Erroneous Verbiage in LibreOffice Built-in Help

users
#1

I just discovered that at least in V4.3.7.2 of LibreOffice the following verbiage found in the built-in help for function PMT but that also exists many other places within the built-in help is not always, if ever(?), true.

In the LibreOffice Calc functions, parameters marked as "optional" can be left out only
when no parameter follows. For example, in a function with four parameters, where the
last two parameters are marked as "optional", you can leave out parameter 4 or
parameters 3 and 4, but you cannot leave out parameter 3 alone.

Someone obviously went to a lot of work to craft that elegant bit of English prose but try the following to see that the above statement is false in at least one instance:

B1: $5662
B2: 12%
B3: 3
B4: =PMT(B2/12,B3*12,B1,0)

Note that the fourth parameter was "left out" but the fifth parameter was not. Note also that the function returns a valid result (negative $188.06). Filling in a zero for the fourth parameter yields the same result. To give credit where due, I ran across the formula (designated as valid for Excel) at http://math.about.com/library/weekly/aa102503a.htm while researching how a used car salesman tried to hornswaggle a senior citizen near here.

Personally I am delighted that LibreOffice has the flexibility to have non-terminal parameters left out but it goes to show that the built-in Help is in need of some work.