to empty adjacent cells. If, for example, an inserted cell has the bold attribute,
this attribute will also apply to empty adjacent cells. However, cells that already
have a special format will not be modified by this function. To see the affected
range, press Ctrl+* (multiplication sign on the number pad). The format will also
apply to all new values inserted within this range.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 351
Expand references when new columns/rows are inserted
Specifies whether to expand references when inserting columns or rows adjacent
to the reference range. This is only possible if the reference range, where the
column or row is inserted, originally spanned at least two cells in the desired
direction.
Example: If the range A1:B1 is referenced in a formula and you insert a new
column after column B, the reference is expanded to A1:C1. If the range A1:B1 is
referenced and a new row is inserted under row 1, the reference is not expanded,
since there is only a single cell in the vertical direction.
If you insert rows or columns in the middle of a reference area, the reference is
always expanded.
Highlight selection in column/row headings
Specifies whether to highlight column and row headers in the selected columns or
rows.
Use printer metrics for text formatting
Specifies that printer metrics are applied for printing and also for formatting the
display on the screen. If this option is not selected, a printer-independent layout is
used for screen display and printing.
Show overwrite warning when pasting data
Specifies that, when you paste cells from the clipboard to a cell range that is not
empty, a warning appears.
View options for Calc
In the Options dialog, choose OpenOffice.org Calc > View.
Figure 340: Selecting view options for Calc
352 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Visual aids section
Specifies which lines are displayed.
Grid lines
Specifies whether to display grid lines between the cells when viewed onscreen. If
this option is selected, you can also specify the color for the grid lines in the
current document. The color choice overrides the selection made in Tools >
Options > OpenOffice.org > Appearance > Spreadsheet > Grid lines.
For printing, choose Format > Page > Sheet and mark the Grid option.
Page breaks
Specifies whether to view the page breaks within a defined print area.
Guides while moving
Specifies whether to view guides when moving drawings, frames, graphics and
other objects. These guides help you align objects.
Simple handles
Specifies whether to display the handles (the eight points on a selection box) as
simple squares without a 3D effect.
Large handles
Specifies that larger than normal handles (the eight points on a selection box) are
displayed.
Display section
Select various options for the screen display.
Formulas
Specifies whether to show formulas instead of results in the cells.
Zero values
Specifies whether to show numbers with the value of 0.
Comment indicator
Specifies that a small rectangle is shown in the top right corner of the cell when a
comment exists for that cell. The text of the comment is shown when you hover
the pointer over the cell, if tips are enabled under Tools > Options >
OpenOffice.org > General.
To display a comment permanently, right-click on the cell and select Show
comment from the pop-up menu.
Value highlighting
Select this option to highlight all values in the sheet. Text is highlighted in black;
numbers in blue; and formulas, logical values, dates, and so on, in green.
When this command is active, any colors assigned in the document are not
displayed.
Anchor
Specifies whether the anchor icon is displayed when an inserted object, such as a
graphic, is selected.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 353
Text overflow
If a cell contains text that is wider than the width of the cell, the text is displayed
over empty neighboring cells in the same row. If there is no empty neighboring
cell, a small triangle at the cell border indicates that the text continues.
Show references in color
Specifies that each reference is highlighted in color in the formula. The cell range
is also enclosed by a colored border as soon as the cell containing the reference is
selected for editing.
Objects section
Specifies whether to display or hide objects in three object groups: objects and
graphics; charts; and drawing objects.
Window section
Specifies whether some elements are visible onscreen: column/row headers,
horizontal scrollbar, vertical scrollbar, sheet tabs, and outline symbols.
If the Sheet tabs option is not selected, you can only switch between the sheets by
using the Navigator.
Note that there is a slider between the horizontal scrollbar and the sheet tabs that
may be set to one end.
Zoom section
Select the Synchronize sheets option to apply any selected zoom factor to all sheets
in the spreadsheet. If this option is not selected, separate zoom factors can be
applied to individual sheets.
Calculate options
In the Options dialog, choose OpenOffice.org Calc > Calculate.
Use this page to define the calculation settings for spreadsheets.
Figure 341: Calc calculation options
354 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Iterative references section
Iterative references are formulas that are continuously repeated until the problem is
solved. In this section you can choose the number of approximation steps carried out
during iterative calculations and the degree of precision of the answer.
Iterations
Select this option to enable iterations. If this options is not selected, an iterative
reference causes an error message.
Steps
Sets the maximum number of iteration steps.
Minimum Change
Specifies the difference between two consecutive iteration step results. If the
result of the iteration is lower than the minimum change value, then the iteration
will stop.
Date section
Select the start date for the internal conversion from days to numbers.
12/30/1899 (default)
Sets 12/30/1899 as day zero.
01/01/1900 (StarCalc 1.0)
Sets 1/1/1900 as day zero. Use this setting for StarCalc 1.0 spreadsheets
containing date entries.
01/01/1904
Sets 1/1/1904 as day zero. Use this setting for spreadsheets that are imported in a
foreign format.
Other options
Specify a variety of options relevant to spreadsheet calculation.
Case sensitive
Specifies whether to distinguish between upper and lower case in texts when
comparing cell contents. The EXACT text function is always case-sensitive,
independent of the settings in this dialog.
Decimal places
Defines the number of decimals to be displayed for numbers with the Standard
number format. The numbers are displayed as rounded numbers, but are not
saved as rounded numbers.
Precision as shown
Specifies whether to make calculations using the rounded values displayed in the
sheet. Charts will be shown with the displayed values. If this option is not
selected, the displayed numbers are rounded, but they are calculated internally
using the non-rounded number.
Search criteria = and <> must apply to whole cells
Specifies that the search criteria you set for the Calc database functions must
match the whole cell exactly. When this option is selected, Calc behaves exactly
like Microsftf Excel when searching cells in the database functions.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 355
This search: Has this result:
win Finds win, but not win95, os2win, or upwind
win.* Finds win and win95, but not os2win or upwind
.*win Finds win and os2win, but not win95 or upwind
.*win.* Finds win, win95, os2win, and upwind
If this option is not selected, the win search pattern acts like .*win.* —the search
pattern can be at any position within the cell when searching with the Calc
database functions.
Enable regular expressions in formulas
Specifies that regular expressions are enabled when searching and also for
character string comparisons. This relates to the database functions, and to
VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP and SEARCH.
Automatically find column and row labels
Specifies that you can use the text in any cell as a label for the column below the
text or the row to the right of the text. The text must consist of at least one word
and must not contain any operators.
Example: Cell E5 contains the text Europe. Below, in cell E6, is the value 100 and
in cell E7 the value 200. If the Automatically find column and row labels
option is selected, you can write the following formula in cell A1: =SUM(Europe).
Sort Lists options
In the Options dialog, choose OpenOffice.org Calc > Sort Lists. Sort lists are used
for more than sorting, for example filling a series of cells during data entry. In
addition to the supplied lists, you can define and edit your own lists, as described in
“Defining a fill series” in Chapter 2 (Entering, Editing, and Formatting Data).
Figure 342: Defining sorting lists in Calc
356 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Changes options
In the Options dialog, choose OpenOffice.org Calc > Changes.
Figure 343: Calc options for highlighting changes
On this page you can specify options for highlighting recorded changes in
spreadsheets. You can assign specific colors for insertions, deletions, and other
changes, or you can let Calc assign colors based on the author of the change; in the
latter case, one color will apply to all changes made by that author.
Grid options
The Grid page defines the grid settings for spreadsheets. Using a grid helps you
determine the exact position of any charts or other objects you may add to a
spreadsheet. You can also set this grid in line with the snap grid.
If you have activated the snap grid but wish to move or create individual objects
without snap positions, you can press the Ctrl key to deactivate the snap grid for as
long as needed.
In the Options dialog, choose OpenOffice.org Calc > Grid.
Figure 344: Calc grid options
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 357
Grid section
Snap to grid activates the snap function.
Visible grid displays grid points on the screen. These points are not printed.
Resolution section
Here you can set the unit of distance for the spacing between horizontal and vertical
grid points and subdivisions (intermediate points) of the grid.
Synchronize axes changes the current grid settings symmetrically.
Print options
In the Options dialog, choose OpenOffice.org Calc > Print. See Chapter 6
(Printing, Exporting, and E-mailing) for more about the options on this page.
Controlling Calc’s AutoCorrect functions
Some people find some or all of the items in OOo’s AutoCorrect function annoying
because they change what you type when you do not want it changed. Many people
find some of the AutoCorrect functions quite helpful; if you do, then select the
relevant options. But if you find unexplained changes appearing in your document,
this is a good place to look to find the cause.
To open the AutoCorrect dialog, click Tools > AutoCorrect Options. (You need to
have a document open for this menu item to appear.)
In Calc, this dialog has four tabs, as shown below. Options are described in the Help;
many will be familiar to users of other office suites.
Figure 345: The AutoCorrect dialog in Calc
Customizing the user interface
Customizing the menu font
If you want to change the menu font from that supplied by OOo to the system font for
your operating system, do this:
1) Choose Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > View.
2) Check Use system font for user interface and click OK.
358 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Customizing menu content
In addition to changing the menu font, you can add and rearrange items on the menu
bar, add items to menus, and make other changes.
To customize menus:
1) Choose Tools > Customize.
2) On the Customize dialog, pick the Menus page (Figure 346).
Figure 346: The Menus page of the Customize dialog
3) In the Save In drop-down list, choose whether to save this changed menu for
Calc or for a selected document.
4) In the section OpenOffice.org Calc Menus, select from the Menu drop-down
list the menu that you want to customize. The list includes all the main menus
as well as sub-menus, that is menus that are contained under another menu.
For example, in addition to File, Edit, View, and so on, there is File | Send and
File |Templates. The commands available for the selected menu are shown in
the central part of the dialog.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 359
5) To customize the selected menu, click on the Menu or Modify buttons. You
can also add commands to a menu by clicking on the Add button. These
actions are described in the following sections. Use the up and down arrows
next to the Entries list to move the selected menu item to a different position.
6) When you have finished making all your changes, click OK to save them.
Creating a new menu
In the Customize dialog, click New to display the dialog shown in Figure 347.
1) Type a name for your new menu in the Menu name box.
2) Use the up and down arrow buttons to move the new menu into the required
position on the menu bar. Click OK to save.
The new menu now appears on the list of menus in the Customize dialog. (It will
appear on the menu bar itself after you save your customizations.)
After creating a new menu, you need to add some commands to it, as described in
“Adding a command to a menu” on page 361.
Figure 347: Adding a new menu
Modifying existing menus
To modify an existing menu, select it in the Menu list and click the Menu button to
drop down a list of modifications: Move, Rename, Delete. Not all of these
modifications can be applied to all the entries in the Menu list. For example, Rename
and Delete are not available for the supplied menus.
To move a menu (such as File), choose Menu > Move. A dialog similar to the one
shown in Figure 347 (but without the Menu name box) opens. Use the up and down
arrow buttons to move the menu into the required position.
To move submenus (such as File | Send), select the main menu (File) in the Menu list
and then, in the Menu Content section of the dialog, select the submenu (Send) in the
Entries list and use the arrow keys to move it up or down in the sequence. Submenus
360 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
are easily identified in the Entries list by a small black triangle on the right hand side
of the name.
In addition to renaming, you can specify a keyboard shortcut that allows you to select
a menu command when you press Alt+ an underlined letter in a menu command.
1) Select a menu or menu entry.
2) Click the Menu button and select Rename.
3) Add a tilde (~) in front of the letter that you want to use as an accelerator. For
example, to select the Save All command by pressing Alt+V, enter Sa~ve All.
Adding a command to a menu
You can add commands to the supplied menus and to menus you have created. On the
Customize dialog, select the menu in the Menu list and click the Add button in the
Menu Content section of the dialog.
Figure 348: Adding a command to a menu
On the Add Commands dialog, select a category and then the command, and click
Add. The dialog remains open, so you can select several commands. When you have
finished adding commands, click Close. Back on the Customize dialog, you can use
the up and down arrow buttons to arrange the commands in your preferred
sequence.
Modifying menu entries
In addition to changing the sequence of entries on a menu or submenu, you can add
submenus, rename or delete the entries, and add group separators.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 361
To begin, select the menu or submenu in the Menu list near the top of the Customize
page, then select the entry in the Entries list under Menu Content. Click the Modify
button and choose the required action from the drop-down list of actions.
Most of the actions should be self-explanatory. Begin a group adds a separator line
after the highlighted entry.
Customizing toolbars
You can customize toolbars in several ways, including choosing which icons are
visible and locking the position of a docked toolbar, as described in Chapter 1
(Introducing OpenOffice.org) of the Getting Started guide. This section describes how
to create new toolbars and add other icons (commands) to the list of those available
on a toolbar.
To get to the toolbar customization dialog, do any of the following:
•On the toolbar, click the arrow at the end of the toolbar and choose Customize
Toolbar.
•Choose View > Toolbars > Customize from the menu bar.
•Choose Tools > Customize from the menu bar and pick the Toolbars page
(Figure 349).
Figure 349: The Toolbars page of the Customize dialog
362 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
To customize toolbars:
1) In the Save In drop-down list, choose whether to save this changed toolbar for
Calc or for a selected document.
2) In the section OpenOffice.org Calc Toolbars, select from the Toolbar drop-
down list the toolbar that you want to customize.
3) You can create a new toolbar by clicking on the New button, or customize
existing toolbars by clicking on the Toolbar or Modify buttons, and add
commands to a toolbar by clicking on the Add button. These actions are
described below.
4) When you have finished making all your changes, click OK to save them.
Creating a new toolbar
To create a new toolbar:
1) Choose Tools > Customize > Toolbars from the menu bar.
2) Click New. On the Name dialog, type the new toolbar's name and choose from
the Save In drop-down list where to save this changed menu: for Calc or for a
selected document.
The new toolbar now appears on the list of toolbars in the Customize dialog. After
creating a new toolbar, you need to add some commands to it, as described below.
Adding a command to a toolbar
If the list of available buttons for a toolbar does not include all the commands you
want on that toolbar, you can add commands. When you create a new toolbar, you
need to add commands to it.
1) On the Toolbars page of the Customize dialog, select the toolbar in the Toolbar
list and click the Add button in the Toolbar Content section of the dialog.
2) The Add Commands dialog is the same as for adding commands to menus
(Figure 348). Select a category and then the command, and click Add. The
dialog remains open, so you can select several commands. When you have
finished adding commands, click Close. If you insert an item which does not
have an associated icon, the toolbar will display the full name of the item: the
next section describes how to choose an icon for a toolbar command.
3) Back on the Customize dialog, you can use the up and down arrow buttons to
arrange the commands in your preferred sequence.
4) When you are done making changes, click OK to save.
Choosing icons for toolbar commands
Toolbar buttons usually have icons, not words, on them, but not all of the commands
have associated icons.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 363
To choose an icon for a command, select the command and click Modify > Change
icon. On the Change Icon dialog (Figure 350), scroll through the available icons,
select one, and click OK to assign it to the command.
To use a custom icon, create it in a graphics program and import it into OOo by
clicking the Import button on the Change Icon dialog. Custom icons must be 16 x 16
or 26 x 26 pixels in size and cannot contain more than 256 colors.
Figure 350: Change Icon dialog
Customizing keyboard shortcuts
In addition to using the built-in keyboard shortcuts (listed in Appendix A), you can
define your own. You can assign shortcuts to standard OOo functions or your own
macros and save them for use with the entire OpenOffice.org suite or only for Calc.
Caution
Be careful when reassigning your operating system’s or OOo’s predefined
shortcut keys. Many key assignments are universally understood
shortcuts, such as F1 for Help, and are always expected to provide
certain results. Although you can easily reset the shortcut key
assignments to the OOo defaults, changing some common shortcut keys
can cause confusion, frustration and possible data loss or corruption,
especially if other users share your computer.
To adapt shortcut keys to your needs, use the Customize dialog, as described below.
1) Select Tools > Customize > Keyboard. The Keyboard page of the Customize
dialog opens.
2) To have the shortcut key assignment available only with Calc, select Calc in
the upper right corner of the page; otherwise select OpenOffice.org to make
it available to every component.
3) Next select the required function from the Category and Function lists.
364 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
4) Now select the desired shortcut keys in the Shortcut keys list and click the
Modify button at the upper right.
5) Click OK to accept the change. Now the chosen shortcut keys will execute the
function chosen in step 3 above whenever they are pressed.
Note
All existing shortcut keys for the currently selected Function are listed in
the Keys selection box. If the Keys list is empty, it indicates that the
chosen key combination is free for use. If it were not, and you wanted to
reassign a shortcut key combination that is already in use, you must first
delete the existing key.
Shortcut keys that are greyed-out in the listing on the Customize dialog,
such as F1 and F10, are not available for reassignment.
Example: Assigning styles to shortcut keys
You can configure shortcut keys to quickly assign styles in your document.
