I have to ask (four qustions)

[Nuzhna_Pomoshch]

Using LibreOffice 3.3.1 (Linux).

1. Why is the default column width in Calc 2.27 cm?
Where does that number come from? How do I change
it? I haven't used Excel in years, but I believe
that is easy to set in the options. Even resetting
the column width in the default style doesn't
change the "default value" (and when I did that,
the columns in the template I saved were wider than
the columns in a new spreadsheet based on that same
template, even though both of them showed the exact
same column width when examined).

2. I sometimes need to work in cm, and sometimes in
inches. How do I change from one to the other?
Again, I recall that this was easy to set in Excel.

3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to appear
in the open and save dialog boxes (they appear in
all of the window manager dialog boxes)?

4. Why is it so !@#$%^&* hard to format cells (this
has continued from OpenOffice)? I was trying to set
up a spreadsheet so that all cells displayed two
decimal places, except for the top row and column
(headers, which should display no decimal places).
Click the upper left corner and change to two
decimal places. Good. Click column A and change to
General. Good. Click row 1 and change to general.
DOESN'T WORK. It SAYS General, but I still see two
decimal places (it seems to only look at cell A1).
Tried selecting and tabbing to a different cell in
the row. Still doesn't work. Didn't anyone ever
consider the possibility that a user might want to
set the same format for a range of cells that
currently have different formats. Automatic in Excel
(I remember that one for sure). Things like this
should be the easiest things in the world to do,
instead of such a massive struggle.

Nuzhna

[Johnny_Rosenberg]

Using LibreOffice 3.3.1 (Linux).

1. Why is the default column width in Calc 2.27 cm?
Where does that number come from? How do I change
it? I haven't used Excel in years, but I believe
that is easy to set in the options. Even resetting
the column width in the default style doesn't
change the "default value" (and when I did that,
the columns in the template I saved were wider than
the columns in a new spreadsheet based on that same
template, even though both of them showed the exact
same column width when examined).

I agree, it doesn't seem to be changeable. If it is, I want to know how…

2. I sometimes need to work in cm, and sometimes in
inches. How do I change from one to the other?
Again, I recall that this was easy to set in Excel.

Tools → Options… → LibreOffice Calc → General

3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to appear
in the open and save dialog boxes (they appear in
all of the window manager dialog boxes)?

On my system they appear.

At Tools → Options → LibreOffice → General, the option ”☐ Use
LibreOffice dialogue boxes” (or something like that; I run LibreOffice
in Swedish) is unchecked. I don't remember if I unchecked it or if
it's unchecked by default, though.

4. Why is it so !@#$%^&*

You forgot the symbol…

hard to format cells (this
has continued from OpenOffice)? I was trying to set
up a spreadsheet so that all cells displayed two
decimal places, except for the top row and column
(headers, which should display no decimal places).
Click the upper left corner and change to two
decimal places. Good. Click column A and change to
General. Good. Click row 1 and change to general.
DOESN'T WORK. It SAYS General, but I still see two
decimal places (it seems to only look at cell A1).

Works for me. I did exactly like you described above. Here is the result:
http://ubuntuone.com/p/w5e/ (it's a video file, 3 942 058 bytes,
Theora format, recorded from my desktop)
Isn't this the same way as you are doing it?

Tried selecting and tabbing to a different cell in
the row. Still doesn't work. Didn't anyone ever
consider the possibility that a user might want to
set the same format for a range of cells that
currently have different formats. Automatic in Excel
(I remember that one for sure). Things like this
should be the easiest things in the world to do,
instead of such a massive struggle.

Well, I had no struggle, or maybe I totally misunderstood what you
were trying to do.

Nuzhna

Kind regards

Johnny Rosenberg
ジョニー・ローゼンバーグ

[planas]

Using LibreOffice 3.3.1 (Linux).

1. Why is the default column width in Calc 2.27 cm?
Where does that number come from? How do I change
it? I haven't used Excel in years, but I believe
that is easy to set in the options. Even resetting
the column width in the default style doesn't
change the "default value" (and when I did that,
the columns in the template I saved were wider than
the columns in a new spreadsheet based on that same
template, even though both of them showed the exact
same column width when examined).

