Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Disabling autocorrect in Calc
How do I disable autocorrect in Calc? My most recent annoyance is that it converts random things into dates that shouldn't be, but that is hardly its only offense. Having Calc decide it knows what I wanted to type better than I do is infuriating, especially when it won't let me undo its correction.
Title Edited. A descriptive title for posts helps others who are searching for solutions and increases the chances of a reply. (TheGurkha, Moderator)
Title Edited. A descriptive title for posts helps others who are searching for solutions and increases the chances of a reply. (TheGurkha, Moderator)
OOo 3.0.X on Debian
Re: Disabling autocorrect
Hi and welcome to the forums.
This thread will probably help: No "Off" Option for Automatic Date Changes.
If this has answered your question please go to your first post and use the Edit button, and add [Solved] to the start of the title. You can use the green tick icon at the same time if you like.
This thread will probably help: No "Off" Option for Automatic Date Changes.
If this has answered your question please go to your first post and use the Edit button, and add [Solved] to the start of the title. You can use the green tick icon at the same time if you like.
Ubuntu 14.10 Utopic Unicorn, LibreOffice Version: 4.3.3.2
Gurkha Welfare Trust
Gurkha Welfare Trust
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
That doesn't particularly help. Under no circumstances do I want Calc to throw away my input. The date autocorrect does precisely that. I want to turn it off and never see it again. Furthermore, if I type in something like "1/4" (sans quotes), and it "corrects" it to a date, I can't simply go back to the cell and add an equals to the front (since it threw away my original input). I can't even go back, delete what it put there, and type "=1/4" to get it to do what I actually wanted -- it *still* decides it knows better than I do what I wanted to type, and that furthermore I must not have actually meant that equals sign.
OOo 3.0.X on Debian
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Try this: How to turn off formatting?.
However, as I mentioned in the other thread, if you prevent Calc from recognizing dates as numeric values, you will also prevent it from recognizing "1234" as a numeric value.
The best approach is not to "turn it all off", but to understand what Calc is actually doing, and learn to work with it. It only requires that you sometimes need to type a leading quote: '1/4 to tell it that you want the input left alone.
However, as I mentioned in the other thread, if you prevent Calc from recognizing dates as numeric values, you will also prevent it from recognizing "1234" as a numeric value.
The best approach is not to "turn it all off", but to understand what Calc is actually doing, and learn to work with it. It only requires that you sometimes need to type a leading quote: '1/4 to tell it that you want the input left alone.
AOO4/LO5 • Linux • Fedora 23
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
No, putting an apostrophe in front is most emphatically *not* all that is required. Nor do I want pure text formatting -- I'm trying to do math, here. That's why I opened up Calc in the first place. If I wanted to format text nicely or build a database I'd be using a different application. There are two behaviors I want to turn off. Firstly, when I *mistakenly* type 1/4 (no apostrophe, no equals) Calc does not simply format it as a date. It replaces the text I typed with something else. I don't mind the formatting -- I'm happy to place an equals in front to tell it I meant a formula. I *do* mind that it changed my input. Secondly, even if I retype it *with* the equals sign to specify I mean a formula, it *still* changes it to a date.
I really don't mind working with Calc and understanding what it's doing. I write enough code to understand that having it magically know what I meant is impossible. Unfortunately, I'm imperfect, and sometimes I type the wrong thing. But somehow, unlike most other programs I type things into, I can't use the backspace key to correct a simple typo. Not only do I have to change the formatting back to the default with a menu option, I *also* have to retype the text. If other people think that's a feature, that's fine with me; but please, please tell me how to turn it off.
I really don't mind working with Calc and understanding what it's doing. I write enough code to understand that having it magically know what I meant is impossible. Unfortunately, I'm imperfect, and sometimes I type the wrong thing. But somehow, unlike most other programs I type things into, I can't use the backspace key to correct a simple typo. Not only do I have to change the formatting back to the default with a menu option, I *also* have to retype the text. If other people think that's a feature, that's fine with me; but please, please tell me how to turn it off.
OOo 3.0.X on Debian
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Hmm, ok, I assumed that "1/4" was being recognized as a date and I neglected to double-check. For me, it actually gets recognized as a fraction and goes in as text: "¼". I fail to see the wisdom in that plan.
And I agree that Calc's behavior is pretty surprising when you go back and re-enter a new value over a date.
If I mistakenly enter something that Calc recognizes as a date, e.g. "1/3" --> 2009-01-03, and then I try to replace the date value by re-entering the formula: "=1/3", Calc gets the numeric value (0.333...) but keeps the date formatting, and the cell then shows a date of 1899-12-30. That looks really weird.
However, in that situation, if I then type Ctrl+M (Format > Default Formatting), the simple numeric value is shown: 0.33. The formula input is not lost, it just looks strange because it's being displayed through a date format. Once you reset the format, it's fine.
