Wiki-based description of Calc functions

All,

At the last Documentation Team meeting, I agreed to initiate a wiki-based
description of the 500+ Calc functions. The idea is that such an area could
capture more technical information about a function than is possible in the
Help system. In addition we can provide representative use cases for some
functions.

I have put some initial ideas together in the pages starting at
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Calc_Functions. Obviously
this is only partially complete and I still have a lot of work to do
populating the structure and the information about the functions. However I
would like to get some initial feedback from the team on what I’ve done
before taking the idea further (in case we agree on changes of direction).
So far I’ve only populated the details of one function, ABS.

Please could any interested parties have a look at what I’ve done and
provide any feedback or comments? Maybe we can discuss the way ahead at the
next team meeting?

Regards,

Steve

Hi Steve,

All,

At the last Documentation Team meeting, I agreed to initiate a wiki-based
description of the 500+ Calc functions. The idea is that such an area could
capture more technical information about a function than is possible in the
Help system. In addition we can provide representative use cases for some
functions.

I have put some initial ideas together in the pages starting at
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Calc_Functions. Obviously
this is only partially complete and I still have a lot of work to do
populating the structure and the information about the functions. However I
would like to get some initial feedback from the team on what I’ve done
before taking the idea further (in case we agree on changes of direction).
So far I’ve only populated the details of one function, ABS.

Please could any interested parties have a look at what I’ve done and
provide any feedback or comments? Maybe we can discuss the way ahead at the
next team meeting?

I would not make an own category "add-in functions". In former times, it was possible to not install them, and their internal handling is different. But from a user point of view and from file format there is nothing special about these functions.

Please add MULTIPLE.OPERATIONS.
It has a special UI and is not listed in the function list. But it can be used as any other function and has nothing special in the standard. And the Wiki would be a good place to explain how to use it without the wizard.

It might be useful to make subcategories to the mathematical functions.

You might need an additional "guideline and tips" page for authors.

And about the "ABS" example:

General:
It would be good to have a template page for the functions, which has already all the sections.

You have set the technical term "Number" in bold. I would do the same in the Syntax. It might be necessary to use a letter for the parameter, in case the function is explained by some formula or the function has several parameter of the same data type.

Some functions have constraints. Such section is missing.

I would name the section not "ODF v1.2 compliance" but "ODF Standard".
It needs a line for ODF 1.2, and a line for ODF 1.3.
The reference needs the part number in addition.
For example ABS is in
Section 6.16.2, part 2, ODF 1.2
Section 6.16.2, part 4, ODF 1.3

Special for ABS:
The first example should read
   =ABS(-56.7) returns 56.7
The result is not negative.

Related functions are
SIGN for the sign of a real number
IMABS for the absolute value of a complex number

Kind regards
Regina

Hi Regina,

Apologies, my previous response was not sent off the list intentionally - I
hit the reply button and forget to change the email address!

I have already changed the standards heading for ABS as you suggested and
will ignore compliance with ODF v1.3 for the moment.

I will insert a category "Functions not contained in the Wizard" as a
heading at the bottom of the page listing the function categories. I will
also insert MULTIPLE.OPERATIONS in the alphabetical page of functions. I
don't speak many words of German but will try to make sense of the linked
page at some point.

Thanks again.

Regards,

Steve

Hi Steve,

when the frame is finished, I can start filling the page for "MULTIPLE.OPERATIONS". Please notice me.

Kind regards
Regina

Hello Steve, All.

I occurred to me that the old Help online (before 6.0) was implemented
in Mediawiki, the same engine as our current TDF wiki.

Most of the Calc functions contents are already 'wiki-fied'. We can try
to borrow that legacy content as a start for the Handbook job and update
from that. My educated guess is that 90% of the job exist, and the 10%
remaining is for new functions, improved writing (examples, use cases,
and so on) and organization as you started (alphabetical, categories...)

Will that help you?

(Easy said than done, I have no idea how to dump the medawiki contents
and reload into new pages. The Infra team can help us, I think.)

Regards
Olivier

PS. I am hacking the script that generated the mediawiki cited above to
get the contents as LO 6.5 (master) in mediawiki format. Whish me luck
to get it quickly. :slight_smile: