Calc: optimal column width

users
#1

Good morning
I have tried this a million times, but it works (worked) only rarely:
there are columns that need to be adjusted in width, preferrably to make
the longest entry fit.

However:
* select colum
* right-click -> select "optimal column width"
* try with "Default" on or off
-> NO response.

I can TRY to manually add any value I choose, but THAT is always a
"trial and error" approach and as such not very elegant.

Is there a way to convince Calc to set one or more colums to such
optimal width?

Thank you in advance.
Thomas

#2

Try:
o Position the cursor in the column headers over the boundary between the column in question and that immediately to its right.
o Notice that the cursor changes to a vertical line with horizontal arrows, left and right.
o Double-click.

Or:
o Select the cell with the longest entry.
o Press Alt+Shift+right-arrow.

I trust this helps.

Brian Barker

#3

Thomas wrote:

Good morning
I have tried this a million times, but it works (worked) only rarely:
there are columns that need to be adjusted in width, preferrably to make
the longest entry fit.

However:
* select colum
* right-click -> select "optimal column width"
* try with "Default" on or off
-> NO response.

I can TRY to manually add any value I choose, but THAT is always a
"trial and error" approach and as such not very elegant.

Is there a way to convince Calc to set one or more colums to such
optimal width?

That should work. Are you definitely selecting the column which contains the long entries? If the text in a column doesn't fit, it spills over columns to the right (assuming default or left alignment is used) until it hits another cell with a value entered. You need to adjust the column which actually contains the text, not furthest right one which the text may have spilled over into. For example:
   > A | B | C |
  1|abcdefghij>| 123|
Here the text in A1 has spilled over into B1, and would continue further into C1 if there wasn't another value in that cell. Adjusting column B for optimal width has no effect, as there is nothing actually entered in column B; it is column A which needs to be adjusted:
   > A | B | C |
  1|abcdefghijklm | | 123|

The "Add" value in the "Optimal Column Width" dialog is how much extra padding is added, beyond what's needed for the longest value. The "Default" option selects the default value for "Add".

Mark.