1) On the Keyboard page of the Customize dialog, choose the shortcut keys you
want to assign a style to. In this example, we have chosen Ctrl+3.
Figure 351: Assigning a cell style to a key combination
2) In the Functions section at the bottom of the dialog, scroll down in the
Category list to Styles. Click the + sign to expand the list of styles.
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 365
3) Choose the category of style. (This example uses a cell style, but you can also
choose page styles.) The Function list now displays the names of the available
styles for the selected category. The example shows OOo’s predefined cell
styles.
4) To assign Ctrl+3 to be the shortcut key combination for the Heading style,
select Heading in the Function list, and then click Modify. Ctrl+3 now appears
in the Keys list on the right, and Heading appears next to Ctrl+3 in the
Shortcut keys box at the top.
5) Make any other required changes, and then click OK to save these settings
and close the dialog.
Saving changes to a file
Changes to the shortcut key assignments can be saved in a keyboard configuration
file for use at a later time, thus permitting you to create and apply different
configurations as the need arises. To save keyboard shortcuts to a file:
1) After making your keyboard shortcut assignments, click the Save button on
the Customize dialog.
2) In the Save Keyboard Configuration dialog, select All files from the
Save as Type list.
3) Next enter a name for the keyboard configuration file in the File name box, or
select an existing file from the list. If you need to, browse to find a file from
another location.
4) Click Save. A confirmation dialog appears if you are about to overwrite an
existing file, otherwise there will be no feedback and the file will be saved.
Loading a saved keyboard configuration
To load a saved keyboard configuration file and replace your existing configuration,
click the Load button near the bottom right of the Customize dialog, and then select
the configuration file from the Load Keyboard Configuration dialog.
Resetting the shortcut keys
To reset all of the keyboard shortcuts to their default values, click the Reset button
near the bottom right of the Customize dialog. Use this feature with care as no
confirmation dialog will be displayed; the defaults will be set without any further
notice or user input.
Running macros from key combinations
You can also define shortcut key combinations that will run macros. These shortcut
keys are strictly user-defined; none are built in. For more information on macros, see
Chapter 12 (Calc Macros).
Adding functionality with extensions
An extension is a package that can be installed into OpenOffice.org to add new
functionality.
Although individual extensions can be found in different places, the official
OpenOffice.org extension repository is at http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/.
366 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Some extensions are free of charge; others are available for a fee. Check the
descriptions to see what licenses and fees apply to the ones that interest you.
Installing extensions
To install an extension, follow these steps:
1) Download an extension and save it anywhere on your computer.
2) In OOo, select Tools > Extension Manager from the menu bar. In the
Extension Manager dialog (Figure 352), click Add.
3) A file browser window opens. Find and select the extension you want to install
and click Open. The extension begins installing. You may be asked to accept a
license agreement.
4) When the installation is complete, the extension is listed in the Extension
Manager dialog.
Tip
To get extensions that are listed in the repository, you can open the
Extension Manager and click the Get more extensions here link. You do
not need to download them separately as in step 1 above.
Note To install a shared extension, you need write access to the OpenOffice.org
installation directory.
Figure 352: Installing an extension
Chapter 14 Setting up and Customizing Calc 367
Using extensions
This section describes a few of the extensions to Calc. In each case, you need to
install the extension as described in the previous section.
Professional Template Pack II
Provides more than 120 templates for Writer, Calc, and Impress. Available in
several languages. After you have installed this extension, you will find the
templates under File > New > Templates and Documents.
Solver for Nonlinear Programming
Calc ships with a solver engine for linear programming only. This extension adds
more solvers, which are capable of handling nonlinear problems as well as linear
ones:
•DEPS - Differential Evolution & Particle Swarm Optimization
•SCO - Social Cognitive Optimization
DataPilot Tools for OpenOffice.org Calc
Adds some utility functions that make using the DataPilot easier:
•Display the current source range for a DataPilot
•Change the source range for a DataPilot
•Refresh all DataPilots on the current sheet
368 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Appendix A
Keyboard Shortcuts
Introduction
You can use Calc without a pointing device such as a mouse or trackball, by using its
built-in keyboard shortcuts.
OOo has a general set of keyboard shortcuts, available in all components, and a
component-specific set directly related to the work of that component.
For help with OOo’s keyboard shortcuts or using OOo with a keyboard only, search
the OOo online help using the “shortcut” or “accessibility” keywords.
In addition to using the built-in keyboard shortcuts listed in this Appendix, you can
define your own. See Chapter 14 (Setting Up and Customizing Calc) for instructions.
Formatting and editing shortcuts are described in Chapter 2 (Entering, Editing, and
Formatting Data).
Navigation and selection shortcuts
Table 29: Spreadsheet navigation shortcuts
Shortcut Keys Effect
Ctrl+Home Moves the cursor to the first cell in the sheet (cell A1).
Ctrl+End Moves the cursor to the last cell on the sheet that contains
data.
Home Moves the cursor to the first cell of the current row.
End Moves the cursor to the last cell of the current row in a
column containing data.
Ctrl+Left Arrow Moves the cursor to the left edge of the current data range. If
the column to the left of the cell that contains the cursor is
empty, the cursor moves to the next column to the left that
contains data.
Ctrl+Right Arrow Moves the cursor to the right edge of the current data range.
If the column to the right of the cell that contains the cursor is
empty, the cursor moves to the next column to the right that
contains data.
Ctrl+Up Arrow Moves the cursor to the top edge of the current data range. If
the row above the cell that contains the cursor is empty, the
cursor moves up to the next row that contains data.
Ctrl+Down Arrow Moves the cursor to the bottom edge of the current data
range. If the row below the cell that contains the cursor is
empty, the cursor moves down to the next row that contains
data.
Ctrl+Shift+Arrow Selects all cells containing data from the current cell to the
end of the continuous range of data cells, in the direction of
the arrow pressed. If used to select rows and columns
together, a rectangular cell range is selected.
Ctrl+Page Up Moves one sheet to the left. In the page preview it moves to
the previous print page.
370 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Shortcut Keys Effect
Ctrl+Page Down Moves one sheet to the right. In the page preview it moves to
the next print page.
Page Up Moves the viewable rows up one screen.
Page Down Moves the viewable rows down one screen.
Alt+Page Up Moves the viewable columns one screen to the left.
Alt+Page Down Moves the viewable columns one screen to the right.
Shift+Ctrl+Page Up Adds the previous sheet to the current selection of sheets. If
all the sheets in a spreadsheet are selected, this combination
only selects the previous sheet. Makes the previous sheet the
current sheet.
Shift+Ctrl+Page
Down
Adds the next sheet to the current selection of sheets. If all
the sheets in a spreadsheet are selected, this combination
only selects the next sheet. Makes the next sheet the current
sheet.
Ctrl+* Selects the data range that contains the cursor. A range is a
contiguous cell range that contains data and is bounded by
empty rows and columns. The “*” key is the multiplication
sign on the numeric key pad.
Ctrl+/ Selects the matrix formula range that contains the cursor. The
“/” key is the division sign on the numeric key pad.
Enter — in a
selected range
By default, moves the cursor down one cell in a selected
range. To specify the direction that the cursor moves, choose
Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > General.
Function and arrow key shortcuts
Table 30: Function key shortcuts
Shortcut Keys Effect
F1 Displays the OOo help browser. When the help browser is
already open F1 jumps to the main help page.
Shift+F1 Displays context help.
Ctrl+F1 Displays the note that is attached to the current cell.
F2 Switches to Edit mode and places the cursor at the end of the
contents of the current cell. If the cursor is in an input box in a
dialog that has a minimize button, the dialog is hidden and the
input box remains visible. Press F2 again to show the whole
dialog.
Ctrl+F2 Opens the Function Wizard.
Shift+Ctrl+F2 Moves the cursor to the input line where you can enter a
formula for the current cell.
Ctrl+F3 Opens the Define Names dialog.
Appendix A Keyboard Shortcuts 371
Shortcut Keys Effect
F4 Shows or hides the Database Sources menu.
Shift+F4 Rearranges the relative or absolute references (for example,
A1, $A$1, $A1, A$1) in the input field.
F5 Shows or hides the Navigator.
Shift+F5 Traces dependents.
Shift+Ctrl+F5 Moves the cursor to the Name box.
F7 Checks spelling in the current sheet.
Ctrl+F7 Opens the Thesaurus if the current cell contains text.
Shift+F7 Traces precedents.
F8 Turns additional selection mode on or off. In this mode, you
can use the arrow keys to extend the selection. You can also
click in another cell to extend the selection.
Ctrl+F8 Highlights cells containing numeric values (not text).
F9 Recalculates all of the formulas in the sheet.
Ctrl+F9 Updates the selected chart.
F11 Opens the Styles and Formatting window where you can apply
a formatting style to the contents of the cell or to the current
sheet.
Shift+F11 Creates a document template.
Shift+Ctrl+F11 Updates the templates.
F12 Groups the selected data range.
Ctrl+F12 Ungroups the selected data range.
Table 31. Arrow key shortcuts
Shortcut Keys Effect
Alt+Down Arrow Increases the height of current row.
Alt+Up Arrow Decreases the height of current row.
Alt+Right Arrow Increases the width of the current column.
Alt+Left Arrow Decreases the width of the current column.
Alt+Shift+Arrow
Key
Optimizes the column width or row height based on the
current cell.
372 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Cell formatting shortcuts
Ctrl+1 open the Format Cells dialog.
Note
The shortcuts listed in Table 29 do not work under any Linux desktop
tested. If you would like to have the functionality described in this table,
you must create custom key sequences as explained in Chapter 14
(Setting Up and Customizing Calc).
Note
The shortcut keys shown in Table 29 do not use the number keys on the
number pad. They use the number keys above the letter keys on the
main keyboard.
Table 32: Formatting shortcut keys
Shortcut Keys Effect
Ctrl+Shift+1 Two decimal places, thousands separator
Ctrl+Shift+2 Standard exponential format
Ctrl+Shift+3 Standard date format
Ctrl+Shift+4 Standard currency format
Ctrl+Shift+5 Standard percentage format (two decimal places)
Ctrl+Shift+6 Standard format
Appendix A Keyboard Shortcuts 373
DataPilot shortcuts
Table 33: DataPilot shortcut keys
Shortcut Keys Effect
Tab Changes the focus by moving forward through the areas and
buttons of the dialog.
Shift+Tab Changes the focus by moving backward through the areas and
buttons of the dialog.
Up arrow Moves the focus up one item in the current dialog area.
Down arrow Moves the focus down one item in the current dialog area.
Left arrow Moves the focus one item to the left in the current dialog area.
Right arrow Moves the focus one item to the right in the current dialog
area.
Home Selects the first field in the current layout area.
End Selects the last field in the current layout area.
Alt+R Copies or moves the current field into the “Row” area.
Alt+C Copies or moves the current field into the “Column” area.
Alt+D Copies or moves the current field into the “Data” area.
Ctrl+Up Arrow Moves the current field up one place.
Ctrl+Down Arrow Moves the current field down one place.
Ctrl+Left Arrow Moves the current field one place to the left.
Ctrl+Right Arrow Moves the current field one place to the right.
Ctrl+Home Moves the current field to the first place.
Ctrl+End Move the current field to the last place.
Alt+O Displays the options for the current field.
Delete Removes the current field from the area.
374 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Appendix B
Description of Functions
Functions available in Calc
Calc provides all of the commonly used functions found in modern spreadsheet
applications. Since many of Calc’s functions require very specific and carefully
calculated input arguments, the descriptions in this appendix should not be
considered complete references for each function. Refer to the application Help or
the OOo wiki for details and examples of all functions. On the wiki, start with
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/How_Tos/Calc:_Functions_liste
d_by_category
Over 300 standard functions are available in Calc. More can be added through
extensions to Calc (see Chapter 14). The following tables list Calc’s functions
organized into eleven categories.
Note
Functions whose names end with _ADD are provided for compatibility with
Microsoft Excel functions. They return the same results as the
corresponding functions in Excel (without the suffix), which though they
may be correct, are not based on international standards.
Terminology: numbers and arguments
Some of the descriptions in this appendix define limitations on the number of values
or arguments that can be passed to the function. Specifically, functions that refer to
the following arguments may lead to confusion.
•Number_1; number_2;... number_30
•Number 1 to 30
•a list of up to 30 numbers
There is a significant difference between a list of numbers (or integers) and the
number of arguments a function will accept. For, example the SUM function will only
accept a maximum of 30 arguments. This limit does NOT mean that you can only sum
30 numbers, but that you can only pass 30 separate arguments to the function.
Arguments are values separated by semi-colons, and can include ranges which often
refer to multiple values. Therefore one argument can refer to several values, and a
function that limits input to 30 arguments may in fact accept more then 30 separate
numerical values.
This appendix attempts to clarify this situation by using the term arguments, rather
than any of the other phrases.
Mathematical functions
Table 34: Mathematical functions
Syntax Description
ABS(number) Returns the absolute value of the given number.
ACOS(number) Returns the inverse cosine of the given number in
radians.
ACOSH(number) Returns the inverse hyperbolic cosine of the given
number in radians.
376 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
ACOT(number) Returns the inverse cotangent of the given number in
radians.
ACOTH(number) Returns the inverse hyperbolic cotangent of the given
number in radians.
ASIN(number) Returns the inverse sine of the given number in
radians.
ASINH(number) Returns the inverse hyperbolic sine of the given
number in radians.
ATAN(number) Returns the inverse tangent of the given number in
radians.
ATAN2(number_x;
number_y)
Returns the inverse tangent of the specified x and y
coordinates. Number_x is the value for the x
coordinate. Number_y is the value for the y coordinate.
ATANH(number) Returns the inverse hyperbolic tangent of the given
number. (Angle is returned in radians.)
CEILING(number;
significance; mode)
Rounds the given number to the nearest integer or
multiple of significance. Significance is the value to
whose multiple of ten the value is to be rounded up
(.01, .1, 1, 10, etc.). Mode is an optional value. If it is
indicated and non-zero and if the number and
significance are negative, rounding up is carried out
based on that value.
COMBIN(count_1; count_2) Returns the number of combinations for a given
number of objects. Count_1 is the total number of
elements. Count_2 is the selected count from the
elements. This is the same as the nCr function on a
calculator.
COMBINA(count_1;
count_2)
Returns the number of combinations for a given
number of objects (repetition included). Count_1 is the
total number of elements. Count_2 is the selected
count from the elements.
CONVERT(value; "text";
"text")
Converts a currency value of a European currency into
Euros. Value is the amount in the currency to be
converted. Text is the official abbreviation for the
currency in question (for example, "EUR"). The first
Text parameter gives the source value to be converted;
the second Text parameter gives the destination value.
Both text arguments must be within quotes.
COS(number) Returns the cosine of the given number (angle in
radians).
COSH(number) Returns the hyperbolic cosine of the given number
(angle in radians).
COT(number) Returns the cotangent of the given number (angle in
radians).
COTH(number) Returns the hyperbolic cotangent of the given number
(angle in radians).
Appendix B Description of Functions 377
Syntax Description
COUNTBLANK(range) Returns the number of empty cells. Range is the cell
range in which the empty cells are counted.
COUNTIF(range; criteria) Returns the number of elements that meet certain
criteria within a cell range. Range is the range to
which the criteria are to be applied. Criteria indicates
the criteria in the form of a number, a regular
expression, or a character string by which the cells are
counted.
DEGREES(number) Converts the given number in radians to degrees.
EVEN(number) Rounds the given number up to the nearest even
integer.
EXP(number) Returns e raised to the power of the given number.
FACT(number) Returns the factorial of the given number.
FLOOR(number;
significance; mode)
Rounds the given number down to the nearest multiple
of significance. Significance is the value to whose
multiple of ten the number is to be rounded down (.01, .
1, 1, 10, etc.). Mode is an optional value. If it is
indicated and non-zero and if the number and
significance are negative, rounding up is carried out
based on that value.
GCD(numbers) Returns the greatest common divisor of one or more
integers. Numbers is a list of up to 30 numbers whose
greatest common divisor is to be calculated, separated
by semi-colons.
GCD_ADD(numbers) Returns the greatest common divisor of a list of
numbers. Numbers is a list of up to 30 numbers
separated by semi-colons.
INT(number) Rounds the given number down to the nearest integer.
ISEVEN(value) Returns TRUE if the given value is an even integer, or
FALSE if the value is odd. If the value is not an
integer, the function evaluates only the integer part of
the value.
ISODD(value) Returns TRUE if the given value is an odd integer, or
FALSE if the value is even. If the value is not an
integer, the function evaluates only the integer part of
the value.
LCM(integer_1;
integer_2; ... integer_30)
Returns the least common multiple of one or more
integers. Integer_1; integer_2;... integer_30 are
integers whose lowest common multiple is to be
calculated.
LCM_ADD(numbers) Numbers is a list of up to 30 numbers separated by
semi-colons. The result is the lowest common multiple
of a list of numbers.
LN(number) Returns the natural logarithm based on the constant e
of the given number.
