Re: [libreoffice-users] Can't get leading zeros in Calc

On Sun, 01 Jun 2014 01:11:36 +0100
Brian Barker <b.m.barker@btinternet.com> wrote:

> At 17:34 31/05/2014 -0600, Oogie McGuire wrote:
> > I'm tearing my hair out here.
>
> Don't!
>
> > I have a spreadsheet and the data was originally entered as 4 
> > digits. I need to pass it to a database system that requires 6 
> > digits. I've tried formatting with 2 leading zeros but I still 
> > cannot get the number to properly show up as 00<number>. Any ideas?
>
> Yes. If the values you have are numbers, then formatting them (as 
> something like "000000") should display them as you need. Whether you 
> get six digits into your database depends on exactly how you then 
> transfer the values.
>
> But you say this doesn't work. The most likely explanation is that 
> the values stored in the cells are not numbers but text strings - 
> albeit made up of four numeric characters. Changing the formatting of 
> such cells after the event will not change text values into numbers. 
> (You generally wouldn't want it to.)
>
> How to proceed? Take your pick:
>
> o In a new column, enter =VALUE(Xn) and fill it down the column. You 
> will now have numbers and can format them as you wish. You could even 
> copy them back over the original values, using Paste Special... and 
> pasting Numbers but not Formulas.
>
> o In a new column, enter ="00"&Xn and fill it down the column. You 
> will now have six-character text values. Again, you could copy these 
> back over the original values, using Paste Special... and pasting 
> Text but not Formulas.
>
> I trust this helps.
>
> Brian Barker

Just change the properties to 'Text'.  It'll preserve the format and
you can still do math functions using the cell.

-- 
To unsubscribe e-mail to: users+unsubscribe@global.libreoffice.org
Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/
Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette
List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/
All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted