Need Help with calc

users
#1

Hello!
Need Help with calc. I often use links to other cells. That is, for
example, copying what a cell, and then for example in another worksheet
using the menu "insert as" and insert a link. But if I cell is empty, then
"insert as a" link on an empty cell is not working. You can of course use
a formula such as: = A1, but it is not convenient.

Здравствуйте!
Требуется помощь по calc. Я часто использую ссылки на другие ячейки. То
есть например: копирую какую нибудь ячейку, а затем например в другом
листе использую меню "вставить как" и вставляю связь. Но если я ячейке
пусто, то "вставить как" связь на пустую ячейку не работает. Можно
конечно использовать формулу например: =A1, но это не удобно.

#2

So, what do you mean with "is not working"? I made a test sheet with some figures and formulas, and also defined a couple of areas. Moreover I made a new sheet where I inserted links, in the way I assume you mean. Well, here is my experience.

A link appears to make a copy of the content in the source into the target cells with relative cell addressing in the target. An empty cell in the source is copied when linking as an empty cell in the target. I can agree, this is not how one use to look at a link. To me a link is something pointing to the value in the source, might be a formula, but still with addressing in the source. Apparently this is not how LO looks at this, and that is a surprise for me too. A bug or something to live with? Someone?

#3

I don't see a menu item "insert as", but I recognise that you are probably translating from the Russian, where menu items may have a slightly different meaning. But I now see what you mean, I think. If you copy a cell or range of cells and then use Edit | Paste Special... (or right-click | Paste Special..., or Ctrl+Shift+V) and select the Link option in the Paste Special dialogue to paste elsewhere in the sheet or in another sheet of the same spreadsheet, links are apparently not created for any empty cells in the source range. The same problem occurs if you use the alternative technique of dragging a cell range and holding down Ctrl+Shift as you release the mouse. If you paste similarly into a different spreadsheet document, the expected links *are* created, it seems.

Yes: I too find that surprising.

Possible workarounds:

o For a range of cells, copy one suitable (occupied) cell and paste it as a link.
o With the target cell still selected, edit the formula in the Input Line to remove $ signs as necessary (depending on the relevant range).
o Fill from the target cell as necessary.
Note that in this case, you may see the target cells linked to any empty cells as having zero value, not empty.

o Put temporary values in any empty cells before copying and pasting - and remove them afterwards. (This is simpler than it sounds.)

o Put explicit blanks into any empty cells (and possible amend any formulae that depend on these cells to allow for these).

(This idea is probably best.)
o Give the source range a name (Insert | Names > | Define...) - say "Name".
o In the upper left cell of the target, enter "=Name" (no quotes) - but press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to complete the formula instead of ordinary Enter. The formula will appear in the Input Line as {=Name}, but note that you cannot achieve the desired effect by typing these braces yourself. This creates an array formula which populates other cells in the target range - including those for any empty cells in the source range.

I trust this helps.

Brian Barker