378 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
LOG(number; base) Returns the logarithm of the given number to the
specified base. Base is the base for the logarithm
calculation.
LOG10(number) Returns the base-10 logarithm of the given number.
MOD(dividend; divisor) Returns the remainder after a number is divided by a
divisor. Dividend is the number which will be divided
by the divisor. Divisor is the number by which to divide
the dividend.
MROUND(number;
multiple)
The result is the nearest integer multiple of the
number.
MULTINOMIAL
(number(s))
Returns the factorial of the sum of the arguments
divided by the product of the factorials of the
arguments. Number(s) is a list of up to 30 numbers
separated by semi-colons.
ODD(number) Rounds the given number up to the nearest odd
integer.
PI() Returns the value of PI to fourteen decimal places.
POWER(base; power) Returns the result of a number raised to a power. Base
is the number that is to be raised to the given power.
Power is the exponent by which the base is to be
raised.
PRODUCT(number 1 to 30) Multiplies all the numbers given as arguments and
returns the product. Number 1 to number 30 are up
to 30 arguments whose product is to be calculated,
separated by semi-colons.
QUOTIENT(numerator;
denominator)
Returns the integer result of a division operation.
Numerator is the number that will be divided.
Denominator is the number the numerator will be
divided by.
RADIANS(number) Converts the given number in degrees to radians.
RAND() Returns a random number between 0 and 1. This
number will recalculate every time data is entered or
F9 is pressed.
RANDBETWEEN (bottom;
top)
Returns an integer random number between bottom
and top (inclusive). This number will recalculate when
the Control+Shift+F9 key combination is pressed.
ROUND(number; count) Rounds the given number to a certain number of
decimal places according to valid mathematical
criteria. Count (optional) is the number of the places to
which the value is to be rounded. If the count
parameter is negative, only the whole number portion
is rounded. It is rounded to the place indicated by the
count.
Appendix B Description of Functions 379
Syntax Description
ROUNDDOWN(number;
count)
Rounds the given number. Count (optional) is the
number of digits to be rounded down to. If the count
parameter is negative, only the whole number portion
is rounded. It is rounded to the place indicated by the
count.
ROUNDUP(number; count) Rounds the given number up. Count (optional) is the
number of digits to which rounding up is to be done. If
the count parameter is negative, only the whole
number portion is rounded. It is rounded to the place
indicated by the count.
SERIESSUM(x; n; m;
coefficients)
Returns a sum of powers of the number x in accordance
with the following formula:
SERIESSUM(x;n;m;coefficients) = coefficient_1*x^n +
coefficient_2*x^(n+m) + coefficient_3*x^(n+2m) +...+
coefficient_i*x^(n+(i-1)m).
x is the number as an independent variable. n is the
starting power. m is the increment. Coefficients is a
series of coefficients. For each coefficient the series
sum is extended by one section. You can only enter
coefficients using cell references.
SIGN(number) Returns the sign of the given number. The function
returns the result 1 for a positive sign, –1 for a negative
sign, and 0 for zero.
SIN(number) Returns the sine of the given number (angle in
radians).
SINH(number) Returns the hyperbolic sine of the given number
(angle in radians).
SQRT(number) Returns the positive square root of the given number.
The value of the number must be positive.
SQRTPI(number) Returns the square root of the product of the given
number and PI.
SUBTOTAL(function;
range)
Calculates subtotals. If a range already contains
subtotals, these are not used for further calculations.
Function is a value that stands for another function
such as Average, Count, Min, Sum, Var. Range is the
range whose cells are included.
SUM(number_1; number_2;
... number_30)
Adds all the numbers in a range of cells. Number_1;
number_2;... number_30 are up to 30 arguments
whose sum is to be calculated. You can also enter a
range using cell references.
SUMIF(range; criteria;
sum_range)
Adds the cells specified by a given criteria. The search
supports regular expressions. Range is the range to
which the criteria are to be applied. Criteria is the cell
in which the search criterion is shown, or the search
criterion itself. Sum_range is the range from which
values are summed; if it has not been indicated, the
values found in the Range are summed.
380 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
SUMSQ(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Calculates the sum of the squares of numbers (totaling
up of the squares of the arguments) Number_1;
number_2;... number_30 are up to 30 arguments, the
sum of whose squares is to be calculated.
TAN(number) Returns the tangent of the given number (angle in
radians).
TANH(number) Returns the hyperbolic tangent of the given number
(angle in radians).
TRUNC(number; count) Truncates a number to an integer by removing the
fractional part of the number according to the precision
specified in Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Calc
> Calculate. Number is the number whose decimal
places are to be cut off. Count is the number of decimal
places which are not cut off.
Financial analysis functions
A note about dates
Date values used as parameters for Calc’s financial functions must be entered in a
specific manner. For example, a date (entered in the US form) must be surrounded by
quotes and with periods separating each value. To represent August 6, 2004, or
8/6/04, you would enter “08.06.2004”. If you do not enter the date values as required
by the function, you will not get the correct results. Date formats are locale specific;
check the Help for the acceptable formatting.
A note about interest rates
You can enter interest rates in either of two ways:
•As a decimal. To enter an interest rate as a decimal, divide it by 100 before
entering it into a function. For example, to compute a loan with a 3.25%
interest rate, enter .0325 into the function.
•As a percentage. To enter an interest rate as a percentage, type in the interest
rate followed by the % key. For example, to compute a loan with a 3.25%
interest rate, enter 3.25% into the function.
If you enter it as 3.25, the function will treat it as a 325% interest rate.
Accounting systems vary in the number of days in a month or a year used in
calculations. The following table gives the integers used for the basis parameter
used in some of the financial analysis functions.
Appendix B Description of Functions 381
Table 35: Basis calculation types
Basis Calculation
0 or missing US method (NASD), 12 months of 30 days each.
1 Exact number of days in months, exact number of days in year.
2 Exact number of days in month, year has 360 days.
3 Exact number of days in month, year has 365 days.
4 European method, 12 months of 30 days each.
Table 36: Financial analysis functions
Syntax Description
ACCRINT(issue; first_interest;
settlement; rate; par;
frequency; basis)
Calculates the accrued interest of a security in the
case of periodic payments. Issue is the issue date of
the security. First_interest is the first interest date
of the security. Settlement is the maturity date.
Rate is the annual nominal rate of interest (coupon
interest rate). Par is the par value of the security.
Frequency is the number of interest payments per
year (1, 2 or 4). Basis indicates how the year is to be
calculated.
ACCRINTM(issue; settlement;
rate; par; basis)
Calculates the accrued interest of a security in the
case of one-off payment at the settlement date. Issue
is the issue date of the security. Settlement is the
maturity date. Rate is the annual nominal rate of
interest (coupon interest rate). Par is the par value
of the security. Basis indicates how the year is to be
calculated.
AMORDEGRC(cost;
date_purchased; first_period;
salvage; period; rate; basis)
Calculates the amount of depreciation for a
settlement period as degressive amortization. Unlike
AMORLINC, a depreciation coefficient that is
independent of the depreciable life is used here.
Cost is the acquisition cost. Date_purchased is the
date of acquisition. First_period is the end date of
the first settlement period. Salvage is the salvage
value of the capital asset at the end of the
depreciable life. Period is the settlement period to
be considered. Rate is the rate of depreciation.
Basis indicates how the year is to be calculated.
382 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
AMORLINC(cost;
date_purchased; first_period;
salvage; period; rate; basis)
Calculates the amount of depreciation for a
settlement period as linear amortization. If the
capital asset is purchased during the settlement
period, the proportional amount of depreciation is
considered. Cost is the acquisition cost.
Date_purchased is the date of acquisition.
First_period is the end date of the first settlement
period. Salvage is the salvage value of the capital
asset at the end of the depreciable life. Period is the
settlement period to be considered. Rate is the rate
of depreciation. Basis indicates how the year is to be
calculated.
COUPDAYBS(settlement;
maturity; frequency; basis)
Returns the number of days from the first day of
interest payment on a security until the settlement
date. Settlement is the date of purchase of the
security. Maturity is the date on which the security
matures (expires). Frequency is the number of
interest payments per year (1, 2 or 4). Basis
indicates how the year is to be calculated.
COUPDAYS(settlement;
maturity; frequency; basis)
Returns the number of days in the current interest
period in which the settlement date falls.
Settlement is the date of purchase of the security.
Maturity is the date on which the security matures
(expires). Frequency is the number of interest
payments per year (1, 2 or 4). Basis indicates how
the year is to be calculated.
COUPDAYSNC(settlement;
maturity; frequency; basis)
Returns the number of days from the settlement date
until the next interest date. Settlement is the date
of purchase of the security. Maturity is the date on
which the security matures (expires). Frequency is
the number of interest payments per year (1, 2 or 4).
Basis indicates how the year is to be calculated.
COUPNCD(settlement;
maturity; frequency; basis)
Returns the date of the first interest date after the
settlement date, and formats the result as a date.
Settlement is the date of purchase of the security.
Maturity is the date on which the security matures
(expires). Frequency is the number of interest
payments per year (1, 2 or 4). Basis indicates how
the year is to be calculated.
COUPNUM(settlement;
maturity; frequency; basis)
Returns the number of coupons (interest payments)
between the settlement date and the maturity date.
Settlement is the date of purchase of the security.
Maturity is the date on which the security matures
(expires). Frequency is the number of interest
payments per year (1, 2 or 4). Basis indicates how
the year is to be calculated.
Appendix B Description of Functions 383
Syntax Description
COUPPCD(settlement;
maturity; frequency; basis)
Returns the date of the interest date prior to the
settlement date, and formats the result as a date.
Settlement is the date of purchase of the security.
Maturity is the date on which the security matures
(expires). Frequency is the number of interest
payments per year (1, 2 or 4). Basis indicates how
the year is to be calculated.
CUMIPMT(rate; NPER; PV; S;
E; type)
Calculates the cumulative interest payments (the
total interest) for an investment based on a constant
interest rate. Rate is the periodic interest rate.
NPER is the payment period with the total number
of periods. NPER can also be a non-integer value.
The rate and NPER must refer to the same unit, and
thus both must be calculated annually or monthly.
PV is the current value in the sequence of payments.
S is the first period. E is the last period. Type is the
due date of the payment at the beginning (1) or end
(0) of each period.
CUMIPMT_ADD(rate; NPER;
PV; start_period; end_period;
type)
Calculates the accumulated interest for a period.
Rate is the interest rate for each period. NPER is
the total number of payment periods. The rate and
NPER must refer to the same unit, and thus both
must be calculated annually or monthly. PV is the
current value. Start_period the first payment period
for the calculation. End_period the last payment
period for the calculation. Type is the due date of the
payment at the beginning (1) or end (0) of each
period.
CUMPRINC(rate; NPER; PV;
S; E; type)
Returns the cumulative interest paid for an
investment period with a constant interest rate. Rate
is the periodic interest rate. NPER is the payment
period with the total number of periods. NPER can
also be a non-integer value. The rate and NPER
must refer to the same unit, and thus both must be
calculated annually or monthly. PV is the current
value in the sequence of payments. S is the first
period. E is the last period. Type is the due date of
the payment at the beginning (1) or end (0) of each
period.
CUMPRINC_ADD(rate; NPER;
PV; start_period; end_period;
type)
Calculates the cumulative redemption of a loan in a
period. Rate is the interest rate for each period.
NPER is the total number of payment periods. The
rate and NPER must refer to the same unit, and
thus both must be calculated annually or monthly.
PV is the current value. Start period is the first
payment period for the calculation. End period is
the last payment period for the calculation. Type is
the due date of the payment at the beginning (1) or
end (0) of each period.
384 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
DB(cost; salvage; life; period;
month)
Returns the depreciation of an asset for a specified
period using the double-declining balance method.
Cost is the initial cost of an asset. Salvage is the
value of an asset at the end of the depreciation. Life
defines the period over which an asset is
depreciated. Period is the length of each period. The
life must be entered in the same date unit as the
depreciation period. Month (optional) denotes the
number of months for the first year of depreciation.
DDB(cost; salvage; life;
period; factor)
Returns the depreciation of an asset for a specified
period using the arithmetic-declining method. Note
that the book value will never reach zero under this
calculation type. Cost fixes the initial cost of an
asset. Salvage fixes the value of an asset at the end
of its life. Life is the number of periods defining how
long the asset is to be used. Period defines the
length of the period. The period must be entered in
the same time unit as the life. Factor (optional) is
the factor by which depreciation decreases.
DISC(settlement; maturity;
price; redemption; basis)
Calculates the allowance (discount) of a security as a
percentage. Settlement is the date of purchase of
the security. Maturity is the date on which the
security matures (expires). Price is the price of the
security per 100 currency units of par value.
Redemption is the redemption value of the security
per 100 currency units of par value. Basis indicates
how the year is to be calculated.
DOLLARDE(fractional _dollar;
fraction)
Converts a quotation that has been given as a
decimal fraction into a decimal number.
Fractional_dollar is a number given as a decimal
fraction. (In this number, the decimal value is the
numerator of the fraction.) Fraction is a whole
number that is used as the denominator of the
decimal fraction.
DOLLARFR(decimal _dollar;
fraction)
Converts a quotation that has been given as a
decimal number into a mixed decimal fraction. The
decimal of the result is the numerator of the fraction
that would have Fraction as the denominator.
Decimal_dollar is a decimal number. Fraction is a
whole number that is used as the denominator of the
decimal fraction.
DURATION(rate; PV; FV) Calculates the number of periods required by an
investment to attain the desired value. Rate (a
constant) is the interest rate to be calculated for the
entire duration. Entering the interest rate divided by
the periods per year, can calculate the interest after
each period. PV is the present value. FV is the
desired future value of the investment.
Appendix B Description of Functions 385
Syntax Description
DURATION_ADD (settlement;
maturity; coupon; yield;
frequency; basis)
Calculates the duration of a fixed interest security in
years. Settlement is the date of purchase of the
security. Maturity is the date on which the security
matures (expires). Coupon is the annual coupon
interest rate (nominal rate of interest). Yield is the
annual yield of the security. Frequency is the
number of interest payments per year (1, 2 or 4).
Basis indicates how the year is to be calculated.
EFFECT_ADD(nominal _rate;
Npery)
Calculates the effective annual rate of interest on the
basis of the nominal interest rate and the number of
interest payments per annum. Nominal interest
refers to the amount of interest due at the end of a
calculation period. Nominal_rate is the annual
nominal rate of interest. Npery is the number of
interest payments per year.
EFFECTIVE(NOM; P) Calculates the effective annual rate of interest on the
basis of the nominal interest rate and the number of
interest payments per annum. Nominal interest
refers to the amount of interest due at the end of a
calculation period. NOM is the nominal interest. P is
the number of interest payment periods per year.
FV(rate; NPER; PMT; PV;
type)
Returns the future value of an investment based on
periodic, constant payments and a constant interest
rate. Rate is the periodic interest rate. NPER is the
total number of periods. PMT is the annuity paid
regularly per period. PV (optional) is the present
cash value of an investment. Type (optional) defines
whether the payment is due at the beginning (1) or
the end (0) of a period.
FVSCHEDULE(principal;
schedule)
Calculates the accumulated value of the starting
capital for a series of periodically varying interest
rates. Principal is the starting capital. Schedule is
a series of interest rates. Schedule has to be
entered with cell references.
INTRATE(settlement;
maturity; investment;
redemption; basis)
Calculates the annual interest rate that results when
a security (or other item) is purchased at an
investment value and sold at a redemption value
with no interest being paid. Settlement is the date
of purchase of the security. Maturity is the date on
which the security is sold. Investment is the
purchase price. Redemption is the selling price.
Basis indicates how the year is to be calculated.
386 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
IPMT(rate; period; NPER; PV;
FV; type)
Calculates the periodic amortization for an
investment with regular payments and a constant
interest rate. Rate is the periodic interest rate.
Period is the period for which the compound
interest is calculated. NPER is the total number of
periods during which annuity is paid.
Period=NPER, if compound interest for the last
period is calculated. PV is the present cash value in
sequence of payments. FV (optional) is the desired
value (future value) at the end of the periods. Type
(optional) defines whether the payment is due at the
beginning (1) or the end (0) of a period.
IRR(values; guess) Calculates the internal rate of return for an
investment. The values represent cash flow values at
regular intervals; at least one value must be negative
(payments), and at least one value must be positive
(income). Values is an array containing the values.
Guess (optional) is the estimated value. If you can
provide only a few values, you should provide an
initial guess to enable the iteration.
ISPMT(rate; period;
total_periods; invest)
Calculates the level of interest for unchanged
amortization installments. Rate sets the periodic
interest rate. Period is the number of installments
for calculation of interest. Total_periods is the total
number of installment periods. Invest is the amount
of the investment.
