[Solved] Cell display control

Discuss the spreadsheet application
Locked
DWDun
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:08 pm

[Solved] Cell display control

Post by DWDun »

Is there a tweak somewhere that will prohibit or permit individual cells to display the results of formulas included therein? I have encountered cases where the exact same formula will function and display correctly in one cell and that same formula in another cell results in a blank display as though it had been empty. The cells are exactly the same in every respect that I can access. Ctrl-Shift-F9 has no effect. The formulas are identical as is the data they use and display. Actually, the formula in question is only a display function that displays data derived by other formulas in othe cells. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Last edited by DWDun on Thu Oct 31, 2024 4:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
O0en Office 4.1.6, Windows 10
User avatar
RoryOF
Moderator
Posts: 34786
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:30 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: Cell display control

Post by RoryOF »

With any Calc problem the first step is always to turn on /View /Value Highlighting, to be absolutely sure of the types of the data involved. It is not unknown for unexpected changes to occur when data is copied and pasted, or otherwise manipulated.
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.15 on Xubuntu 22.04.4 LTS
DWDun
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:08 pm

Re: Cell display control

Post by DWDun »

View / Value Highlighting colors the display of one input Blue, and it does that in every instance of that input, but that's all.
Is there any cure for content manipulation in the copy/paste method of avoiding endless re-writes of formulas? I have experienced cell reference revisions happening and it requires examination and verification of every cell moved that way, but it is still better than writing every formula needed where it is needed.
All cell references are Absolute except where it would be disadvantageous. I searched the Forum for questions relating to this but could find nothing even close.
The Formulas themselvs remain the same from one instance to another, so in this case formula manipulation through copy/paste is not a factor. I can find no differences in cell Formats, Page specifications, Paragraph specifications or any other variable accessable by the user.
The malady occurs in various files worked in Calc, but I have not yet uninstalled and reinstalled Open Office. Would that be a possible cure or is it the spreadsheet files themselves that are corrupted by an unknown?
Another hair puller, if I had any left.
O0en Office 4.1.6, Windows 10
User avatar
RoryOF
Moderator
Posts: 34786
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:30 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: Cell display control

Post by RoryOF »

With Value Highlighting, your formulae should be in green. If they show in black, they are text and might have dropped the leading "=".
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.15 on Xubuntu 22.04.4 LTS
User avatar
Lupp
Volunteer
Posts: 3620
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 7:05 pm
Location: München, Germany

Re: Cell display control

Post by Lupp »

Did you try (using the brush tool e.g.) to make sure that the secoind cell has exactly thje same format settings than the first one?
A number format or a conditionally overlayed format can suppress the display of a formula result.
aoo112041blankDisplay.ods
(45.76 KiB) Downloaded 8 times
On Windows 10: LibreOffice 24.8.3 and older versions, PortableOpenOffice 4.1.7 and older, StarOffice 5.2
---
Lupp from München
DWDun
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:08 pm

Re: Cell display control

Post by DWDun »

View / Vaue highlighting displays keyboard inputs as BLUE. The Formula cells that act on data entry display in dark GREEN which I mistook for BLACK, but the void cells are still void and all others display the derived Data as they shoulod, in dark GREEN.
All cells are ormatted exactly as they should be.
O0en Office 4.1.6, Windows 10
User avatar
Lupp
Volunteer
Posts: 3620
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 7:05 pm
Location: München, Germany

Re: Cell display control

Post by Lupp »

DWDun wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2024 11:40 pm ...
All cells are formatted exactly as they should be.
...
Contributors have wasted some time trying to help you.
Shouldn't it be your turn now to help them by providing an example document (as .ods file) showing the issue for you?
If you know better anyway, why do you ask?
On Windows 10: LibreOffice 24.8.3 and older versions, PortableOpenOffice 4.1.7 and older, StarOffice 5.2
---
Lupp from München
DWDun
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:08 pm

Re: Cell display control

Post by DWDun »

I will gladly send an .ods file to anyone who thinks they can solve the problem. No one has so offered.
O0en Office 4.1.6, Windows 10
User avatar
Hagar Delest
Moderator
Posts: 32850
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:07 pm
Location: France

Re: Cell display control

Post by Hagar Delest »

Then upload a sample file (see How to attach a document here).
LibreOffice 24.8 on Xubuntu 24.10 and 24.8 portable on Windows 10
DWDun
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:08 pm

Re: SOLVED Cell display control

Post by DWDun »

I still don't have a reason for the conduct, but it turns out that in the particular cells affected with the problem, the formula therein simply was not recognizing the value in a specific reference, but did recognize the value in a reference with an equivalent and equally valid value, and displayed the result as it should. Why it would perform differently in different cells is a puzzle. I thank each and every one for their concern, dedication and efforts, and all I can say is that Open Office support is fully as good as the product itself.
O0en Office 4.1.6, Windows 10
Locked