There is no way to prevent Calc from recognizing dates, or fractions, except to prevent any recognition at all, and every entry is taken as literal text.
And I agree that Calc's behavior is pretty surprising when you go back and re-enter a new value over a date.
If I mistakenly enter something that Calc recognizes as a date, e.g. "1/3" --> 2009-01-03, and then I try to replace the date value by re-entering the formula: "=1/3", Calc gets the numeric value (0.333...) but keeps the date formatting, and the cell then shows a date of 1899-12-30. That looks really weird.
However, in that situation, if I then type Ctrl+M (Format > Default Formatting), the simple numeric value is shown: 0.33. The formula input is not lost, it just looks strange because it's being displayed through a date format. Once you reset the format, it's fine.
There is no way to prevent Calc from recognizing dates, or fractions, except to prevent any recognition at all, and every entry is taken as literal text.
AOO4/LO5 • Linux • Fedora 23
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
I turned off most of the stuff in autocorrect, hoping it would help; that's why 1/4 doesn't get replaced by a fraction here. And yes, after I retype with the = it keeps the new input text rather than changing it like it does with 1/4. I strongly believe that not having a way to turn off something that throws away user input is a bad decision -- typos shouldn't require two steps to fix, including retyping the correct portion of the entry.
Unfortunately, both Gnumeric and KSpread are sorely lacking in features, and for a lot of sorts of math I like the spreadsheet approach. I haven't had Windows on a home PC in years and I still miss Excel every time I start up a new spreadsheet.
Unfortunately, both Gnumeric and KSpread are sorely lacking in features, and for a lot of sorts of math I like the spreadsheet approach. I haven't had Windows on a home PC in years and I still miss Excel every time I start up a new spreadsheet.
OOo 3.0.X on Debian
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Oh, right. I forgot about AutoCorrect.
I would turn it off, but Calc and Writer share those settings, and it's actually handy to have in Writer.
I would turn it off, but Calc and Writer share those settings, and it's actually handy to have in Writer.
AOO4/LO5 • Linux • Fedora 23
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Yeah, I like having it correct typos in Writer -- it's right far more often than not in that context. In fact, the spelling stuff I'd like to have in Calc too, though it matters less there; all I really want to turn off is the date portion (but I'd be willing to just turn off the whole thing).
OOo 3.0.X on Debian
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
It all depends on what you want to get and if you prepared the cells accordingly. You can not expect that Calc does any sort of auto-formatting for you. Gnumeric auto-formats all your input, which is a real annoyance because you can not distinguish text from number nor valid input from typos.
Apply a fractional number format if you want "1/3" to be a one third.
Apply number format "Text" if you want "1/3" to be treated as a literal text input.
But number format "General" applies defaults you like or you don't like. You can override the defaults which is why they are defaults, but you can not change defaults.
I agree, that two integer numbers separated by a date delimiter should never be interpreted as a date, particularly not if the delimiting char is not part of any commonly used date notation in the respective locale. For instance, 25.3 yields March 25th under a Dutch number format locale. Dutch decimal separator is comma rather than dot, but the dot is never used as date separator in the Netherlands.
Apply a fractional number format if you want "1/3" to be a one third.
Apply number format "Text" if you want "1/3" to be treated as a literal text input.
But number format "General" applies defaults you like or you don't like. You can override the defaults which is why they are defaults, but you can not change defaults.
I agree, that two integer numbers separated by a date delimiter should never be interpreted as a date, particularly not if the delimiting char is not part of any commonly used date notation in the respective locale. For instance, 25.3 yields March 25th under a Dutch number format locale. Dutch decimal separator is comma rather than dot, but the dot is never used as date separator in the Netherlands.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Ack! How does that work? I thought the cell format was never supposed to change the interpretation--except for "Text".Apply a fractional number format if you want "1/3" to be a one third.
Grr. Just when I thought I could make sense of this muck, another inconsistency. What a mess.
FWIW, I find it convenient to be able to enter dates with just two numbers. I'd hate to give that up just to make entry more predictable.
I think the problem is that Calc has a lot of built-in interpretations that are ambiguous. When they fail--and they're bound to fail often--there is no clue to the user a) what has happened, b) why it happened, and c) how to prevent it from happening. It's a recipe for frustration until you learn those things--which is clearly not easy, since there are no simple rules that govern it, and experienced Calc users still may not know all the details.
AOO4/LO5 • Linux • Fedora 23
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
I agree with the original poster. We also need to be able to set correction behavior in calc separate from that in writer. It drives me crazy not to be able to put a cell next to a number labeling that number "i" as opposed to "I".
OOo 3.1.X on Mac OSx other + windows, ubuntu
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Me too. It's a major annoyance.dtmoore wrote:I agree with the original poster. We also need to be able to set correction behavior in calc separate from that in writer. It drives me crazy not to be able to put a cell next to a number labeling that number "i" as opposed to "I".