MDURATION(settlement;
maturity; coupon; yield;
frequency; basis)
Calculates the modified Macauley duration of a fixed
interest security in years. Settlement is the date of
purchase of the security. Maturity is the date on
which the security matures (expires). Coupon is the
annual nominal rate of interest (coupon interest
rate) Yield is the annual yield of the security.
Frequency is the number of interest payments per
year (1, 2 or 4). Basis indicates how the year is to be
calculated.
MIRR(values; investment;
reinvest_rate)
Calculates the modified internal rate of return of a
series of investments. Values corresponds to the
array or the cell reference for cells whose content
corresponds to the payments. Investment is the rate
of interest of the investments (the negative values of
the array) Reinvest_rate is the rate of interest of
the reinvestment (the positive values of the array).
NOMINAL(effective_rate;
Npery)
Calculates the yearly nominal interest rate, given the
effective rate and the number of compounding
periods per year. Effective_rate is the effective
interest rate Npery is the number of periodic
interest payments per year.
Appendix B Description of Functions 387
Syntax Description
NOMINAL_ADD(effective_rate
; Npery)
Calculates the yearly nominal rate of interest, given
the effective rate and the number of compounding
periods per year. Effective_rate is the effective
annual rate of interest. Npery is the number of
interest payments per year.
NPER(rate; PMT; PV; FV;
type)
Returns the number of periods for an investment
based on periodic, constant payments and a constant
interest rate. Rate is the periodic interest rate. PMT
is the constant annuity paid in each period. PV is the
present value (cash value) in a sequence of
payments. FV (optional) is the future value, which is
reached at the end of the last period. Type (optional)
defines whether the payment is due at the beginning
(1) or the end (0) of a period.
NPV(Rate; value_1;
value_2; ... value_30)
Returns the net present value of an investment
based on a series of periodic cash flows and a
discount rate. Rate is the discount rate for a period.
Value_1; value_2;... value_30 are values
representing deposits or withdrawals.
ODDFPRICE(settlement;
maturity; issue; first_coupon;
rate; yield; redemption;
frequency; basis)
Calculates the price per 100 currency units par value
of a security, if the first interest date falls irregularly.
Settlement is the date of purchase of the security.
Maturity is the date on which the security matures
(expires). Issue is the date of issue of the security.
First_coupon is the first interest date of the
security. Rate is the annual rate of interest. Yield is
the annual yield of the security. Redemption is the
redemption value per 100 currency units of par
value. Frequency is the number of interest
payments per year (1, 2 or 4). Basis indicates how
the year is to be calculated.
ODDFYIELD(settlement;
maturity; issue; first_coupon;
rate; price; redemption;
frequency; basis)
DDB(cost; salvage; life; period; factor)
ODDLPRICE(settlement;
maturity; last_interest; rate;
yield; redemption; frequency;
basis)
Calculates the price per 100 currency units par value
of a security, if the last interest date falls irregularly.
Settlement is the date of purchase of the security.
Maturity is the date on which the security matures
(expires). Last_interest is the last interest date of
the security. Rate is the annual rate of interest.
Yield is the annual yield of the security.
Redemption is the redemption value per 100
currency units of par value. Frequency is the
number of interest payments per year (1, 2 or 4).
Basis indicates how the year is to be calculated.
388 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
ODDLYIELD(settlement;
maturity; last_interest; rate;
price; redemption; frequency;
basis)
Calculates the yield of a security if the last interest
date falls irregularly. Settlement is the date of
purchase of the security. Maturity is the date on
which the security matures (expires). Last_interest
is the last interest date of the security. Rate is the
annual rate of interest. Price is the price of the
security. Redemption is the redemption value per
100 currency units of par value. Frequency is the
number of interest payments per year (1, 2 or 4).
Basis indicates how the year is to be calculated.
PMT(rate; NPER; PV; FV;
type)
Returns the periodic payment for an annuity with
constant interest rates. Rate is the periodic interest
rate. NPER is the number of periods in which
annuity is paid. PV is the present value (cash value)
in a sequence of payments. FV (optional) is the
desired value (future value) to be reached at the end
of the periodic payments. Type (optional) defines
whether the payment is due at the beginning (1) or
the end (0) of a period.
PPMT(rate; period; NPER; PV;
FV; type)
Returns for a given period the payment on the
principal for an investment that is based on periodic
and constant payments and a constant interest rate.
Rate is the periodic interest rate. Period is the
amortization period. NPER is the total number of
periods during which annuity is paid. PV is the
present value in the sequence of payments. FV
(optional) is the desired (future) value. Type
(optional) defines whether the payment is due at the
beginning (1) or the end (0) of a period.
PRICE(settlement; maturity;
rate; yield; redemption;
frequency; basis)
Calculates the market value of a fixed interest
security with a par value of 100 currency units as a
function of the forecast yield. Settlement is the date
of purchase of the security. Maturity is the date on
which the security matures (expires). Rate is the
annual nominal rate of interest (coupon interest
rate). Yield is the annual yield of the security.
Redemption is the redemption value per 100
currency units of par value. Frequency is the
number of interest payments per year (1, 2 or 4).
Basis indicates how the year is to be calculated.
PRICEDISC(settlement;
maturity; discount;
redemption; basis)
Calculates the price per 100 currency units of par
value of a non-interest-bearing security. Settlement
is the date of purchase of the security. Maturity is
the date on which the security matures (expires).
Discount is the discount of a security as a
percentage. Redemption is the redemption value
per 100 currency units of par value. Basis indicates
how the year is to be calculated.
Appendix B Description of Functions 389
Syntax Description
PRICEMAT(settlement;
maturity; issue; rate; yield;
basis)
Calculates the price per 100 currency units of par
value of a security, that pays interest on the maturity
date. Settlement is the date of purchase of the
security. Maturity is the date on which the security
matures (expires). Issue is the date of issue of the
security. Rate is the interest rate of the security on
the issue date. Yield is the annual yield of the
security. Basis indicates how the year is to be
calculated.
PV(rate; NPER; PMT; FV;
type)
Returns the present value of an investment resulting
from a series of regular payments. Rate defines the
interest rate per period. NPER is the total number of
payment periods. PMT is the regular payment made
per period. FV (optional) defines the future value
remaining after the final installment has been made.
Type (optional) defines whether the payment is due
at the beginning (1) or the end (0) of a period.
RATE(NPER; PMT; PV; FV;
type; guess)
Returns the constant interest rate per period of an
annuity. NPER is the total number of periods, during
which payments are made (payment period). PMT is
the constant payment (annuity) paid during each
period. PV is the cash value in the sequence of
payments. FV (optional) is the future value, which is
reached at the end of the periodic payments. Type
(optional) defines whether the payment is due at the
beginning (1) or the end (0) of a period. Guess
(optional) determines the estimated value of the
interest with iterative calculation.
RECEIVED(settlement;
maturity; investment;
discount; basis)
Calculates the amount received that is paid for a
fixed-interest security at a given point in time.
Settlement is the date of purchase of the security.
Maturity is the date on which the security matures.
Investment is the purchase sum. Discount is the
percentage discount on acquisition of the security.
Basis indicates how the year is to be calculated.
RRI(P; PV; FV) Calculates the interest rate resulting from the profit
(return) of an investment. P is the number of periods
needed for calculating the interest rate. PV is the
present value (must be >0). FV is determines what
is desired as the cash value of the deposit.
SLN(cost; salvage; life) Returns the straight-line depreciation of an asset for
one period. The amount of the depreciation is
constant during the depreciation period. Cost is the
initial cost of an asset. Salvage is the value of an
asset at the end of the depreciation. Life is the
depreciation period determining the number of
periods in the depreciation of the asset.
390 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
SYD(cost; salvage; life;
period)
Returns the arithmetic-declining depreciation rate.
Use this function to calculate the depreciation
amount for one period of the total depreciation span
of an object. Arithmetic declining depreciation
reduces the depreciation amount from period to
period by a fixed sum. Cost is the initial cost of an
asset. Salvage is the value of an asset after
depreciation. Life is the period fixing the time span
over which an asset is depreciated. Period defines
the period for which the depreciation is to be
calculated.
TBILLEQ(settlement;
maturity; discount)
Calculates the annual return on a treasury bill.
Settlement is the date of purchase of the security.
Maturity is the date on which the security matures
(expires). (The settlement and maturity date must be
in the same year.) Discount is the percentage
discount on acquisition of the security.
TBILLPRICE(settlement;
maturity; discount)
Calculates the price of a treasury bill per 100
currency units. Settlement is the date of purchase
of the security. Maturity is the date on which the
security matures (expires). Discount is the
percentage discount upon acquisition of the security.
TBILLYIELD(settlement;
maturity; price)
Calculates the yield of a treasury bill. Settlement is
the date of purchase of the security. Maturity is the
date on which the security matures (expires). Price
is the price (purchase price) of the treasury bill per
100 currency units of par value.
VDB(cost; salvage; life; start;
end; factor; type)
Returns the depreciation of an asset for a specified
or partial period using a variable declining balance
method. Cost is the initial value of an asset. Salvage
is the value of an asset at the end of the
depreciation. Life is the depreciation duration of the
asset. Start is the start of the depreciation entered
in the same date unit as the life. End is the end of
the depreciation. Factor (optional) is the
depreciation factor. FA=2 is double rate
depreciation. Type (optional) defines whether the
payment is due at the beginning (1) or the end (0) of
a period.
XIRR(values; dates; guess) Calculates the internal rate of return for a list of
payments which take place on different dates. The
calculation is based on a 365 days per year basis,
ignoring leap years. If the payments take place at
regular intervals, use the IRR function. Values and
dates are a series of payments and the series of
associated date values entered as cell references.
Guess (optional) is a guess for the internal rate of
return. The default is 10%.
Appendix B Description of Functions 391
Syntax Description
XNPV(rate; values; dates) Calculates the capital value (net present value) for a
list of payments which take place on different dates.
The calculation is based on a 365 days per year
basis, ignoring leap years. If the payments take place
at regular intervals, use the NPV function. Rate is
the internal rate of return for the payments. Values
and dates are a series of payments and the series of
associated date values entered as cell references.
YIELD(settlement; maturity;
rate; price; redemption;
frequency; basis)
Calculates the yield of a security. Settlement is the
date of purchase of the security. Maturity is the date
on which the security matures (expires). Rate is the
annual rate of interest. Price is the price (purchase
price) of the security per 100 currency units of par
value. Redemption is the redemption value per 100
currency units of par value. Frequency is the
number of interest payments per year (1, 2 or 4).
Basis indicates how the year is to be calculated.
YIELDDISC(settlement;
maturity; price; redemption;
basis)
Calculates the annual yield of a non-interest-bearing
security. Settlement is the date of purchase of the
security. Maturity is the date on which the security
matures (expires). Price is the price (purchase price)
of the security per 100 currency units of par value.
Redemption is the redemption value per 100
currency units of par value. Basis indicates how the
year is to be calculated.
YIELDMAT(settlement;
maturity; issue; rate; price;
basis)
Calculates the annual yield of a security, the interest
of which is paid on the date of maturity. Settlement
is the date of purchase of the security. Maturity is
the date on which the security matures (expires).
Issue is the date of issue of the security. Rate is the
interest rate of the security on the issue date. Price
is the price (purchase price) of the security per 100
currency units of par value. Basis indicates how the
year is to be calculated.
392 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Statistical analysis functions
Calc includes over 70 statistical functions which enable the evaluation of data from
simple arithmetic calculations, such as averaging, to advanced distribution and
probability computations. Several other statistics-based functions are available
through the Add-ins which are noted at the end of this appendix.
Table 37: Statistical analysis functions
Syntax Description
AVEDEV(number1;
number2; ... number_30)
Returns the average of the absolute deviations of
data points from their mean. Displays the diffusion in
a data set. Number_1; number_2; ... number_30
are values or ranges that represent a sample. Each
number can also be replaced by a reference.
AVERAGE(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Returns the average of the arguments. Number_1;
number_2; ... number_30 are numerical values or
ranges. Text is ignored.
AVERAGEA(value_1;
value_2; ... value_30)
Returns the average of the arguments. The value of a
text is 0. Value_1; value_2; ... value_30 are values
or ranges.
B(trials; SP; T_1; T_2) Returns the probability of a sample with binomial
distribution. Trials is the number of independent
trials. SP is the probability of success on each trial.
T_1 defines the lower limit for the number of trials.
T_2 (optional) defines the upper limit for the number
of trials.
BETADIST(number; alpha;
beta; start; end)
Returns the cumulative beta probability density
function. Number is the value between Start and
End at which to evaluate the function. Alpha is a
parameter to the distribution. Beta is a parameter to
the distribution. Start (optional) is the lower bound
for number. End (optional) is the upper bound for
number.
BETAINV(number; alpha;
beta; start; end)
Returns the inverse of the cumulative beta
probability density function. Number is the value
between Start and End at which to evaluate the
function. Alpha is a parameter to the distribution.
Beta is a parameter to the distribution. Start
(optional) is the lower bound for number. End
(optional) is the upper bound for number.
BINOMDIST(X; trials; SP; C) Returns the individual term binomial distribution
probability. X is the number of successes in a set of
trials. Trials is the number of independent trials. SP
is the probability of success on each trial. C = 0
calculates the probability of a single event and C = 1
calculates the cumulative probability.
Appendix B Description of Functions 393
Syntax Description
CHIDIST(number;
degrees_freedom)
Returns the probability value that a hypothesis will
be confirmed from the indicated chi square. The
probability determined by CHIDIST can also be
determined by CHITEST. Number is the chi-square
value of the random sample used to determine the
error probability. Degrees_freedom is the degrees of
freedom of the experiment.
CHIINV(number;
degrees_freedom)
Returns the inverse of the one-tailed probability of
the chi-squared distribution. Number is the value of
the error probability. Degrees_freedom is the
degrees of freedom of the experiment.
CHITEST(data_B; data_E) Returns the chi-square distribution from a random
distribution of two test series based on the chi-square
test for independence. The probability determined by
CHITEST can also be determined with CHIDIST, in
which case the chi square of the random sample must
then be passed as a parameter instead of the data
row. Data_B is the array of the observations. Data_E
is the range of the expected values.
CONFIDENCE(alpha; STDEV;
size)
Returns the (1-alpha) confidence interval for a
normal distribution. Alpha is the level of the
confidence interval. STDEV is the standard deviation
for the total population. Size is the size of the total
population.
CORREL(data_1; data_2) Returns the correlation coefficient between two data
sets. Data_1 is the first data set. Data_2 is the
second data set.
COUNT(value_1; value_2; ...
value_30)
Counts how many numbers are in the list of
arguments. Text entries are ignored. Value_1;
value_2; ... value_30 are values or ranges which are
to be counted.
COUNTA(value_1; value_2; ...
value_30)
Counts how many values are in the list of arguments.
Text entries are also counted, even when they contain
an empty string of length 0. If an argument is an
array or reference, empty cells within the array or
reference are ignored. value_1; value_2; ...
value_30 are up to 30 arguments representing the
values to be counted.
COVAR(data_1; data_2) Returns the covariance of the product of paired
deviations. Data_1 is the first data set. Data_2 is the
second data set.
CRITBINOM(trials; SP; alpha) Returns the smallest value for which the cumulative
binomial distribution is less than or equal to a
criterion value. Trials is the total number of trials.
SP is the probability of success for one trial. Alpha is
the threshold probability to be reached or exceeded.
394 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
DEVSQ(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Returns the sum of squares of deviations based on a
sample mean. Number_1; number_2; ...
number_30 are numerical values or ranges
representing a sample.
EXPONDIST(number;
lambda; C)
Returns the exponential distribution. Number is the
value of the function. Lambda is the parameter
value. C is a logical value that determines the form of
the function. C = 0 calculates the density function,
and C = 1 calculates the distribution.
FDIST(number;
degrees_freedom_1;
degrees_freedom_2)
Calculates the values of an F probability distribution.
Number is the value for which the F distribution is
to be calculated. Degrees_freedom_1 is the degrees
of freedom in the numerator in the F distribution.
Degrees_freedom_2 is the degrees of freedom in the
denominator in the F distribution.
FINV(number;
degrees_freedom_1;
degrees_freedom_2)
Returns the inverse of the F probability distribution.
Number is probability value for which the inverse F
distribution is to be calculated. Degrees_freedom_1
is the number of degrees of freedom in the
numerator of the F distribution. Degrees_freedom_2
is the number of degrees of freedom in the
denominator of the F distribution.
FISHER(number) Returns the Fisher transformation for the given
number and creates a function close to a normal
distribution.
FISHERINV(number) Returns the inverse of the Fisher transformation for
the given number and creates a function close to a
normal distribution.
FORECAST(value; data_Y;
data_X)
Extrapolates future values based on existing x and y
values. Value is the x value, for which the y value of
the linear regression is to be returned. Data_Y is the
array or range of known y’s. Data_X is the array or
range of known x’s. Does not work for exponential
functions.
FTEST(data_1; data_2) Returns the result of an F test. Data_1 is the first
record array. Data_2 is the second record array.
