[libreoffice-users] Re: Excel file in LibreOffice Calc

Am 22.09.2011 09:26, Tom Davies wrote:
> Hi :)
> It is possible to change types of columns, rows, other selected areas or even individual cells.  
> Select area or whatever and then
> Format - Cells - Numbers
> Then in the left-hand box select which data-type is most relevant.
> Regards from
> Tom :)

In any spreadsheet program each and every cell is supposed to take any 
type of data at any time (well, the validation layer can not really 
prevent anything).

Formatting attributes control the font type, color, border, or the 
representation of numbers. It is granted that no formatting attribute 
will ever modify your data.
The number format locale determines how _newly_ entered data will be 
interpreted (1,234.99 vs 1.234,99 and 12/01/99 vs 01/12/99)
Some special number formats, mainly "@", may also affect evaluation of 
_newly_ entered data without having any effect on existing data nor 
formula results (and this is a really important feature).

A formula starts with a =
An explicit text entry starts with a '
Number format "@" _prepares_ cells for literal input where = and ' and 
all thinkable numeric expressions, are taken as literal characters.

If you want numbers enter/paste/import numbers.
If you want text explicitly enter/paste/import text.
If your numbers look strange, format your numbers.
Text always looks the same (apart from font, color, borders...)

Since decades Excel users enter text and then complain about their data 
being text.
MS "solved" this problem in order to please the dumbest category of users.
Excel may evaluate a text "1.234" to 
one-thousand-two-hundred-and-thirty-five on one machine and to 
one-point-234 on another machine. 12/01/2011 evaluates to 12th of 
January on one machine and first of December on another machine.
In Excel SUM(A1:A2) returns 0 while A1+A2 returns a sum of evaluated text.
Unfortunately, the latter may happen in LibO as well but only with pure 
sequences of digits (integers) and with strings that represent an 
unambiguous ISO date.


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