I have no idea why that size was chosen but you can change by

COLUMN WIDTH

A dialog box should open and you change the value to what you want to
use. For it to be the default make sure the check box "Default Value" is
checked.

2. I sometimes need to work in cm, and sometimes in
inches. How do I change from one to the other?
Again, I recall that this was easy to set in Excel.

I do not see an easy why to do this, it might by done by OS settings. I
never found that using US or metric caused problems for others. The
settings are mostly set for the convenience of the user. I used to open,
years ago, Excel files for Europe in the US without changing any
settings. The opposite was also true.

The only issue with the settings is the page setting A4 is a little
longer and narrower than US Letter. If this is the issue you could try

PAGE and click on the Page Tab in the dialogue box and change

the paper to the correct one for the users.

3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to appear
in the open and save dialog boxes (they appear in
all of the window manager dialog boxes)?

This is an OS controlled option in Windows and Linux. You have to check
the correct setting in the OS folder display control to see the hidden
files.

4. Why is it so !@#$%^&* hard to format cells (this
has continued from OpenOffice)? I was trying to set
up a spreadsheet so that all cells displayed two
decimal places, except for the top row and column
(headers, which should display no decimal places).
Click the upper left corner and change to two
decimal places. Good. Click column A and change to
General. Good. Click row 1 and change to general.
DOESN'T WORK. It SAYS General, but I still see two
decimal places (it seems to only look at cell A1).
Tried selecting and tabbing to a different cell in
the row. Still doesn't work. Didn't anyone ever
consider the possibility that a user might want to
set the same format for a range of cells that
currently have different formats. Automatic in Excel
(I remember that one for sure). Things like this
should be the easiest things in the world to do,
instead of such a massive struggle.

I am not sure what you are referring to. Could you be a little more
specific. When I highlight a range of cells I can adjust the formating
of the numbers for the entire range. You may wish to give each range a
name so you can go to the range easily.

[Gene_Young]

Checking the "Default Value" check box does not set the default value, it selects the default value, over-riding what ever value you may have typed into the selection box.

[planas]

Hi

> I have no idea why that size was chosen but you can change by
> >>>>COLUMN WIDTH
> A dialog box should open and you change the value to what you want to
> use. For it to be the default make sure the check box "Default Value" is
> checked.
>
Checking the "Default Value" check box does not set the default value,
it selects the default value, over-riding what ever value you may have
typed into the selection box.

--
Gene Young

My error, if you want to permanently change the default setting you must
overwrite the default Calc blank spreadsheet.

[ApinderSingh]

CTRL+H
you need to press this key combo(GNOME) when open/save dialog box is opened
everytime.Works with all applications. For permanently setting that
behavior, change settings of your file manager.

[toki]

1. Why is the default column width in Calc 2.27 cm?
Where does that number come from?

That is supposed to be one inch wide. (I know that one inch is 25.4mm,
but the conversion was incorrectly done, and hasn't been changed since
then.)

How do I change it

It is hard wired into LibO.

I've seen a code snippet that enables users to change it in OOo, but you
have to recompile OOo to take advantage of it.

This should be something that can be changed at ">Tools >Options >Calc

General".

Whilst changing the column size on the default template should work,
experience has shown that to be inconsistent.

2. I sometimes need to work in cm, and sometimes in
inches. How do I change from one to the other?

You have to switch from a metric to an English locale.
And then restart LibO.

">Tools >Options >languages >Locale Setting"

3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to appear
in the open and save dialog boxes (they appear in

all of the window manager dialog boxes)?

This depends upon the file manager that is used.

4. Why is it so !@#$%^&* hard to format cells (this

has continued from OpenOffice)?

You have to use cell styles.
Cell styles are neither difficult, nor complicated to use. However, for
reasons I don't understand, people are reluctant to use them.

jonathon
- --
If Bing copied Google, there wouldn't be anything new worth requesting.

If Bing did not copy Google, there wouldn't be anything relevant worth
requesting.

