Calc -- setting tab sequence of cells for spreadsheet user

users
#1

Is there a way to define the order the tab key (on the keyboard) would cycle through the cells. Is this possible in Calc?

I would like to define which cells a user is sent to by using her/his tab key.

Marc

#2

You can do all this and much more with database forms. The "forms" you
can implement on sheets are limited. On a protected sheet the tab key
navigates horizontally from one unlocked and visible cell to the next
unlocked and visible cell until the last unlocked and visible cell in
the row. Then it jumps to the next row's unlocked and visible cell. If
there is no next row with unlocked and visible cells, it jumps back to
the first one.

#3

Hi Andreas,

Is there a way to define the order the tab key (on the keyboard) would
cycle through the cells. Is this possible in Calc?

I would like to define which cells a user is sent to by using her/his
tab key.

Marc

You can do all this and much more with database forms. The "forms" you
can implement on sheets are limited. On a protected sheet the tab key
navigates horizontally from one unlocked and visible cell to the next
unlocked and visible cell until the last unlocked and visible cell in
the row. Then it jumps to the next row's unlocked and visible cell. If
there is no next row with unlocked and visible cells, it jumps back to
the first one.

Hmm, yes, I knew from my past work with database work that one could assign a tab sequence. But it sounds like having the same functionality in Calc is still something that could be put on a dev's wishlist item.

So, it sounds like this functionality is not available on Calc other than "locking" up cells.

It would be kind of neat to have this available in Calc.

Should I put it up as a requested "feature tiem" on the bugzilla?

Marc

#4

It won't be implemented because this is too far away from the intended
purpose of an arithmetic calculator. And this feature is not part of the
ODF standard, so it can't be stored in a spreadsheet file.

LibreOffice has a database component. Even if it is not a good one, it
does everything what 90% of all spreadsheet users try so desparately to
do on spreadsheets list keeping, editing through input forms, sorting,
filtering, simple calculation, pretty reporting. For all the rest, it
interfaces very well with Calc.

#5

Hi Andreas,

Should I put it up as a requested "feature tiem" on the bugzilla?

Marc

It won't be implemented because this is too far away from the intended
purpose of an arithmetic calculator. And this feature is not part of the
ODF standard, so it can't be stored in a spreadsheet file.

LibreOffice has a database component. Even if it is not a good one, it
does everything what 90% of all spreadsheet users try so desparately to
do on spreadsheets list keeping, editing through input forms, sorting,
filtering, simple calculation, pretty reporting. For all the rest, it
interfaces very well with Calc.

Yes, I did look at Base, but, would rather like to stay with Calc as there are more people who would be able to trouble-shoot on spreadsheet software that on LibreOffice Base.

Although, that being said, I am going to try to replicate the same process that I am trying to achieve with Calc at a later date, on Base; just to satisfy my curiosity of working with Base.

I am curious then, if we are holding fidelity to the ODF standard, then, how do new features come about in Calc? Would it not be a little "bleeding-edge" of LibreOffice to add a new feature to Calc to see if that particular new feature would catch on with users? This then could later be proposed as a feature add-on to the ODF standard.

Also, if a dev did show interest in working on such a feature and garnered enough support for it, would it not be adopted for Calc or at least be considered?

While such a feature does not find its roots from a mathematical perspective, it would certainly be of good use to users creating forms in Calc. For the sake of useability, it may be worthwhile to look into.

Marc

#6

Yes, I did look at Base, but, would rather like to stay with Calc as
there are more people who would be able to trouble-shoot on spreadsheet
software that on LibreOffice Base.

Database design is development work. With a database no user would ever
be confronted with trouble-shooting. Since 4 years I run a database with
Base forms and Calc reports where I did not change a single byte since 2
years. Users open the same Writer document in the morning, enter some
data over the day, close it in the evening (without saving anything) and
that's how it works.

Although, that being said, I am going to try to replicate the same
process that I am trying to achieve with Calc at a later date, on Base;
just to satisfy my curiosity of working with Base.

This is a difficult, non-intuitive development process. Base is an
extremely misleading tool. It does not help you by any means and the
database Base creates from scratch is not as useful as it could be. Just
playing with it to try out how it works, may lead you to the conclusion
that it does not work at all.

I am curious then, if we are holding fidelity to the ODF standard, then,
how do new features come about in Calc? Would it not be a little
"bleeding-edge" of LibreOffice to add a new feature to Calc to see if
that particular new feature would catch on with users? This then could
later be proposed as a feature add-on to the ODF standard.

Your feature could be a global feature where you can not set up the tab
order for one spreadsheet individually because there is no place in the
entire ODF standard which defines the tab-order for spreadsheet cells.

Also, if a dev did show interest in working on such a feature and
garnered enough support for it, would it not be adopted for Calc or at
least be considered?

The age of spreadsheets is over. Spreadsheets did not change very much
during the past 25 years or so. 25 years ago, my first spreadsheet came
on 5 floppies attached to a book of 300 pages. Reading at least 100
pages to get started was a matter of course. The software did not change
so much since then but the users did. "Super-Spreadsheets" had been
developed during the 90ies but they all failed. They could not be Excel
compatible because they used a different logic. Not being MS compatible
engough is the death sentence for anything which is one reason why there
is nothing really new under the sky.

While such a feature does not find its roots from a mathematical
perspective, it would certainly be of good use to users creating forms
in Calc. For the sake of useability, it may be worthwhile to look into.

Well, file an enhancement request and see. I would not hold my breath
for this one because it is completely unspecific. There are literally
hundreds if not thousands of such requests.

By the way, are you aware of menu:Data>Input Form?

#7

Although, that being said, I am going to try to replicate the same
process that I am trying to achieve with Calc at a later date, on Base;
just to satisfy my curiosity of working with Base.

This is a difficult, non-intuitive development process. Base is an
extremely misleading tool. It does not help you by any means and the
database Base creates from scratch is not as useful as it could be. Just
playing with it to try out how it works, may lead you to the conclusion
that it does not work at all.

Ah, well, it doesn't sound like quite a good tool to use then. Still, seeing as it's offered along with LibreOffice, may as well take a peek at it and see if it could be made to work. I am trying to keep the spreadsheet as simple as possible so that other musicians may make use of it.

Well, file an enhancement request and see. I would not hold my breath
for this one because it is completely unspecific. There are literally
hundreds if not thousands of such requests.

Strange then, that we would not capitalize on all these requests. If there is such clamour for features, you would think that somewhere, features would be added. Imagine the shake-up in the world of spreadsheets if someone listened and delivered features. :slight_smile:

Yeh ... years ago, I used to code in Ashton Tate's DBaseIII ... back in the wild days of early RDBMS and CPM.

By the way, are you aware of menu:Data>Input Form?

No, but since you mentioned it, I looked it up and it looks really useful. I notice that something similar is offered in Calc (Data->Form)

Cheers,

Marc