GAMMADIST(number; alpha;
beta; C)
Returns the values of a Gamma cumulative
distribution. Number is the value for which the
Gamma distribution is to be calculated. Alpha is the
parameter Alpha of the Gamma distribution. Beta is
the parameter Beta of the Gamma distribution. C = 0
calculates the density function, and C = 1 calculates
the distribution.
Appendix B Description of Functions 395
Syntax Description
GAMMAINV(number; alpha;
beta)
Returns the inverse of the Gamma cumulative
distribution. This function allows you to search for
variables with different distribution.
Number is the probability value for which the
inverse Gamma distribution is to be calculated.
Alpha is the parameter Alpha of the Gamma
distribution. Beta is the parameter Beta of the
Gamma distribution.
GAMMALN(number) Returns the natural logarithm of the Gamma
function, G(x), for the given number.
GAUSS(number) Returns the standard normal cumulative distribution
for the given number.
GEOMEAN(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Returns the geometric mean of a sample. Number_1;
number_2; ... number_30 are numerical arguments
or ranges that represent a random sample.
HARMEAN(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Returns the harmonic mean of a data set.
Number_1; number_2; ... number_30 are values or
ranges that can be used to calculate the harmonic
mean.
HYPGEOMDIST(X; n_sample;
successes; n_population)
Returns the hypergeometric distribution. X is the
number of results achieved in the random sample.
N_sample is the size of the random sample.
Successes is the number of possible results in the
total population. N_population is the size of the total
population.
INTERCEPT(data_Y; data_X) Calculates the y-value at which a line will intersect
the y-axis by using known x-values and y-values.
Data_Y is the dependent set of observations or data.
Data_X is the independent set of observations or
data.
Names, arrays or references containing numbers
must be used here. Numbers can also be entered
directly.
KURT(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Returns the kurtosis of a data set (at least 4 values
required). Number_1; number_2; ... number_30
are numerical arguments or ranges representing a
random sample of distribution.
LARGE(data; rank_c) Returns the Rank_c-th largest value in a data set.
Data is the cell range of data. Rank_c is the ranking
of the value (2nd largest, 3rd largest, etc.) written as
an integer.
LOGINV(number; mean;
STDEV)
Returns the inverse of the lognormal distribution for
the given Number, a probability value. Mean is the
arithmetic mean of the standard logarithmic
distribution. STDEV is the standard deviation of the
standard logarithmic distribution.
396 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
LOGNORMDIST(number;
mean; STDEV)
Returns the cumulative lognormal distribution for the
given Number, a probability value. Mean is the
mean value of the standard logarithmic distribution.
STDEV is the standard deviation of the standard
logarithmic distribution.
MAX(number_1; number_2; ...
number_30)
Returns the maximum value in a list of arguments.
Number_1; number_2; ... number_30 are
numerical values or ranges.
MAXA(value_1; value_2; ...
value_30)
Returns the maximum value in a list of arguments.
Unlike MAX, text can be entered. The value of the
text is 0. Value_1; value_2; ... value_30 are values or
ranges.
MEDIAN(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Returns the median of a set of numbers. Number_1;
number_2; ... number_30 are values or ranges,
which represent a sample. Each number can also be
replaced by a reference.
MIN(number_1; number_2; ...
number_30)
Returns the minimum value in a list of arguments.
Number_1; number_2; ... number_30 are
numerical values or ranges.
MINA(value_1; value_2; ...
value_30)
Returns the minimum value in a list of arguments.
Here text can also be entered. The value of the text is
0. Value_1; value_2; ... value_30 are values or
ranges.
MODE(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Returns the most common value in a data set.
Number_1; number_2; ... number_30 are
numerical values or ranges. If several values have
the same frequency, it returns the smallest value. An
error occurs when a value does not appear twice.
NEGBINOMDIST(X; R; SP) Returns the negative binomial distribution. X is the
value returned for unsuccessful tests. R is the value
returned for successful tests. SP is the probability of
the success of an attempt.
NORMDIST(number; mean;
STDEV; C)
Returns the normal distribution for the given
Number in the distribution. Mean is the mean value
of the distribution. STDEV is the standard deviation
of the distribution. C = 0 calculates the density
function, and C = 1 calculates the distribution.
NORMINV(number; mean;
STDEV)
Returns the inverse of the normal distribution for the
given Number in the distribution. Mean is the mean
value in the normal distribution. STDEV is the
standard deviation of the normal distribution.
NORMSDIST(number) Returns the standard normal cumulative distribution
for the given Number.
NORMSINV(number) Returns the inverse of the standard normal
distribution for the given Number, a probability
value.
Appendix B Description of Functions 397
Syntax Description
PEARSON(data_1; data_2) Returns the Pearson product moment correlation
coefficient r. Data_1 is the array of the first data set.
Data_2 is the array of the second data set.
PERCENTILE(data; alpha) Returns the alpha-percentile of data values in an
array. Data is the array of data. Alpha is the
percentage of the scale between 0 and 1.
PERCENTRANK(data; value) Returns the percentage rank (percentile) of the given
value in a sample. Data is the array of data in the
sample.
PERMUT(count_1; count_2) Returns the number of permutations for a given
number of objects. Count_1 is the total number of
objects. Count_2 is the number of objects in each
permutation.
PERMUTATIONA(count_1;
count_2)
Returns the number of permutations for a given
number of objects (repetition allowed). Count_1 is
the total number of objects. Count_2 is the number
of objects in each permutation.
PHI(number) Returns the values of the distribution function for a
standard normal distribution for the given Number.
POISSON(number; mean; C) Returns the Poisson distribution for the given
Number. Mean is the middle value of the Poisson
distribution. C = 0 calculates the density function,
and C = 1 calculates the distribution.
PROB(data; probability: start;
end)
Returns the probability that values in a range are
between two limits. Data is the array or range of
data in the sample. Probability is the array or range
of the corresponding probabilities. Start is the start
value of the interval whose probabilities are to be
summed. End (optional) is the end value of the
interval whose probabilities are to be summed. If this
parameter is missing, the probability for the Start
value is calculated.
QUARTILE(data; type) Returns the quartile of a data set. Data is the array
of data in the sample. Type is the type of quartile. (0
= Min, 1 = 25%, 2 = 50% (Median), 3 = 75% and 4 =
Max.)
RANK(value; data; type) Returns the rank of the given Value in a sample.
Data is the array or range of data in the sample.
Type (optional) is the sequence order, either
ascending (0) or descending (1).
RSQ(data_Y; data_X) Returns the square of the Pearson correlation
coefficient based on the given values. Data_Y is an
array or range of data points. Data_X is an array or
range of data points.
SKEW(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Returns the skewness of a distribution. Number_1;
number_2; ... number_30 are numerical values or
ranges.
398 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
SLOPE(data_Y; data_X) Returns the slope of the linear regression line.
Data_Y is the array or matrix of Y data. Data_X is the
array or matrix of X data.
SMALL(data; rank_c) Returns the Rank_c-th smallest value in a data set.
Data is the cell range of data. Rank_c is the rank of
the value (2nd smallest, 3rd smallest, etc.) written as
an integer.
STANDARDIZE(number;
mean; STDEV)
Converts a random variable to a normalized value.
Number is the value to be standardized. Mean is the
arithmetic mean of the distribution. STDEV is the
standard deviation of the distribution.
STDEV(number_1; number_2;
... number_30)
Estimates the standard deviation based on a sample.
Number_1; number_2; ... number_30 are
numerical values or ranges representing a sample
based on an entire population.
STDEVA(value_1; value_2; ...
value_30)
Calculates the standard deviation of an estimation
based on a sample. Value_1; value_2; ... value_30
are values or ranges representing a sample derived
from an entire population. Text has the value 0.
STDEVP(number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Calculates the standard deviation based on the entire
population. Number_1; number_2; ... number_30
are numerical values or ranges representing a
sample based on an entire population.
STDEVPA(value_1; value_2; ...
value_30)
Calculates the standard deviation based on the entire
population. Value_1; value_2; ... value_30 are
values or ranges representing a sample derived from
an entire population. Text has the value 0.
STEYX(data_Y; data_X) Returns the standard error of the predicted y value
for each x in the regression. Data_Y is the array or
matrix of Y data. Data_X is the array or matrix of X
data.
TDIST(number;
degrees_freedom; mode)
Returns the t-distribution for the given Number.
Degrees_freedom is the number of degrees of
freedom for the t-distribution. Mode = 1 returns the
one-tailed test, Mode = 2 returns the two-tailed test.
TINV(number;
degrees_freedom)
Returns the inverse of the t-distribution, for the given
Number associated with the two-tailed t-distribution.
Degrees_freedom is the number of degrees of
freedom for the t-distribution.
TRIMMEAN(data; alpha) Returns the mean of a data set without the Alpha
proportion of data at the margins. Data is the array
of data in the sample. Alpha is the proportion of the
marginal data that will not be taken into
consideration.
Appendix B Description of Functions 399
Syntax Description
TTEST(data_1; data_2; mode;
type)
Returns the probability associated with a Student’s t-
Test. Data_1 is the dependent array or range of data
for the first record. Data_2 is the dependent array or
range of data for the second record. Mode = 1
calculates the one-tailed test, Mode = 2 the two-
tailed test. Type of t-test to perform: paired (1), equal
variance (homoscedastic) (2), or unequal variance
(heteroscedastic) (3).
VAR(number_1; number_2; ...
number_30)
Estimates the variance based on a sample.
Number_1; number_2; ... number_30 are
numerical values or ranges representing a sample
based on an entire population.
VARA(value_1; value_2; ...
value_30)
Estimates a variance based on a sample. The value of
text is 0. Value_1; value_2; ... value_30 are values
or ranges representing a sample derived from an
entire population. Text has the value 0.
VARP(Number_1;
number_2; ... number_30)
Calculates a variance based on the entire population.
Number_1; number_2; ... number_30 are
numerical values or ranges representing an entire
population.
VARPA(value_1; value_2; ..
.value_30)
Calculates the variance based on the entire
population. The value of text is 0. Value_1;
value_2; ... value_30 are values or ranges
representing an entire population.
WEIBULL(number; alpha;
beta; C)
Returns the values of the Weibull distribution for the
given Number. Alpha is the Alpha parameter of the
Weibull distribution. Beta is the Beta parameter of
the Weibull distribution. C indicates the type of
function: C= 0 the form of the function is calculated,
C=1 the distribution is calculated.
ZTEST(data; number; sigma) Returns the two-tailed P value of a z test with
standard distribution. Data is the array of the data.
Number is the value to be tested. Sigma (optional)
is the standard deviation of the total population. If
this argument is missing, the standard deviation of
the sample is processed.
400 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Date and time functions
Use these functions for inserting, editing, and manipulating dates and times.
OpenOffice.org handles and computes a date/time value as a number. When you
assign the number format “Number” to a date or time value, it is displayed as a
number. For example, 01/01/2000 12:00 PM, converts to 36526.5. This is just a
matter of formatting; the actual value is always stored and manipulated as a number.
To see the date or time displayed in a standard format, change the number format
(date or time) accordingly.
To set the default date format used by Calc. go to Tools > Options >
OpenOffice.org Calc > Calculate.
Caution
When entering dates, slashes or dashes used as date separators may be
interpreted as arithmetic operators. To keep dates from being
interpreted as parts of formulas, and thus returning erroneous results,
always place them in quotation marks, for example, "12/08/52".
Table 38: Data and time functions
Syntax Description
DATE(year; month; day) Converts a date written as year, month, day to an
internal serial number and displays it in the cell’s
formatting. Year is an integer between 1583 and
9956 or 0 and 99. Month is an integer between 1
and 12. Day is an integer between 1 and 31.
DATEVALUE("Text") Returns the internal date number for text in quotes.
Text is a valid date expression and must be entered
with quotation marks.
DAY(number) Returns the day, as an integer, of the given date
value. A negative date/time value can be entered.
Number is a time value.
DAYS(date_2; date_1) Calculates the difference, in days, between two date
values. Date_1 is the start date. Date_2 is the end
date. If Date_2 is an earlier date than Date_1, the
result is a negative number.
DAYS360(date_1; date_2;
type)
Returns the difference between two dates based on
the 360 day year used in interest calculations. If
Date_2 is earlier than Date_1, the function will
return a negative number. Type (optional)
determines the type of difference calculation: the US
method (0) or the European method (≠0).
DAYSINMONTH(date) Calculates the number of days in the month of the
given date.
DAYSINYEAR(date) Calculates the number of days in the year of the
given date.
EASTERSUNDAY(integer) Returns the date of Easter Sunday for the entered
year. Year is an integer between 1583 and 9956 or 0
and 99.
Appendix B Description of Functions 401
Syntax Description
EDATE(start_date; months) The result is a date a number of Months away from
the given Start_date. Only months are considered;
days are not used for calculation. Months is the
number of months.
EOMONTH(start_date;
months)
Returns the date of the last day of a month which
falls Months away from the given Start_date.
Months is the number of months before (negative)
or after (positive) the start date.
HOUR(number) Returns the hour, as an integer, for the given time
value. Number is a time value.
ISLEAPYEAR(date) Determines whether a given date falls within a leap
year. Returns either 1 (TRUE) or 0 (FALSE).
MINUTE(number) Returns the minute, as an integer, for the given time
value. Number is a time value.
MONTH(number) Returns the month, as an integer, for the given date
value. Number is a time value.
MONTHS(start_date;
end_date; type)
Calculates the difference, in months, between two
date values. Date_1 is the start (earlier) date.
Date_2 is the end date. Type is one of two possible
values, 0 (interval) or 1 (in calendar months). If
Date_2 is an earlier date than Date_1, the result is a
negative number.
NETWORKDAYS(start _date;
end_date; holidays)
Returns the number of workdays between start_date
and end_date. Holidays can be deducted.
Start_date is the date from which the calculation is
carried out. End_date is the date up to which the
calculation is carried out. If the start or end date is a
workday, the day is included in the calculation.
Holidays (optional) is a list of holidays. Enter a cell
range in which the holidays are listed individually.
NOW() Returns the computer system date and time. The
value is updated when your document recalculates.
NOW is a function without arguments.
SECOND(number) Returns the second, as an integer, for the given time
value. Number is a time value.
TIME(hour; minute; second) Returns the current time value from values for hours,
minutes and seconds. This function can be used to
convert a time based on these three elements to a
decimal time value. Hour, minute and second must
all be integers.
TIMEVALUE(text) Returns the internal time number from a text
enclosed by quotes in a time entry format. The
internal number indicated as a decimal is the result
of the date system used under OOo to calculate date
entries.
402 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
TODAY() Returns the current computer system date. The value
is updated when your document recalculates. TODAY
is a function without arguments.
WEEKDAY(number; type) Returns the day of the week for the given number
(date value). The day is returned as an integer based
on the type. Type determines the type of calculation:
type = 1 (default), the weekdays are counted starting
from Sunday (Monday = 0); type = 2, the weekdays
are counted starting from Monday (Monday = 1);
type = 3, the weekdays are counted starting from
Monday (Monday = 0).
WEEKNUM(number; mode) Calculates the number of the calendar week of the
year for the internal date number. Mode sets the
start of the week and the calculation type: 1 =
Sunday, 2 = Monday.
WEEKNUM_ADD(date;
return_type)
Calculates the calendar week of the year for a Date.
Date is the date within the calendar week.
Return_type sets the start of the week and the
calculation type: 1 = Sunday, 2 = Monday.
WEEKS(start_date; end_date;
type)
Calculates the difference in weeks between two
dates, start_date and end_date. Type is one of two
possible values, 0 (interval) or 1 (in numbers of
weeks).
WEEKSINYEAR(date) Calculates the number of weeks in a year until a
certain date. A week that spans two years is added
to the year in which most days of that week occur.
WORKDAY(start_date; days;
holidays)
Returns a date number that can be formatted as a
date. You then see the date of a day that is a certain
number of Workdays away from the start_date.
Holidays (optional) is a list of holidays. Enter a cell
range in which the holidays are listed individually.
YEAR(number) Returns the year as a number according to the
internal calculation rules. Number shows the
internal date value for which the year is to be
returned.
YEARFRAC(start_date;
end_date; basis)
Returns a number between 0 and 1, representing the
fraction of a year between start_date and end_date.
Start_date and end_date are two date values. Basis
is chosen from a list of options and indicates how the
year is to be calculated.
YEARS(tart_date; end_date;
type)
Calculates the difference in years between two
dates: the start_date and the end_date. Type
calculates the type of difference.
Appendix B Description of Functions 403
Logical functions
Use the logical functions to test values and produce results based on the result of the
test. These functions are conditional and provide the ability to write longer formulas
based on input or output.
Table 39: Logical functions
Syntax Description
AND(logical_value_1;
logical_value_2;
...logical_value_30)
Returns TRUE if all arguments are TRUE. If any element
is FALSE, this function returns the FALSE value.
