Re: [libreoffice-users] Re: CALC convert text to numbers

> > Although the "Tools -> Text to Columns..." method in Calc is nice, 
> > the procedure I am describing is more flexible.
> I'm not sure why you say it is more flexible. Text to columns would be
> the "correct" way of doing this, and I can't right now think of a
> case where you would need your way. Can you give an example?
>
> -- 
 
First, evidently I meant to "Data -> Text to Columns..." (not 
"Tools"...). My apologies.


Currently in LO Calc 4.1.3.2, the "Text to Column" method will let 
you convert the text into one of a few specific number formats. If 
you want to convert to other formats (e.g. percentage, scientific, or 
some accounting type, or...), then "paste special, multiply by 1" 
*should* let you do it.

Also, if the 'text' cells contain additional characters such as 
thousand delimiters and the like, it might be possible to reduce the 
necessary steps to obtain the desired format conversion. But since 
this well-known method is currently unavailable in LO Calc, all this 
is "wishful thinking" only.

I could give more examples, and of course that you could get the same 
result by using several steps.

On one hand, this method is effective, efficient and well-known in 
several other spreadsheet programs, and for users that already know 
it, it seems at least strange that LO Calc doesn't support it. (BTW, 
I still think something "fishy" is happening with the single 
quotation mark in LO Calc.)

On the other hand, there are (less efficient) alternatives to 
eventually get to the same final result in LO Calc. Seeing the 
current ratio of bug reports vs. bugs resolved, where in many of them 
there is no alternative available so to get the desired result using 
LO Calc, I am slightly reticent to actually report this as a bug (or 
as a potential enhancement, whichever the adequate term would be for 
this case). When other issues regarding paste (and/or paste special) 
get to be resolved, perhaps then this issue will get improved too.

Regards,
Ady.

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