Split cells in Calc

users
#1

Hi Guys,
   Is there any way to split a primary (one that has not been 'merged'
previously) cell? I can't seem to find such an option. If there is no
current option then is it technically possible to do so?

Paddy

#2

Pat,

why do you need to split a cell? What data does it contain and what do you
need to do with these data?

Nino

#3

Thanks Alan. I need to split a single cell and work with it as two cells
(i.e. text as well as background and cell borders). Maybe the only way to
do this is to merge two columns and then split the one cell that I need to
work with. This is rather ham-fisted but may be the only solution.

#4

Nino, I am creating a geological time-line in Calc. Working across the
sheet I am dividing the cells into periods. There are five different sets
of periods. I find, after I have started, that I need to create smaller
units than one cell. If I could split this cell it would work for me.
Otherwise I need to evaluate the whole time line and provisionally merge
columns in the right place in order to be able to merge the ones I need at
a later stage.

#5

This wouldn't really make sense. One of the principal functions of a spreadsheet is to be able to refer to individual cells in formulae. If you split a single cell, how would you refer to each part of it separately? What would D7 now mean? D7RB for the right, bottom sub-cell of what was originally D7? What when you divide those cells further?

I trust this helps.

Brian Barker

#6

Sorry, I'm not a geologist, so "a geological time-line" does not say
anything to me.

What do your cells contain? Could you give an example?

See, you have your spreadsheet in mind but I/we do not know how it looks
like. So it is difficult to help.

You could also upload a screenshot somewhere and post the link here, this
could help to understand the problem.

Nino

#7

@Brian: It should in principle be possible to just renumber everything. After that, it doesn't seem to be different in principle from what happens when cells are merged. However ...

@Pat: Is it not possible to get the effect you need by inserting a new column before or after the cell that you want to split?

#8

Pat,

why do you need to split a cell? What data does it contain and what do you
need to do with these data?

Nino

On 10-8-2014 15:10, Pat Brown wrote:> Nino, I am creating a geological time-line in Calc. Working across the

sheet I am dividing the cells into periods. There are five different sets
of periods. I find, after I have started, that I need to create smaller
units than one cell. If I could split this cell it would work for me.
Otherwise I need to evaluate the whole time line and provisionally merge
columns in the right place in order to be able to merge the ones I need at
a later stage.

I think the 'Insert Cell' (CTRL +) functionality can/should be used for that

#9

That sounds impressive, but it's just magic! If you explained what you meant, you might see why it makes little sense.

If you divide D7 horizontally, do the two parts become D7 and E7? In that case, do columns E onward get relabelled to F and so on? And formulae adjusted? Since column E now has only one cell, what does a reference to E6 mean? Is the column now labelled D or E or D/E?

If you now happen to divide F9, does it become F9 and G9 or does it take advantage of the ghost of column E and label itself E9 and F9? Are the columns now labelled D/E and E/F?

Brian Barker

#10

Why are you using Calc for this? Are you doing calculations on the data about each period or epoch or other subdivision?

Might you be better served by looking at a package designed to handle duration and timelines? I know of one for Macintosh and Windows (Aeon Timeline) but not sure about other operating systems.

Aeon allows you to define and subdivide your time with arcs and is great for managing what happened concurrently or sequence operations. I've used it for genealogy, plotting mystery novels, planning for software development, planning breeding schedules for a sheep flock and more.

As to splitting a cell, I do not know of any way to do that, you would have to insert another column and then merge all but the split cell.

Eugenie (Oogie) McGuire
Desert Weyr, LLC - Black Welsh Mountain Sheep http://www.desertweyr.com/
LambTracker - Open Source SW for Shepherds http://www.lambtracker.com
Paonia, CO USA

#11

As also mentioned by another poster, if you want to effectively split a single cell, you can add a row or column and then merge cells that you don't want to be split. (Perhaps a macro could be developed to do this.) Would your concerns not then be resolved?

#12

There are no concerns to be resolved: that quite different technique is the right way to do this!

Brian Barker