Logical_value_1; logical_value_2; ...logical_value_30
are conditions to be checked. All conditions can be either
TRUE or FALSE. If a range is entered as a parameter, the
function uses the value from the range that is in the
current column or row. The result is TRUE if the logical
value in all cells within the cell range is TRUE
FALSE() Set the logical value to FALSE. The FALSE() function does
not require any arguments.
IF(test; then_value;
otherwise_value)
Specifies a logical test to be performed. Test is any value
or expression that can be TRUE or FALSE. Then_value
(optional) is the value that is returned if the logical test is
TRUE. Otherwise_value (optional) is the value that is
returned if the logical test is FALSE.
NOT(logical_value) Reverses the logical value. Logical_value is any value to
be reversed.
OR(logical_value_1;
logical_value_2;
...logical_value_30)
Returns TRUE if at least one argument is TRUE. Returns
the value FALSE if all the arguments have the logical
value FALSE. Logical_value_1; logical_value_2;
...logical_value_30 are conditions to be checked. All
conditions can be either TRUE or FALSE. If a range is
entered as a parameter, the function uses the value from
the range that is in the current column or row.
TRUE() Sets the logical value to TRUE. The TRUE() function does
not require any arguments.
404 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Informational functions
These functions provide information (or feedback) regarding the results of a test for a
specific condition, or a test for the type of data or content a cell contains.
Table 40: Informational functions
Syntax Description
CELL(info_type; reference) Returns information on a cell such as its address,
formatting or contents of a cell based on the value of
the info_type argument. Info_type specifies the type
of information to be returned and comes from a
predefined list of arguments. Info_type is not case
sensitive, but it must be enclosed within quotes.
Reference is the address of the cell to be examined. If
reference is a range, the cell reference moves to the
top left of the range. If reference is missing, Calc uses
the position of the cell in which this formula is located.
CURRENT() Calculates the current value of a formula at the actual
position.
FORMULA(reference) Displays the formula of a formula cell at any position.
The formula will be returned as a string in the
Reference position. If no formula cell can be found, or
if the presented argument is not a reference, returns
the error value #N/A.
ISBLANK(value) Returns TRUE if the reference to a cell is blank. This
function is used to determine if the content of a cell is
empty. A cell with a formula inside is not empty. If an
error occurs, the function returns a logical or
numerical value. Value is the content to be tested.
ISERR(value) Returns TRUE if the value refers to any error value
except #N/A. You can use this function to control error
values in certain cells. If an error occurs, the function
returns a logical or numerical value. Value is any value
or expression in which a test is performed to determine
whether an error value not equal to #N/A is present.
ISERROR(value) The ISERROR tests if the cells contain general error
values. ISERROR recognizes the #N/A error value. If
an error occurs, the function returns a logical or
numerical value. Value is any value where a test is
performed to determine whether it is an error value.
ISEVEN_ADD(number) Tests for even numbers. Returns TRUE (1) if the
number returns a whole number when divided by 2.
ISFORMULA(reference) Returns TRUE if a cell is a formula cell. If an error
occurs, the function returns a logical or numerical
value. Reference indicates the reference to a cell in
which a test will be performed to determine if it
contains a reference.
Appendix B Description of Functions 405
Syntax Description
ISLOGICAL(value) Returns TRUE if the cell contains a logical number
format. The function is used in order to check for both
TRUE and FALSE values in certain cells. If an error
occurs, the function returns a logical or numerical
value. Value is the value to be tested for logical
number format.
ISNA(value) Returns TRUE if a cell contains the #N/A (value not
available) error value. If an error occurs, the function
returns a logical or numerical value. Value is the value
or expression to be tested.
ISNONTEXT(value) Tests if the cell contents are text or numbers, and
returns FALSE if the contents are text. If an error
occurs, the function returns a logical or numerical
value. Value is any value or expression where a test is
performed to determine whether it is a text or numbers
or a Boolean value.
ISNUMBER(value) Returns TRUE if the value refers to a number. If an
error occurs, the function returns a logical or
numerical value. Value is any expression to be tested
to determine whether it is a number or text.
ISODD_ADD(number) Returns TRUE (1) if the number does not return a
whole number when divided by 2. Number is the
number to be tested.
ISREF(value) Tests if the content of one or several cells is a
reference. Verifies the type of references in a cell or a
range of cells. If an error occurs, the function returns a
logical or numerical value. Value is the value to be
tested, to determine whether it is a reference.
ISTEXT(value) Returns TRUE if the cell contents refer to text. If an
error occurs, the function returns a logical or
numerical value. Value is a value, number, Boolean
value, or error value to be tested.
N(value) Returns the number 1, if the parameter is TRUE.
Returns the parameter, if the parameter is a number.
Returns the number 0 for other parameters. If an error
occurs, the function returns a logical or numerical
value. Value is the parameter to be converted into a
number.
NA() Returns the error value #N/A.
TYPE(value) Returns the type of value. If an error occurs, the
function returns a logical or numerical value. Value is a
specific value for which the data type is determined.
Value 1 = number, value 2 = text, value 4 = Boolean
value, value 8 = formula, value 16 = error value.
406 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Database functions
This section deals with functions used with data organized as one row of data for one
record. The Database category should not be confused with the Base database
component in OpenOffice.org. A Calc database is simple a range of cells that
comprises a block of related data where each row contains a separate record. There
is no connection between a database in OpenOffice.org and the Database category in
OOo Calc.
The database functions use the following common arguments:
•Database is a range of cells which define the database.
•Database_field specifies the column where the function operates on after the
search criteria of the first parameter is applied and the data rows are selected.
It is not related to the search criteria itself. The number 0 specifies the whole
data range. To reference a column by using the column header name, place
quotation marks around the header name.
•Search_criteria is a cell range containing the search criteria.. Empty cells in
the search criteria range will be ignored.
Note
All of the search-criteria arguments for the database functions support
regular expressions. For example, “all.*” can be entered to find the first
location of “all” followed by any characters. To search for text that is also a
regular expression, precede every character with a \ character. You can
switch the automatic evaluation of regular expressions on and off in Tools
> Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > Calculate.
Table 41: Database average
Syntax Description
DAVERAGE(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Returns the average of the values of all cells (fields) in all
rows (database records) that match the specified
search_criteria. The search supports regular
expressions.
DCOUNT(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Counts the number of rows (records) in a database that
match the specified search_criteria and contain
numerical values. The search supports regular
expressions. For the database_field parameter, enter a
cell address to specify the column, or enter the number 0
for the entire database. The parameter cannot be empty.
DCOUNTA(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Counts the number of rows (records) in a database that
match the specified search_criteria and contain
numeric or alphanumeric values. The search supports
regular expressions.
DGET(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Returns the contents of the referenced cell in a database
which matches the specified search_criteria. In case of
an error, the function returns either #VALUE! for no row
found, or Err502 for more than one cell found.
Appendix B Description of Functions 407
Syntax Description
DMAX(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Returns the maximum content of a cell (field) in a
database (all records) that matches the specified
search_criteria. The search supports regular
expressions.
DMIN(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Returns the minimum content of a cell (field) in a
database that matches the specified search_criteria.
The search supports regular expressions.
DPRODUCT(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Multiplies all cells of a data range where the cell
contents match the search_criteria. The search supports
regular expressions.
DSTDEV(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Calculates the standard deviation of a population based
on a sample, using the numbers in a database column
that match the search_criteria. The records are treated
as a sample of data. Note that a representative result of a
large population can not be obtained from a sample of
fewer than one thousand.
DSTDEVP(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Calculates the standard deviation of a population based
on all cells of a data range which match the
search_criteria. The records from the example are
treated as the whole population.
DSUM(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Returns the total of all cells in a database field in all rows
(records) that match the specified search_criteria. The
search supports regular expressions.
DVAR(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Returns the variance of all cells of a database field in all
records that match the specified search_criteria. The
records from the example are treated as a sample of
data. A representative result of a large population cannot
be obtained from a sample population of fewer than one
thousand.
DVARP(database;
database_field;
search_criteria)
Calculates the variance of all cell values in a database
field in all records that match the specified
search_criteria. The records are from the example are
treated as an entire population.
Array functions
Table 42: Array functions
Syntax Description
FREQUENCY(data;
classes)
Calculates the frequency distribution in a one-column-
array. The default value supply and the number of
intervals or classes are used to count how many values
are omitted on the single intervals. Data is the array of,
or reference to, the set of values to be counted. Classes
is the array of the class set.
408 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
GROWTH(data_Y; data_X;
new_data_X;
function_type)
Calculates the points of an exponential trend in an array.
Data_Y is the Y Data array. Data_X (optional) is the X
Data array. New_Data_X (optional) is the X data array, in
which the values are recalculated. Function_type is
optional. If function_type = 0, functions in the form y =
m^x are calculated. Otherwise, y = b*m^x functions are
calculated.
LINEST(data_Y; data_X;
linear_type; stats)
Returns the parameters of a linear trend. Data_Y is the Y
Data array. Data_X (optional) is the X Data array.
Linear_Type (optional): If the line goes through the zero
point, then set Linear_Type = 0. Stats (optional): If
Stats=0, only the regression coefficient is calculated.
Otherwise, other statistics will be seen.
LOGEST(data_Y; data_X;
function_type; stats)
Calculates the adjustment of the entered data as an
exponential regression curve (y=b*m^x). Data_Y is the Y
Data array. Data_X (optional) is the X Data array.
Function_type (optional): If function_type = 0, functions
in the form y = m^x are calculated. Otherwise, y =
b*m^x functions are calculated. Stats (optional). If
Stats=0, only the regression coefficient is calculated.
MDETERM(array) Returns the array determinant of an array. This function
returns a value in the current cell; it is not necessary to
define a range for the results. Array is a square array in
which the determinants are defined.
MINVERSE(array) Returns the inverse array. Array is a square array that is
to be inverted.
MMULT(array; array) Calculates the array product of two arrays. The number
of columns for array 1 must match the number of rows
for array 2. The square array has an equal number of
rows and columns. Array at first place is the first array
used in the array product. Array at second place is the
second array with the same number of rows.
MUNIT(dimensions) Returns the unitary square array of a certain size. The
unitary array is a square array where the main diagonal
elements equal 1 and all other array elements are equal
to 0. Dimensions refers to the size of the array unit.
SUMPRODUCT(array 1;
array 2; ...array 30)
Multiplies corresponding elements in the given arrays,
and returns the sum of those products. Array 1; array
2;...array 30 are arrays whose corresponding elements
are to be multiplied. At least one array must be part of
the argument list. If only one array is given, all array
elements are summed.
SUMX2MY2(array_X;
array_Y)
Returns the sum of the difference of squares of
corresponding values in two arrays. Array_X is the first
array whose elements are to be squared and added.
Array_Y is the second array whose elements are to be
squared and subtracted.
Appendix B Description of Functions 409
Syntax Description
SUMX2PY2(array_X;
array_Y)
Returns the sum of the sum of squares of corresponding
values in two arrays. Array_X is the first array whose
arguments are to be squared and added. Array_Y is the
second array, whose elements are to be added and
squared.
SUMXMY2(array_X;
array_Y)
Adds the squares of the variance between corresponding
values in two arrays. Array_X is the first array whose
elements are to be subtracted and squared. Array_Y is
the second array, whose elements are to be subtracted
and squared.
TRANSPOSE(array) Transposes the rows and columns of an array. Array is
the array in the spreadsheet that is to be transposed.
TREND(data_Y; data_X;
new_data_X; linear_Type)
Returns values along a linear trend. Data_Y is the Y Data
array. Data_X (optional) is the X Data array. New_data_X
(optional) is the array of the X data, which are used for
recalculating values. Linear_type is optional. If
linear_type = 0, then lines will be calculated through
the zero point. Otherwise, offset lines will also be
calculated. The default is linear_type <> 0.
Spreadsheet functions
Use spreadsheet functions to search and address cell ranges and provide feedback
regarding the contents of a cell or range of cells. You can use functions such as
HYPERLINK() and DDE() to connect to other documents or data sources.
Table 43: Spreadsheet functions
Syntax Description
ADDRESS(row; column; abs;
sheet)
Returns a cell address (reference) as text,
according to the specified row and column
numbers. Optionally, whether the address is
interpreted as an absolute address (for example,
$A$1) or as a relative address (as A1) or in a mixed
form (A$1 or $A1) can be determined. The name of
the sheet can also be specified. Row is the row
number for the cell reference. Column is the
column number for the cell reference (the number,
not the letter). Abs determines the type of
reference. Sheet is the name of the sheet.
AREAS(reference) Returns the number of individual ranges that
belong to a multiple range. A range can consist of
contiguous cells or a single cell. Reference is the
reference to a cell or cell range.
CHOOSE(index; value1; ...
value30)
Uses an index to return a value from a list of up to
30 values. Index is a reference or number between
1 and 30 indicating which value is to be taken from
the list. Value1; ... value30 is the list of values
entered as a reference to a cell or as individual
values.
410 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
COLUMN(reference) Returns the column number of a cell reference. If
the reference is a cell, the column number of the
cell is returned; if the parameter is a cell area, the
corresponding column numbers are returned in a
single-row array if the formula is entered as an
array formula. If the COLUMN function with an
area reference parameter is not used for an array
formula, only the column number of the first cell
within the area is determined. Reference is the
reference to a cell or cell area whose first column
number is to be found. If no reference is entered,
the column number of the cell in which the formula
is entered is found. Calc automatically sets the
reference to the current cell.
COLUMNS(array) Returns the number of columns in the given
reference. Array is the reference to a cell range
whose total number of columns is to be found. The
argument can also be a single cell.
DDE(server; file; range; mode) Returns the result of a DDE-based link. If the
contents of the linked range or section changes,
the returned value will also change. The
spreadsheet can be reloaded, or Edit > Links
selected, to see the updated links. Cross-platform
links, for example from an OpenOffice.org
installation running on a Windows machine to a
document created on a Linux machine, are not
supported. Server is the name of a server
application. OpenOffice.org applications have the
server name “Soffice”. File is the complete file
name, including path. Range is the area containing
the data to be evaluated. Mode is an optional
parameter that controls the method by which the
DDE server converts its data into numbers.
ERRORTYPE(reference) Returns the number corresponding to an error
value occurring in a different cell. With the aid of
this number, an error message text can be
generated. If an error occurs, the function returns
a logical or numerical value. Reference contains
the address of the cell in which the error occurs.
HLOOKUP(search_criteria;
array; index; sorted)
Searches for a value and reference to the cells
below the selected area. This function verifies if the
first row of an array contains a certain value. The
function returns the value in a row of the array,
named in the index, in the same column. The
search supports regular expressions.
HYPERLINK(URL) or
HYPERLINK(URL; cell_text)
When a cell that contains the HYPERLINK function
is clicked, the hyperlink opens. URL specifies the
link target. The optional cell_text argument is the
text displayed in the cell. If the cell_text parameter
is not specified, the URL is displayed.
Appendix B Description of Functions 411
Syntax Description
INDEX(reference; row; column;
range)
Returns the content of a cell, specified by row and
column number or an optional range name.
Reference is a cell reference, entered either
directly or by specifying a range name. If the
reference consists of multiple ranges, the reference
or range name must be enclosed in parentheses.
Row (optional) is the row number of the reference
range, for which to return a value. Column
(optional) is the column number of the reference
range, for which to return a value. Range
(optional) is the index of the subrange if referring
to a multiple range.
INDIRECT(reference) Returns the reference specified by a text string.
This function can also be used to return the area of
a corresponding string. Reference is a reference
to a cell or an area (in text form) for which to
return the contents.
LOOKUP(search_criterion;
search_vector; result_vector)
Returns the contents of a cell either from a one-row
or one-column range or from an array. Optionally,
the assigned value (of the same index) is returned
in a different column and row. As opposed to
VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP, search and result
vectors may be at different positions; they do not
have to be adjacent. Additionally, the search vector
for the LOOKUP must be sorted, otherwise the
search will not return any usable results. The
search supports regular expressions.
Search_criterion is the value to be searched for;
entered either directly or as a reference.
Search_vector is the single-row or single-column
area to be searched. Result_vector is another
single-row or single-column range from which the
result of the function is taken. The result is the cell
of the result vector with the same index as the
instance found in the search vector.
MATCH(search_criterion;
lookup_array; type)
Returns the relative position of an item in an array
that matches a specified value. The function
returns the position of the value found in the
lookup_array as a number. Search_criterion is the
value which is to be searched for in the single-row
or single-column array. Lookup_array is the
reference searched. A lookup array can be a single
row or column, or part of a single row or column.
Type may take the values 1, 0, or –1. This
corresponds to the same function in Microsoft
Excel. The search supports regular expressions
412 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
OFFSET(reference; rows;
columns; height; width)
Returns the value of a cell offset by a certain
number of rows and columns from a given
reference point. Reference is the cell from which
the function searches for the new reference. Rows
is the number of cells by which the reference was
corrected up (negative value) or down. Columns is
the number of columns by which the reference was
corrected to the left (negative value) or to the
right. Height is the optional vertical height for an
area that starts at the new reference position.