                              DaveJakeman 20110207 Groklaw.

[Johnny_Rosenberg]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

1. Why is the default column width in Calc 2.27 cm?
Where does that number come from?

That is supposed to be one inch wide. (I know that one inch is 25.4mm,
but the conversion was incorrectly done, and hasn't been changed since
then.)

I was also trying to figure out why 2.27, and now when you said that I
think I know the answer. As most of us know, 1"=25,4 mm = 2,54 cm. It
seems like someone confused 1" and ½". INstead of doubling ½" to
2·1.27 cm, only the integer part was double and the decimals were kept
as they were, therefore 2.27 cm. That COULD happen if you think way
too fast…

Regards

Johnny Rosenberg
ジョニー・ローゼンバーグ

[Nuzhna_Pomoshch]

> 2. I sometimes need to work in cm, and
> sometimes in inches. How do I change from
> one to the other? Again, I recall that
> this was easy to set in Excel.

Tools → Options… → LibreOffice Calc → General

Missed that (I don't know how). Thank you.

> 3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to
> appear in the open and save dialog boxes (they
> appear in all of the window manager dialog
> boxes)?

On my system they appear.

At Tools → Options → LibreOffice → General, the
option ”☐ Use LibreOffice dialogue boxes” (or
something like that; I run LibreOffice in
Swedish) is unchecked. I don't remember if I
> it or if it's unchecked by default,
though.

I don't have any option like that at all. Just
a few things (under LibreOffice / General) for
"help" (enabling tips and help agent), "document
status" (whether printing sets the "document
modified" status), and how to handle a two digit
year.

Works for me. I did exactly like you described
above. Here is the result:
http://ubuntuone.com/p/w5e/ (it's a video file,
3 942 058 bytes, Theora format, recorded from my
desktop) Isn't this the same way as you are
doing it?

That is basically it (I don't have the "standard
formatting" on my context menu, though). I was
trying to specifically select "general" after
pulling up the "format cells" mutlti-tabbed
dialog box. I have played with this some more,
and it seems that using "default formatting"
(from the top menu) works, as does changing the
format to something else. It only doesn't work
when trying to change back to the "general"
format, apparently because the dialog box sets
that as the "current" format when all of the
selected cells do not have the same format.

A bit esoteric, but it still should be fixed.

> 3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to
> appear in the open and save dialog boxes (they
> appear in all of the window manager dialog
> boxes)?

This is an OS controlled option in Windows and
Linux. You have to check the correct setting in
the OS folder display control to see the hidden
files.

It's not the OS, it is the file manager, and the
file manager DOES display dot files for every
application under the sun, EXCEPT LibreOffice.

> > I have no idea why that size was chosen but
> > you can change by FORMAT>>COLUMN>>COLUMN
> > WIDTH. A dialog box should open and you
> > change the value to what you want to use.
> > For it to be the default make sure the
> > check box "Default Value" is checked.

> Checking the "Default Value" check box does
> not set the default value, it selects the
> default value, over-riding what ever value
> you may have typed into the selection box.

My error, if you want to permanently change
the default setting you must overwrite the
default Calc blank spreadsheet.

That changes the width of columns in a new
spreadsheet, but clicking on "default value"
will set it right back to 2.27 cm despite the
change. It seems that the "default value" is
immutable.

> 3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to
> appear in the open and save dialog boxes (they
> appear in all of the window manager dialog
> boxes)?

CTRL+H
you need to press this key combo(GNOME) when
open/save dialog box is opened everytime.

Uh, no. That cleverly connects me to the online
help (which doesn't mention anything about how
to display dot directories). I don't use gnome
(maybe it works fine there), but that keystroke
combination is not a standard.

Works with all applications. For permanently
setting that behavior, change settings of your
file manager.

The file manager most certainly has that option
enabled (it works in every other application).
No, the Alt+. key combination does not work in
the LibreOffice dialog boxes, either).

> 1. Why is the default column width in Calc
> 2.27 cm? Where does that number come from?

That is supposed to be one inch wide. (I know
that one inch is 25.4mm, but the conversion
was incorrectly done, and hasn't been changed
since then.)

