[GSoC] Enhanced database ranges, some clarification needed.

Hello Kohei,

Since you are the mentor for the enhanced database ranges task, I am
writing to you some questions and outlines I wanted to discuss. (keeping
them as brief as possible)

*Alternate row coloring in database ranges:*

   - Currently if I want to do that I'll need to highlight the range and go
   to Format->Conditional Formatting->Condition and then use a formula
   "=MOD(ROW()-1,1*2)+1>1" which will color alternate rows.
   - Many such twisted formulas exist for various styles we see in the
   "Format as Table" option in MS Excel. The user selects a style through a
   dialog to select "First row stripe", "Xth row stripe" etc. see
this.<http://www.techonthenet.com/excel/questions/cond_format6_2010.php>Many
styles could be brought together as well by simply ORing the
   corresponding formulas of these selections.
   - Since formulas for each of these styles are available, we can redirect
   the user to the Format->Conditional Formatting->Condition dialog, with the
   formula field filled with the corresponding formula and the field being set
   un-editable.
   - The user can now select whatever style or formatting he wants to apply
   to the condition.
   - Tell me what do you think about this approach.

*New reference syntax in formula expressions:*

   - I an guessing "field names" means the same thing as "column labels" in
   MicroSoft lingo which is the Text in the first row of the column? I haven't
   yet went ahead and explored this, will do that soon.

On a different note, I wanted to know if the bug I have fixed
#51296<https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=51296>qualifies as
an easy hack, that I have cleared the prerequisite of fixing a
bug off the easy hacks page. Also do tell me the timings you usually hang
out at the IRC. Again thanks for all the help with my first bug on LO and
hope to hear from you.


Akash. Shetye.

(she1991)