Width is the optional horizontal width for an area
that starts at the new reference position.
ROW(reference) Returns the row number of a cell reference. If the
reference is a cell, it returns the row number of the
cell. If the reference is a cell range, it returns the
corresponding row numbers in a one-column Array
if the formula is entered as an array formula. If the
ROW function with a range reference is not used in
an array formula, only the row number of the first
range cell will be returned. Reference is a cell, an
area, or the name of an area. If a reference is not
indicated, Calc automatically sets the reference to
the current cell.
ROWS(array) Returns the number of rows in a reference or array.
Array is the reference or named area whose total
number of rows is to be determined.
SHEET(reference) Returns the sheet number of a reference or a string
representing a sheet name. If no parameters are
entered, the result is the sheet number of the
spreadsheet containing the formula. Reference
(optional) is the reference to a cell, an area, or a
sheet name string.
SHEETS(reference) Determines the number of sheets in a reference. If
no parameters are entered, the result is the
number of sheets in the current document.
Reference (optional) is the reference to a sheet or
an area.
STYLE(style; time; style2) Applies a style to the cell containing the formula.
After a set amount of time, another style can be
applied. This function always returns the value 0,
allowing it to be added to another function without
changing the value. Style is the name of a cell style
assigned to the cell. Time is an optional time range
in seconds. Style2 is the optional name of a cell
style assigned to the cell after a certain amount of
time has passed.
Appendix B Description of Functions 413
Syntax Description
VLOOKUP(search_criterion;
array; index; sort_order)
Searches vertically with reference to adjacent cells
to the right. If a specific value is contained in the
first column of an array, returns the value to the
same line of a specific array column named by
index. The search supports regular expressions.
Search_criterion is the value searched for in the
first column of the array. Array is the reference,
which must include at least two columns. Index is
the number of the column in the array that
contains the value to be returned. The first column
has the number 1. Sort_order (optional) indicates
whether the first column in the array is sorted in
ascending order.
Text functions
Use Calc’s text functions to search and manipulate text strings or character codes.
Table 44: Text functions
Syntax Description
ARABIC(text) Calculates the value of a Roman number. The value
range must be between 0 and 3999. Text is the text
that represents a Roman number.
BASE(number; radix;
[minimum_length])
Converts a positive integer to a specified base then
into text using the characters from the base's
numbering system (decimal, binary, hexadecimal,
etc.). Only the digits 0-9 and the letters A-Z are used.
Number is the positive integer to be converted.
Radix is the base of the number system. It may be
any positive integer between 2 and 36.
Minimum_length (optional) is the minimum length
of the character sequence that has been created. If
the text is shorter than the indicated minimum length,
zeros are added to the left of the string.
CHAR(number) Converts a number into a character according to the
current code table. The number can be a two-digit or
three-digit integer number. Number is a number
between 1 and 255 representing the code value for
the character.
CLEAN(text) Removes all non-printing characters from the string.
Text refers to the text from which to remove all non-
printable characters.
CODE(text) Returns a numeric code for the first character in a
text string. Text is the text for which the code of the
first character is to be found.
CONCATENATE(text_1;
text_2; ...; text_30)
Combines several text strings into one string. Text_1;
text_2; ... text_30 are text passages that are to be
combined into one string.
414 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
DECIMAL(text; radix) Converts text with characters from a number system
to a positive integer in the base radix given. The radix
must be in the range 2 to 36. Spaces and tabs are
ignored. The text field is not case-sensitive. Text is
the text to be converted. To differentiate between a
hexadecimal number, such as A1 and the reference to
cell A1, place the number in quotation marks; for
example, "A1" or "FACE”. Radix is the base of the
number system. It may be any positive integer
between 2 and 36.
DOLLAR(value; decimals) Converts a number to an amount in the currency
format, rounded to a specified decimal place. Value is
the number to be converted to currency; it can be a
number, a reference to a cell containing a number, or
a formula which returns a number. Decimals
(optional) is the number of decimal places. If no
decimals value is specified, all numbers in currency
format will be displayed with two decimal places. The
currency format is set in the system settings.
EXACT(text_1; text_2) Compares two text strings and returns TRUE if they
are identical. This function is case-sensitive. Text_1 is
the first text to compare. Text_2 is the second text to
compare.
FIND(find_text; text;
position)
Looks for a string of text within another string. Where
to begin the search can also be defined. The search
term can be a number or any string of characters.
The search is case-sensitive. Find_text is the text to
be found. Text is the text where the search takes
place. Position (optional) is the position in the text
from which the search starts.
FIXED(number; decimals;
no_thousands_separator)
Specifies that a number be displayed with a fixed
number of decimal places and with or without a
thousands separator. This function can be used to
apply a uniform format to a column of numbers.
Number is the number to be formatted. Decimals is
the number of decimal places to be displayed.
No_thousands_separator (optional) determines
whether the thousands separator is used or not. If the
parameter is a number not equal to 0, the thousands
separator is suppressed. If the parameter is equal to
0 or if it is missing altogether, the thousands
separators of the current locale setting are displayed.
LEFT(text; number) Returns the first character or characters in a text
string. Text is the text where the initial partial words
are to be determined. Number (optional) is the
number of characters for the start text. If this
parameter is not defined, one character is returned.
LEN(text) Returns the length of a string including spaces. Text
is the text whose length is to be determined.
Appendix B Description of Functions 415
Syntax Description
LOWER(text) Converts all uppercase letters in a text string to
lowercase. Text is the text to be converted.
MID(text; start; number) Returns a text segment of a character string. The
parameters specify the starting position and the
number of characters. Text is the text containing the
characters to extract. Start is the position of the first
character in the text to extract. Number is the
number of characters in the part of the text.
PROPER(text) Capitalizes the first letter in all words of a text string.
Text is the text to be converted.
REPLACE(text; position;
length; new_text)
Replaces part of a text string with a different text
string. This function can be used to replace both
characters and numbers (which are automatically
converted to text). The result of the function is always
displayed as text. To perform further calculations with
a number which has been replaced by text, convert it
back to a number using the VALUE function. Any text
containing numbers must be enclosed in quotation
marks so it is not interpreted as a number and
automatically converted to text. Text is text of which
a part will be replaced. Position is the position within
the text where the replacement will begin. Length is
the number of characters in text to be replaced.
New_text is the text which replaces text..
REPT(text; number) Repeats a character string by the given number of
copies. Text is the text to be repeated. Number is the
number of repetitions. The result can be a maximum
of 255 characters.
RIGHT(text; number) Defines the last character or characters in a text
string. Text is the text of which the right part is to be
determined. Number (optional) is the number of
characters from the right part of the text.
ROMAN(number; mode) Converts a number into a Roman numeral. The value
range must be between 0 and 3999; the modes can be
integers from 0 to 4. Number is the number that is to
be converted into a Roman numeral. Mode (optional)
indicates the degree of simplification. The higher the
value, the greater is the simplification of the Roman
numeral.
ROT13(text) Encrypts a character string by moving the characters
13 positions in the alphabet. After the letter Z, the
alphabet begins again (Rotation). Applying the
encryption function again to the resulting code,
decrypts the text. Text: Enter the character string to
be encrypted. ROT13(ROT13(Text)) decrypts the
code.
416 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
SEARCH(find_text; text;
position)
Returns the position of a text segment within a
character string. The start of the search can be set as
an option. The search text can be a number or any
sequence of characters. The search is not case-
sensitive. The search supports regular expressions.
Find_text is the text to be searched for. Text is the
text where the search will take place. Position
(optional) is the position in the text where the search
is to start.
SUBSTITUTE(text;
search_text; new text;
occurrence)
Substitutes new text for old text in a string. Text is
the text in which text segments are to be exchanged.
Search_text is the text segment that is to be
replaced (a number of times). New text is the text
that is to replace the text segment. Occurrence
(optional) indicates how many occurrences of the
search text are to be replaced. If this parameter is
missing, the search text is replaced throughout.
T(value) Converts a number to a blank text string. Value is the
value to be converted. Also, a reference can be used
as a parameter. If the referenced cell includes a
number or a formula containing a numerical result,
the result will be an empty string.
TEXT(number; format) Converts a number into text according to a given
format. Number is the numerical value to be
converted. Format is the text which defines the
format. Use decimal and thousands separators
according to the language set in the cell format.
TRIM(text) Removes spaces that are in front of a string, or aligns
cell contents to the left. Text is the text in which
leading spaces are removed, or the cell in which the
contents will be left-aligned.
UPPER(text) Converts the string specified in the text parameter to
uppercase. Text is the lower case letters you want to
convert to upper case.
VALUE(text) Converts a text string into a number. Text is the text
to be converted to a number.
Add-in functions
Table 45: Add-in functions
Syntax Description
BESSELI(x; n) Calculates the modified Bessel function In(x). x is
the value on which the function will be calculated.
n is the order of the Bessel function.
Appendix B Description of Functions 417
Syntax Description
BESSELJ(x; n) Calculates the Bessel function Jn(x) (cylinder
function). x is the value on which the function will
be calculated. n is the order of the Bessel function.
BESSELK(x; n) Calculates the modified Bessel function Kn(x). x is
the value on which the function will be calculated.
n is the order of the Bessel function.
BESSELY(x; n) Calculates the modified Bessel function Yn(x), also
known as the Weber or Neumann function. x is the
value on which the function will be calculated. n is
the order of the Bessel function.
BIN2DEC(number) Returns the decimal number for the binary number
entered. Number is the binary number.
BIN2HEX(number; places) Returns the hexadecimal number for the binary
number entered. Number is the binary number.
Places is the number of places to be output.
BIN2OCT(number; places) Returns the octal number for the binary number
entered. Number is the binary number. Places is
the number of places to be output.
COMPLEX(real_num; i_num;
suffix)
Returns a complex number from a real coefficient
and an imaginary coefficient. Real_num is the real
coefficient of the complex number. I_num is the
imaginary coefficient of the complex number.
Suffix is list of options, "i” or "j”.
CONVERT_ADD(number;
from_unit; to_unit)
Converts a value from one unit of measure to the
corresponding value in another unit of measure.
Number is the number to be converted.
From_unit is the unit from which conversion is
taking place. To_unit is the unit to which
conversion is taking place.
DEC2BIN(number; places) Returns the binary number for the decimal number
entered between –512 and 511. Number is the
decimal number. Places is the number of places to
be output.
DEC2HEX(number; places) Returns the hexadecimal number for the decimal
number entered. Number is the decimal number.
Places is the number of places to be output.
DEC2OCT(number; places) Returns the octal number for the decimal number
entered. Number is the decimal number. Places is
the number of places to be output.
DELTA(number_1; number_2) Returns TRUE (1) if both numbers are equal,
otherwise returns FALSE (0).
ERF(lower_limit; upper_limit) Returns values of the Gaussian error integral.
Lower_limit is the lower limit of integral.
Upper_limit (optional) is the upper limit of the
integral. If this value is missing, the calculation
takes places between 0 and the lower limit.
418 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Syntax Description
ERFC(lower_limit) Returns complementary values of the Gaussian
error integral between x and infinity. Lower limit
is the lower limit of integral (x).
FACTDOUBLE(number) Returns the factorial of the number with
increments of 2. If the number is even, the
following factorial is calculated: n*(N-2)*(n-
4)*...*4*2. If the number is uneven, the following
factorial is calculated: n*(N-2)*(n-4)*...*3*1.
GESTEP(number; step) Returns 1 if number is greater than or equal to
step.
HEX2BIN(number; places) Returns the binary number for the hexadecimal
number entered. Number is the hexadecimal
number. Places is the number of places to be
output.
HEX2DEC(number) Returns the decimal number for the hexadecimal
number entered. Number is the hexadecimal
number.
HEX2OCT(number; places) Returns the octal number for the hexadecimal
number entered. Number is the hexadecimal
number. Places is the number of places to be
output.
IMABS(complex_number) Returns the absolute value (modulus) of a
complex_number. The complex number is
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMAGINARY(complex _number) Returns the imaginary coefficient of a
complex_number. The complex number is
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMARGUMENT(complex
_number)
Returns the argument (the phi angle) of a
complex_number. The complex number is
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMCONJUGATE(complex
_number)
Returns the conjugated complex complement to a
complex_number. The complex number is
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMCOS(complex_number) Returns the cosine of a complex_number. The
complex number is entered in the form "x + yi" or
"x + yj"
IMDIV(numerator;
denominator)
Returns the division of two complex numbers.
Numerator, Denominator are entered in the
form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMEXP(complex_number) Returns the power of e (the Eulerian number) and
the complex number. The complex_number is
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMLN(complex_number) Returns the natural logarithm of a
complex_number. The complex_number is
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj”
Appendix B Description of Functions 419
Syntax Description
IMLOG10(complex _number) Returns the common logarithm of a
complex_number. The complex number is
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMLOG2(complex _number) Returns the binary logarithm of a
complex_number. The complex number is
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMPOWER(complex _number;
number)
Returns the integer power of a complex_number.
The complex number is entered in the form "x +
yi" or "x + yj". Number is the exponent.
IMPRODUCT(complex _number;
complex_number_1; ...)
Returns the product of up to 29
complex_numbers. The complex numbers are
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMREAL(complex _number) Returns the real coefficient of a
complex_number. The complex number is
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMSIN(complex_number) Returns the sine of a complex_number. The
complex number is entered in the form "x + yi" or
"x + yj"
IMSQRT(complex_number) Returns the square root of a complex_number.
The complex numbers are entered in the form "x +
yi" or "x + yj"
IMSUB(complex_number_1;
complex_number_2)
Returns the subtraction of two
complex_numbers. The complex_numbers are
entered in the form "x + yi" or "x + yj"
IMSUM(complex_number;
complex_number_1; ...)
Returns the sum of up to 29 complex numbers. The
complex_numbers are entered in the form "x +
yi" or "x + yj"
OCT2BIN(number; places) Returns the binary number for the octal number
entered. Number is the octal number. Places is
the number of places to be output.
OCT2DEC(number) Returns the decimal number for the octal number
entered. Number is the octal number.
OCT2HEX(number; places) Returns the hexadecimal number for the octal
number entered. Number is the octal number.
Places is the number of places to be output.
420 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Appendix C
Calc Error Codes
Introduction to Calc error codes
Calc provides feedback for errors of miscalculation, incorrect use of functions, invalid
cell references and values, and other user initiated mistakes. The feedback may be
displayed within the cell that contains the error (Figure 353) or on the status bar
(Figure 354) or in both, depending on the type of error. Generally speaking, if the
error occurs in the cell that is selected (or contains the cursor), the error message is
displayed on the status bar.
As an example, Figure 353 shows the error code returned when a column is too
narrow to display the entire formatted date. The date displayed within the input line,
04/05/1998, would fit within the cell without a problem, but the format used by the
cell produces the date value Sunday, April 05, 1998.
Figure 353: Error codes displayed within cells
When the cell displaying the #REF error code in Figure 353 is selected, the status
bar displays the error message as shown in Figure 354. This message is more
descriptive than the message displayed in the cell, but it still may not provide enough
information to correctly diagnose the problem. For fuller explanations, consult the
following tables and the Help topic, Error Codes in OpenOffice.org Calc.
Figure 354: An error message displayed in the status bar.
This appendix presents error codes in two tables. This first table explains error
messages which are displayed within the cell that actually contains the error. Except
in the case of the ### error, they all correspond to a Calc error code number. The
second table explains all of the error codes, listed by code number, including those
errors codes in the first table.
422 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Error codes displayed within cells
Cell error Code Explanation of the error
### N/A The column is too narrow to display the complete
formatted contents of the cell. This is not really an error
value, so there is no corresponding numerical error code.
The solutions to this problem are to increase the width of
the column. or select Format > Cells > Alignment and
click either Wrap text automatically or Shrink to fit cell
size to make the text match the current column width.
Err502 502 Function argument is not valid, or more than one
matching cell is found by the DGET function.
#NUM! 503 A calculation resulted in an overflow of the defined value
range.
#VALUE 519 The formula within the cell returns a value that does not
correspond to the definition of the formula or functions
used. This error could also mean that the cell referenced
by the formula contains text instead of a number.
#REF! 524 The formula within the cell uses a reference that does not
exist. Either a column or row description name could not
be resolved, or the column, row, or sheet that contains a
referenced cell is missing.
#NAME? 525 An identifier could not be evaluated: no valid reference, no
valid domain name, no column/row label, no macro,
incorrect decimal divider, add-in not found. For example,
entering in a cell =sum(bob*5) where there is no cell
named “bob” or containing the text “bob” generates this
error.
#DIV/0! 532 Division operator / if the denominator is 0.
Some more functions return this error; see next table for
details.
Appendix C Calc Error Codes 423
General error codes
The following table is an overview of the most common error messages for OOo Calc.
