[Dropped] Numbers turn into dates

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jehpta
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[Dropped] Numbers turn into dates

Post by jehpta »

 Edit: Split from How to turn off Auto-Format in Calc because this situation may be different and a new person needs their own topic 
Thank you so much for the info here. I was going nuts attempting to enter numbers that didn't turn into dates in my spreadsheet. Everything I found online didn't apply; it was either too old or didn't apply to my...OS(?), including https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Docume ... _tables%3F. Villeroy's (off-putting) reply was spot on. It solved my problem. Thank you.

Villeroy, spreadsheets can be used for quite a bit more than just the expected spreadsheet/calculations. Mine is invaluable to me. It's 13 pages of everything I need to reference, such as businesses, contacts, payroll, websites, gaming info., recipes, bills, equations, TV schedules/streaming, banking, and more. I would be lost without it.

TY again for the info. For years, I have had to work around OO's changing my numbers in cells to dates. You made my life so much easier.
Last edited by MrProgrammer on Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: No example of the problem was provided
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robleyd
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Re: How 2 Turn off Auto-Format on Calc

Post by robleyd »

The link you quoted above refers to Writer, not Calc, so that may explain why it didn't help you.

However, for what you appear to be trying to do, a Writer document might be a better choice.
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Villeroy
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Re: How 2 Turn off Auto-Format on Calc

Post by Villeroy »

jehpta wrote:Thank you so much for the info here. I was going nuts attempting to enter numbers that didn't turn into dates in my spreadsheet.
Villeroy, spreadsheets can be used for quite a bit more than just the expected spreadsheet/calculations. Mine is invaluable to me.
How does that fit together? And how can it be that someone enters numbers that turn into dates? A spreadsheet number is a decimal number. Since 20 years I can enter anything I want into Calc with no problems. Of course, everything is a lot easier with database forms, but if you prefer the volatile freehand tool, anything goes if you are willing to learn the basics. So far you do not contribute the faintest hint about what your problem actually is.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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Villeroy
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Re: How 2 Turn off Auto-Format on Calc

Post by Villeroy »

Villeroy wrote:
vpham209 wrote:
RoryOF wrote:Set those cells to Text.
Is there a way for me to turn it off permanently?
Sure. But then you give up all spreadsheet functionality.

How to turn a spreadsheet into a dumb text table editor:
Open the stylist and set the default cell style to text number format (number format code @).
And while you are in it, choose "[None]" as language on the font tab. This supresses auto-correct and spell checking.
Save it as template and make this your default template in order to make all new spreadsheets like this.
And finally you should turn off Tools>Cell Contents>Auto Input which is a global option.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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RusselB
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Re: How 2 Turn off Auto-Format on Calc

Post by RusselB »

RoryOF wrote:Set those cells to Text.
vpham209 wrote:Is there a way for me to turn it off permanently?
Villeroy wrote:Sure. But then you give up all spreadsheet functionality.

How to turn a spreadsheet into a dumb text table editor:
Open the stylist and set the default cell style to text number format (number format code @).
And while you are in it, choose "[None]" as language on the font tab. This supresses auto-correct and spell checking.
Save it as template and make this your default template in order to make all new spreadsheets like this.
And finally you should turn off Tools>Cell Contents>Auto Input which is a global option.
If you're going to go through all that, you'd be just as well off using Notepad, which comes with Windows since Windows 2.0
OpenOffice 4.1.7, LibreOffice 7.0.1.2 on Windows 7 Pro, Ultimate & Windows 10 Home (2004)
If you believe your problem has been resolved, please go to your first post in this topic, click the Edit button and add [Solved] to the beginning of the Subject line.
Mountaineer
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Re: Numbers turn into dates

Post by Mountaineer »

I'd suggest any Editor for HTML
or use Writer. It is nice to have links to the Internet.
(But as I replaced Notepad by Notepad++ I may haved missed cool features of Notepad. )

J.
OpenOffice 3.1 on Windows Vista
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