[Solved] Dragging Cells in Calc

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Controls Guy
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[Solved] Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by Controls Guy »

New adopter here. Fairly happy so far. Can't seem to drag cells or drag + copy in Calc. I highlight a range I'd like to move or copy, but no matter where I click with in the range or around the edge, I can't get the mouse to attach the selected cells.
Last edited by Controls Guy on Mon Nov 24, 2008 6:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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bobban
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Re: Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by bobban »

Rather than try explain this myself I will point you towards this excellent tutorial video. Text search for a section called "Move cells using drag and drop", and play the embedded video. It's a 2min soldier's five, on this topic. :geek:
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Controls Guy
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Re: Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by Controls Guy »

I actually can't see it in the video, but the trick seems to be pausing briefly (a little under 1s) after clicking anywhere inside the region. Then Calc switches into DnD mode. Before I was clicking and instantly trying to drag, and I think Calc was still giving me the chance to change the range selection. Ironically, it worked for me the very first time after I posted (though I didn't know what I did different) then I couldn't get it to do it again. So then for about half an hour, it would work sometimes and sometimes not, till I finally figured out what was going on. They should mention the wait in the help for drag and drop.
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bobban
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Re: [SOLVED] - Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by bobban »

Glad you got it sorted, but tbh, I can't replicate the need for a pause no matter how quickly I click on the selection to drag it. :?
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Controls Guy
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Re: [SOLVED] - Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by Controls Guy »

My bad. I can't now either. I think what I was doing was pressing Ctrl before clicking (which is what I'm used to in Excel), because I was actually trying to copy cells. If you do that it disables the drag. That's still wierd though, because last night when it wasn't working I thought I tried a regular drag as well. Must have been tired and just thought I did. Thanks for your help!
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Dave
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Re: Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by Dave »

Controls Guy wrote:They should mention the wait in the help for drag and drop.
I respectfully disagree; no-one tells you how hard to press on the gas pedal after you buy a car. ALL software takes getting used to. Select the cells, let go. Click somewhere in the selected area [and hang on.] Drag to wherever you need. If this is the worst of your worries, you are blessed.

David.
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Villeroy
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Re: [Solved] Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by Villeroy »

There is no need to wait. You've got to highlight a single cell before your can grab it anywhere in the middle. In Excel you can drag a cell without highlighting it but it requires to grab the cell border, which I find more difficult (at least it depends on my current eye-hand coordination).
Highlight a single cell:
Ctrl+Click
Hold Shift, press an arrow key and then the opposite arrow (expand to range selection of 2 cells and then back to single cell)
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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bobban
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Re: [Solved] Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by bobban »

Dave wrote:I respectfully disagree; no-one tells you how hard to press on the gas pedal after you buy a car. ALL software takes getting used to.
:lol:, good analogy!
Villeroy wrote:There is no need to wait. You've got to highlight a single cell before your can grab it anywhere in the middle. In Excel you can drag a cell without highlighting it but it requires to grab the cell border, which I find more difficult (at least it depends on my current eye-hand coordination).
That Excel alternate method sounds nasty. :shock:
Villeroy wrote:Highlight a single cell:
Ctrl+Click
Hold Shift, press an arrow key and then the opposite arrow (expand to range selection of 2 cells and then back to single cell)
Ahhhh I never knew about the CTRL+Click method to get one cell selected. I was using the second method which feels hacky. This is a much better way. :D
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Controls Guy
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Re: Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by Controls Guy »

Dave wrote:
I respectfully disagree; no-one tells you how hard to press on the gas pedal after you buy a car. ALL software takes getting used to. Select the cells, let go. Click somewhere in the selected area [and hang on.] Drag to wherever you need. If this is the worst of your worries, you are blessed.

David.
Your reply would be devastatingly witty if it had anything to do with my original question. I was already doing what you suggest and it wasn't working (because in OO you have to click, THEN press Ctrl if you want to copy cells) You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Start off nice, you can always escalate to dismissive-nerd-mode later if need be.

And yes, help SHOULD tell you everything there is to know about the topic at hand, otherwise it isn't.....HELP.
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bobban
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Re: [Solved] Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by bobban »

Controls Guy wrote:Your reply would be devastatingly witty if it had anything to do with my original question. I was already doing what you suggest and it wasn't working (because in OO you have to click, THEN press Ctrl if you want to copy cells) You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Start off nice, you can always escalate to dismissive-nerd-mode later if need be.
There is no need to be so defensive. David was referring to your problem with having to pause to for 1sec, and although that turned out not to be an issue, I think his advice was sound in relation to this as a broader issue (he offers a lot of advice on this forum to users, and I am sure he doesn't volunteer his time to belittle people). If you don't like the advice, or think it completely irrelevant, please just just ignore it, and resist the urge to start insulting someone on this forum. If you really feel the comment was offensive, then use the "report this post" button and put in your explanation so a moderator can investigate.
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notbugme
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Re: [Solved] Dragging Cells in Calc

Post by notbugme »

(Calc openoffice.org 3.4.1)
Move an individual cell by dragging WITHOUT using the keyboard:
1) First select a cell by left clicking in the middle of the cell & holding the mouse key down.
2) While holding the key down, move the cursor beyond the cell border. The cells will highlight (blue in this case).
3) Move the cursor back inside the original single cell border, and release the key. That cell stays highlighted, indicating it's selected.
4) Left click inside the selected cell & hold down the key. You can now drag the cell elsewhere, then release the key to complete the cell move. The contents of the destination cell will be overwritten without prompting.
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