Note
Errors described as Internal errors should not be encountered by users
under normal conditions. Errors listed as Not used are not currently
assigned to any error condition and will not occur.
Code Message Explanation of the error
501 Invalid character Character in a formula is not valid. This error is the
same as the Invalid Name error (525) except that it
occurs within a formula. The cell containing the
error will display the #NAME? error reference.
502 Invalid argument Function argument is not valid; for example, a
negative number for the root function. This error
also occurs if more than one matching cell is found
by the DGET function.
503 Invalid floating
point operation
(cell displays
#NUM!)
Division by 0, or another calculation that results in
an overflow of the defined value range (a value too
big or too small).
504 Parameter list
error
Function parameter is not valid; for example, text
instead of a number, or a domain reference instead
of a cell reference.
505 Internal syntax
error
Not used.
506 Invalid semicolon Not used.
507 Pair missing Not used.
508 Pair missing Missing bracket or parenthesis; for example, closing
brackets but no opening brackets.
509 Missing operator Operator is missing; for example,
"=2(3+4) * ", where the operator between "2" and
"(" is missing.
510 Missing variable Variable is missing; for example, when two
operators are together "=1+*2".
511 Missing variable Function requires more variables than are provided;
for example, AND() and OR().
512 Formula overflow The total number of internal tokens (that is,
operators, variables, brackets) in the formula
exceeds 512, or the total number of matrices the
formula creates exceeds 150. This includes basic
functions that receive too large an array as a
parameter.
424 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Code Message Explanation of the error
513 String overflow An identifier in the formula exceeds 64 KB in size, or
a result of a string operation exceeds 64 KB in size.
514 Internal overflow Sort operation attempted on too much numerical
data (max. 100000) or a calculation stack overflow.
515 Internal syntax
error
Not used.
516 Internal syntax
error
Matrix is expected on the calculation stack, but is
not available.
517 Internal syntax
error
Unknown error; for example, a document with a
newer function is loaded in an older version of Calc
that does not contain the function.
518 Internal syntax
error
Variable is not available.
519 No result (cell
displays #VALUE)
Formula yields a value that does not correspond to
the definition, or a cell that is referenced in the
formula contains text instead of a number.
520 Internal syntax
error
Compiler creates an unknown compiler code.
521 Internal syntax
error
No result.
522 Circular reference Formula refers directly or indirectly to itself and the
Iterations option is not selected under Tools >
Options > OpenOffice.org Calc > Calculate.
523 The calculation
procedure does
not converge
Financial statistics function missed a targeted value,
or iterations of circular references do not reach the
minimum change within the maximum steps that are
set.
524 Invalid references
(cell displays
#REF!)
A column or row description name could not be
resolved, or the column, row, or sheet that contains
a referenced cell is missing.
525 Invalid names (cell
displays
#NAME?)
An identifier could not be evaluated; for example, no
valid reference, no valid domain name, no
column/row label, no macro, incorrect decimal
divider, add-in not found.
526 Internal syntax
error
Obsolete, no longer used, but could come from old
documents if the result is a formula from a domain.
527 Internal overflow References, such as when a cell references a cell,
are too encapsulated or deeply nested. This is an
internal error and should not be displayed in OOo
version 2.0 or greater.
Appendix C Calc Error Codes 425
Code Message Explanation of the error
528–
531
— Not used.
532 Division by zero Division operator / if the denominator is 0.
Some more functions return this error; for example:
VARP with less than 1 argument
STDEVP with less than 1 argument
VAR with less than 2 arguments
STDEV with less than 2 arguments
STANDARDIZE with stdev=0
NORMDIST with stdev=0
426 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
Index
3
3D chart
appearance 83
area chart 92
bar chart 90
choosing type 72
elements 74
formatting 82
illumination 84
pie chart 90
resizing 81
rotating interactively 84
rotation and perspective 82
A
absolute reference 170
advanced functions 192
anchor, visible 353
anchoring of objects 135
appearance of chart 83
appearance options 346
Apply Style list 14, 102
area chart 92
arguments 376
arguments in functions 176
arithmetic operators 164
array functions 408
arrow keys
navigating within spreadsheets 27
assign styles to shortcut keys 102
auto filters 322
AutoCorrect 46
AutoCorrect options 358
AutoInput 46
automatic changes, deactivating 46
automatic date conversion 46
automatic saving 22
axes labels 72
B
background
cell styles 104
bar chart 89
Base
editing data sources 277
borders
cell styles 104
bubble chart 94
C
Calc options
calculate 354
case sensitive 355
changes 357
dates 355
grid 357
grid lines, viewing 353
guides while moving 353
handles 353
input settings 351
iterative references 355
page breaks, visible 353
screen display 353
sort lists 356
unit of measurement 351
updating links 351
Zoom 354
calculation options 354
calculation order 171
calculations
linking sheets 172
case sensitive sorting 65
cell alignment and orientation 57
cell protection 105
cell styles
alignment options 104
applying 101
background 104
border options 104
description 99, 100
Fill Format mode 101
font effects 104
font options 104
linked with 104
numbers 104
cells
description 10, 16
focus 26
hiding and showing 62
information on status bar 18
range 29
selecting 29
validating contents 50
changes
accepting or rejecting 293
adding comments 288
editing comments 289
options 357
recording 287
reviewing 291
viewing 292
chart
appearance 83
area 74
changing background 81
colors 82
creating 70
Index 427
data labels 86
data labels 76
editing 74
elements 74
formatting 79, 82
graphic background 82
grids 73
mean value lines 78
moving elements 80
perspective 82
Position and Size dialog 88
resizing and moving 88
rotating interactively 84
rotation 82
titles 73
trend lines 77
types 89
Y error bars 78
chart elements 74
chart type 72, 74
chart wall 74
Chart Wizard 71
collaboration 284
color coding for input 184
color options 343
Color toolbar 126
column and line chart 97
column chart 89
columns
deleting 32
freezing 35
hiding and showing 62
inserting 32
selecting 30
comma separated values (CSV) 21, 24
comments
adding 290
editing 291
finding 291
formatting 291
comments on changes
adding 288
editing 289
comparative operators 164
comparing documents 295
concatenation operator 168
consolidating data 241
create document from template 109
creating new spreadsheets 18
cropping 126
CSV files 21, 24
custom sort order 65
customizing
Enter key 28
keyboard shortcuts 364
menus 359
toolbars 362
D
dashes, entering 45
data analysis
consolidating data 241
DataPilot 194
Goal Seek 254
introduction 241
Multiple Operations tool 249
scenarios 245
Solver 256
subtotals 243
data entry
keyboard 44
speeding up 46
data labels 86
data ranges 72
data series 73
data source
data to text 277
editing 276
editing using Base 277
linking 274
registering 274
using in OOo documents 277
viewing 276
data to text 277
database functions 407
database range 319
DataPilot
cell formatting 232
change layout 224
data fields 219
data sources 215
dialog 216
examples of use 194
filter 231
GETPIVOTDATA 236
group date or time values 226
group rows or columns 224
group scalar values 225
group without intervals 226
multiple data fields 232
page fields 224
preconditions 214
refresh 232
row or column fields 221
shortcuts 236
sort results 228
starting 215
DataPilot Tools 368
date functions 401
dates and times, entering 45
DDE link
description 281
in Calc 281
in Writer 282
default template 113
428 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
deleting
columns and rows 32
sheets 33
Detective 184
digital rights management (DRM) 155
digital signature 158
digital signature
status bar indicator 17
docking/floating windows 13
documents
comparing 295
merging 294
drag and drop 119
drag mode 40
drawing object properties 132
Drawing Object Properties toolbar 132
drawing objects
grouping 133
properties 132
resizing 133
Drawing toolbar 132
drawing tools 130
Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) 281
E
e-mailing
several recipients 157
Writer document as attachment 157
editing data
changing part of the data in a cell 52
removing data from a cell 52
replacing all data in a cell 52
en and em dashes 45
Enter key 28
EPS images in PDF 151
Err:503 Division by zero 183
error codes
common messages 424
displayed within cells 423
introduction 422
error messages 182, 187
error-checking formulas 161
errors, finding and fixing 182
EuroOffice Solver 258
export directly as PDF 151
exporting to PDF 151
Extension Manager 113
extensions
DataPilot Tools 368
installing 367
introduction 366
Professional Template Pack 368
Solver for Nonlinear Programming 368
External Data dialog 270
F
FDF 153
features 10
file sharing options 344
Fill Format mode 101
fill series
adding 47
defining 48
Fill tool 46
filled net or radar chart 96
filtering 322
filters
advanced 326
auto 322
standard 323
financial analysis functions 381
find and replace
cell styles 67
formulas or values 67
regular expressions 67
text 67
wildcards 67
fixed values 160
floating toolbars 12
focus 26
formatting
charts 79
data labels 86
symbols 87
formatting
autoformatting 59
cell background 58
cell borders 58
conditional 60
themes 60
formatting data
font 56
font effects 56
manual line breaks 54
multiple lines of text 53
numbers 55
shrinking text to fit cell 54
wrapping 53
Formatting toolbar 14
formula bar 15
formulas
absolute reference 170
breaking into parts 182
calculation examples 161
concatenation operator 168
definition 160
intersection operator 168
operator types 163
operators in 161
range operator 167
relative reference 169
strategies for creating 180
using the Basic editor to create 182
Function List 177
Function Wizard 15, 178
Index 429
functions
add-in 417
ADDRESS 336
arguments 176, 309, 376
array 408
basic arithmetic 187
CEILING 190
CONCATENATE 165
COUNTIF 331
database 330, 407
date and time 401
date formats 381
definition 160
description 160
entering 161
examples 187
financial analysis 381
FLOOR 190
HLOOKUP 334
INDEX 338
INDIRECT 336
informational 405
logical 404
LOOKUP 334
macros 303
MATCH 334
mathematical 376
MROUND 190
nested 177
OFFSET 336
overview 175
ROUND 189
ROUNDDOWN 189
ROUNDUP 189
simple statistics 188
spreadsheet 410
statistical analysis 393
structure 176
SUBTOTAL 332
SUMIF 331
terminology 376
text 414
VLOOKUP 333
G
Gallery
Hide/Show button 122
opening 122
Goal Seek 254
graphic filters 125
graphics
adding 118
anchoring 135
arrangement 134
linking 120
positioning 133
resizing 128
transparency 126
graphics mode 125
grid
options 357
grid lines, viewing 353
guides while moving 353
H
headers and footers 106
Hide/Show button 122
hiding and showing data 61
HTML compatibility 349
hyperlinks
absolute 267
creating 268
Ctrl-click to activate 345
editing 270
relative 267
removing 270
I
illumination of chart 84
image map 136
images
adding 118
context menu 128
cropping 126
embedding 120
inserting from file 118
inserting from the clipboard 121
inserting from the Gallery 121
linking 120
modifying 123
resizing 128
rotating 128
informational functions 405
input settings options 351
insert mode 17
Insert Picture dialog 118
inserting
columns and rows 32
sheets 33
interest rates 381
intersection operator 168
K
keyboard data entry 44
keyboard keys
navigating within spreadsheets 27
keyboard shortcuts
arrow keys 371
assigning 364
cell formatting 373
customizing 364
DataPilot 374
function keys 371
introduction 370
loading from a file 366
430 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
navigation 370
resetting to default values 366
saving to a file 366
selection 370
L
layout settings
format 106
page layout 105
table alignment 106
line chart 93
linking to external data
External Data dialog 270
find required range 273
Navigator 271
load Basic code to edit 348
load/save options 347
logical functions 404
M
macro recorder 299
macro security options 345
macros 366
macros
accessing cells directly 310
arguments 308
arguments in functions 309
as Calc functions 303
introduction 299
organizing 303
recording 299
sorting data 311
main window, description 10
manual line breaks 54
margins 105
mathematical functions 376
menu bar 11
menu font, customizing 358
menus
adding commands 361
creating 360
customizing 359
modifying 360
modifying entries 361
merging documents 294
Microsoft Excel 23
Microsoft Office file conversion 349
moving from sheet to sheet 28
Multiple Operations tool 249
multiple sheets
introduction 260
setting up 260
N
named range 315
navigating within spreadsheets
cell reference 26
focus 26
keyboard 27
methods 26
Navigator 26, 38
scenarios 248
nested functions 177
net chart 95
nonlinear programming solver 258
numbers as text 44
numbers, data entry 44
O
Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) 278
ODF plugin (Sun) 22
OLE object
linked 281
non-linked 280
other (Windows) 279
OpenDocument Format 347
opening spreadsheets 20
order of calculation 171
outline group controls 62
overlining 56
OXT extension 113
P
page breaks, visible 353
page style on status bar 17
page styles
applying 102
background 106
borders 106
description 99, 100
options 105
sheet settings 106
paper format 105
password protection 24
password-protect PDF 155
PDF
blank page export 153
digital rights management (DRM) 155
embed standard fonts 153
encrypt 155
EPS 151
export documents to 151
form 153
image compression and resolution 151
initial view selection 153
pages to export 151
password-protect 155
security settings 155
tagged 152
user interface settings 154
PDF Options dialog 151
PDF/A-1 152
picture context menu 128
Picture toolbar 123
Index 431
pictures
linking 120
resizing 128
transparency 126
pie chart 90
Position and Size dialog 88
Position and Size of graphics 129
precision 355
prepare document for review 287
print file directly 139
print options 343
printer metrics 352
printing
choosing what to print 139
general options 140
multiple pages per sheet 140
page orientation 140
selecting what to print 141
Professional Template Pack 368
Properties dialog 41
protect a document 287
Q
Quickstarter
Windows 18
R
range
database 319
named 315
range operators 167
record changes 286
reference operators 166
references in color 354
referencing
other spreadsheets 266
sheets 263
regular expressions 67
enable in formulas 356
in functions 191
relative reference 169
relief options 56
remove personal information on saving 345
removing data from a cell 52
renaming
sheets 34
replacing all data in a cell 52
resolution options 358
rotating images 128
rotation of chart 82
rounding methods 189
rounding off numbers 189
rows
deleting 32
freezing 35
hiding and showing 62
inserting 32
selecting 30
S
save original Basic code 348
saving AutoRecovery info 22
saving spreadsheets
as CSV file 24
as HTML 24
methods 22
to Microsoft Excel format 22
scatter chart 93
scenarios 245
security 24
selecting
cells 29
columns and rows 30
sheets 31
selection list 49
selection mode indicator 17
send document as e-mail 157
shared extension 367
shared spreadsheet
introduction 284
opening 285
saving 285
setting up 284
sheet tabs 16
sheets
deleting 33
description 10
hiding and showing 62
identifying 260
inserting 33, 261
inserting from other spreadsheets 263
navigating 28
referencing 263
renaming 34, 260
searching 66
selecting 31
sequence number 17
sharing contents 49
shrinking text to fit cell 54
size optimization 348
snap grid 357
Solver 256
Solver for Nonlinear Programming 258, 368
sort lists
options 356
sorting 320
sorting
using macros 311
sorting records
case sensitive 65
method 63
special characters 45
splitting the screen 36
spreadsheet
create from template 109
432 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide
update from changed template 112
spreadsheet functions 410
spreadsheets
comparing 295
creating new 18
description 10
documentation, internal 160
embedding 278
identifying copies 287
merging 294
opening 20
opening shared spreadsheet 285
saving 22
saving as CSV 24
saving as Microsoft Excel 22
saving shared 285
setting up sharing 284
sharing 284
statistical analysis functions 393
status bar 17
stock chart 96
strikethrough 56
Style dialog 107
style organizer 103
styles
accessing 100
assign to shortcut keys 102
assigning to shortcut keys 365
cell 100
copy 107
create by drag and drop 107
create from selection 107
create using Style dialog 107
delete 109
description 99
linking 107
modifying 103
move 107
organizer 103
page 100, 102
types supported 99
Styles and Formatting window 101
subtotals 243
synchronize axes 358
system font 358
T
tear-off toolbars 12
template
associate spreadsheet with different
template 114
create spreadsheet from 109
delete 115
delete folder 115
description 99
edit 111
export 116
Extension Manager 113
folder 115
import 116
move 115
organize 115
reset default 114
set custom template as default 114
update document styles from 112
text functions 414
text operators 164
text overflow 354
text, data entry 44
time functions 401
title bar 11
toolbars 12
adding commands 363
choosing icons for commands 363
creating 363
description 12
tooltip 12
track changes 286
transparency 126
U
underlining 56
unsaved changes indicator 17
URL Recognition 268
user data options 343
user interface, customizing 358
V
validating cell contents 50
value highlighting 353
VBA properties load/save options 348
versions
saving 295
viewing Calc 34
viewing data
filtering 63
hiding and showing 61
outline group controls 62
visible grid 358
W
wildcards 67
X
XML 348
XY chart 93
Y
Y error bars 78
Z
zoom
dialog 34
slider 18
Index 433
# #REF! Incorrect references 184
#VALUE Non-existent value 184
434 OpenOffice.org 3.3 Calc Guide

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