That is so bizarre, it must be true. I still
believe the user should be able to change that
(without having to change the default template).

> 3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to
> appear in the open and save dialog boxes (they
> appear in all of the window manager dialog
> boxes)?

This depends upon the file manager that is used.

Can anyone tell me how to enable this in Dolphin
then? Again in the View menu, "Show Hidden Files"
is checked (and they get displayed in every other
application I have ever seen).

> 4. Why is it so !@#$%^&* hard to format cells
> (this has continued from OpenOffice)?

You have to use cell styles.
Cell styles are neither difficult, nor
complicated to use.  However, for reasons I
don't understand, people are reluctant to use
them.

Another layer of complexity I would rather avoid
(meaning one more opportunity for me to screw
something up). When I select a range and hit the
"OK" button in the format dialog box, it should
work.

Apologies for the Yahoo mailer. One USED to be
able to set the width of the compose window, but
that option is no longer available.

Nuzhna

[Johnny_Rosenberg]

> 2. I sometimes need to work in cm, and
> sometimes in inches. How do I change from
> one to the other? Again, I recall that
> this was easy to set in Excel.

Tools → Options… → LibreOffice Calc → General

Missed that (I don't know how). Thank you.

You're welcome…

> 3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to
> appear in the open and save dialog boxes (they
> appear in all of the window manager dialog
> boxes)?

On my system they appear.

At Tools → Options → LibreOffice → General, the
option ”☐ Use LibreOffice dialogue boxes” (or
something like that; I run LibreOffice in
Swedish) is unchecked. I don't remember if I
> it or if it's unchecked by default,
though.

I don't have any option like that at all. Just
a few things (under LibreOffice / General) for
"help" (enabling tips and help agent), "document
status" (whether printing sets the "document
modified" status), and how to handle a two digit
year.

Okay, I just started LibreOffice with English GUI, to make sure to get
it right. On my system it is:
Tools → Options… → LibreOffice → General → Open/Save dialogs → ☐ Use
LibreOffice dialogs
I have it unticked.

”Open/Save dialogs” is between ”Help” and ”Document status”.

Works for me. I did exactly like you described
above. Here is the result:
http://ubuntuone.com/p/w5e/ (it's a video file,
3 942 058 bytes, Theora format, recorded from my
desktop) Isn't this the same way as you are
doing it?

That is basically it (I don't have the "standard
formatting" on my context menu, though).

Well, that is with Swedish GUI. I think it is ”Default format” or
something like that with English GUI.

[nunojsilva]

Johnny Rosenberg <gurus.knugum@gmail.com> writes:

> 3. How do I get hidden ("dot" directories) to
> appear in the open and save dialog boxes (they
> appear in all of the window manager dialog
> boxes)?

On my system they appear.

At Tools → Options → LibreOffice → General, the
option ”☐ Use LibreOffice dialogue boxes” (or
something like that; I run LibreOffice in
Swedish) is unchecked. I don't remember if I
> it or if it's unchecked by default,
though.

I don't have any option like that at all. Just
a few things (under LibreOffice / General) for
"help" (enabling tips and help agent), "document
status" (whether printing sets the "document
modified" status), and how to handle a two digit
year.

Okay, I just started LibreOffice with English GUI, to make sure to get
it right. On my system it is:
Tools → Options… → LibreOffice → General → Open/Save dialogs → ☐ Use
LibreOffice dialogs
I have it unticked.

”Open/Save dialogs” is between ”Help” and ”Document status”.

This probably depends on compile options. I don't know if the OP is
using the official binaries or a modified version.

Here I don't see that option with my compiled libreoffice install (the
package manager flags include, among others, -gnome -gtk -kde),

  LibreOffice 3.3.2
  OOO330m19 (Build:202)
  tag libreoffice-3.3.2.2

But I see it in another computer where I installed the binary version of
libreoffice (it uses the official binaries, AFAIK),

  LibreOffice 3.3.1
  OOO330m19 (Build:8)
  tag libreoffice-3.3.1.2