Re: [libreoffice-users] Re: Calc: Autofilter sorting fails to expand selection when a column has empty cells at the bottom

At 08:31 06/11/2017 -0700, Jim Gallagher wrote:
> I expect it to work like a table in Excel.

And how is that, please? Exactly where does Excel place empty cells 
in a sort of numerical values? Empty, 1, 2, 3? 1, 2, 3, empty? 1, 2, 
empty, 3? We need to know! If Excel doesn't put all empty cells after 
any cells with values, that would mean - as I mentioned - that you 
cannot sort a column by clicking the column header, so that the 
entire column is selected. If empty cells were seen as zero values, 
they might come before some data, in which case that data would be 
moved a million-plus rows down! I can't believe any spreadsheet 
program would behave that way.

> I believe others would expect the same as well.

We cannot know whether that is the case until we know precisely what 
you expect.

> It is not logical that sorting the middle column sorts across less 
> rows than on either side.

It is indeed not logical - and it doesn't happen! You have missed the 
point. In your example, B5 was empty. Contrary to what you believe, 
row 5 *is* included in your third sort. The final sorted position for 
the empty value happens to be in the same place: B5. So the values in 
A5 and C5 retain their places to match. It just happens that row 5 
stays - correctly - in the same place after the sort.

It may help you to understand this if you experiment with a column 
which has a blank cell or cells somewhere other than in the last row 
of the table. Instead of 1, 2, 3, empty, try 1, 2, empty, 4. See what 
happens? The values in the row with the empty cell are indeed moved.

To solve your problem, you need first to establish exactly what you 
want to happen to an empty cell in such a sort. (You haven't admitted 
this.) Then you may have to insert a suitable value in the otherwise 
empty cell to arrange what you need.

Brian Barker  


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