I agree with the original poster. We also need to be able to set correction behavior in calc separate from that in writer. It drives me crazy not to be able to put a cell next to a number labeling that number "i" as opposed to "I".
The "i" vs "I" problem may be solved for the spreadsheet alone by turning off in menu:Tools>CellContents>AutoInput. This feature can be very nice when you need to enter repetitive text values into the same column of a list.
If some of Writer's auto-corect options are responsible for the replacement, you can override all of this with a leading apostrophe. 'i always puts "i" into the cell. It will also treat numeric input and formulas as literal strings.
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
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- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:18 pm
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
This IS actually a form of Autocorrect, a god-damn annoying one, yet when you turn off whatever you can turn off in Autocorrect, this STILL is there, bugging the hell out of you.
I tried to type "7-11". As in "varies from 7 to 11." And Calc kept changing it into a date. I turned off Autocorrect, yet it still was there. The solution is, as found here, to format every cell you are going to use into "text". This should not be the case and is so annoying I could kill a kitten.
My blood pressure was almost through the roof. Don't say Autocorrect is turned off when it is not.
I'm posting on both topics I could find, googling for this terrible error/bug. It is so annoying and everyone should complain about it so that it gets attention and gets fixed.
I tried to type "7-11". As in "varies from 7 to 11." And Calc kept changing it into a date. I turned off Autocorrect, yet it still was there. The solution is, as found here, to format every cell you are going to use into "text". This should not be the case and is so annoying I could kill a kitten.
My blood pressure was almost through the roof. Don't say Autocorrect is turned off when it is not.
I'm posting on both topics I could find, googling for this terrible error/bug. It is so annoying and everyone should complain about it so that it gets attention and gets fixed.
OOo 3.2.0, Ubuntu 10.04
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
We're not the developers, just users trying to help other users. The developers don't hang out here.irritated_user_89 wrote:It is so annoying and everyone should complain about it so that it gets attention and gets fixed.
To report bugs or make suggestions, see this tutorial: [Tutorial] Reporting bugs or suggestions.
Ubuntu 14.10 Utopic Unicorn, LibreOffice Version: 4.3.3.2
Gurkha Welfare Trust
Gurkha Welfare Trust
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Yes, it's confounding and confusing when you just want it to take what I type, dammit!, but it's not likely to be fixed because it's not a bug, and there's no way to turn it off because it's just the way spreadsheets work, and the way they have worked since, well, forever--as long as I've ever used one, anyway.
Since spreadsheets are meant for doing calculations with numbers, they convert your input to a number whenever possible, and a date is just another number. If you don't want Calc to interpret your input as a number, you must take action to prevent it. Either prefix your typing with an apostrophe, or give the cell(s) a number format of "text" before you enter anything.
A simple search shows that Google Docs and Excel (just as the most common search hits) behave exactly the same as Calc in this situation:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/G ... 5cd1&hl=en
http://www.tech-archive.net/Archive/Exc ... 00406.html
Sorry, it's just spreadsheets 101.
Since spreadsheets are meant for doing calculations with numbers, they convert your input to a number whenever possible, and a date is just another number. If you don't want Calc to interpret your input as a number, you must take action to prevent it. Either prefix your typing with an apostrophe, or give the cell(s) a number format of "text" before you enter anything.
A simple search shows that Google Docs and Excel (just as the most common search hits) behave exactly the same as Calc in this situation:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/G ... 5cd1&hl=en
http://www.tech-archive.net/Archive/Exc ... 00406.html
Sorry, it's just spreadsheets 101.
AOO4/LO5 • Linux • Fedora 23
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- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 12:03 pm
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
AutoInput
Switches the AutoInput function on and off, which automatically completes entries, based on other entries in the same column. The column is scanned up to a maximum of 2000 cells or 200 different strings.
Deactivating Automatic Changes
To access this command...
Choose Tools - Cell Contents - AutoInput
The completion text is highlighted.
To accept the completion, press Enter or a cursor key.
To append text or to edit the completion, press F2.
To view more completions, press Tab to scroll forwards, or Shift+Tab to scroll backwards.
To see a list of all available AutoInput text items for the current column, press Ctrl+D.
When typing formulae using characters that match previous entries, a Help tip will appear listing the last ten functions used from Function Wizard, from all defined range names, from all database range names, and from the content of all label ranges.
AutoInput is case-sensitive. If, for example, you have written "Total" in a cell, you cannot enter "total" in another cell of the same column without first deactivating AutoInput.
Switches the AutoInput function on and off, which automatically completes entries, based on other entries in the same column. The column is scanned up to a maximum of 2000 cells or 200 different strings.
Deactivating Automatic Changes
To access this command...
Choose Tools - Cell Contents - AutoInput
The completion text is highlighted.
To accept the completion, press Enter or a cursor key.
To append text or to edit the completion, press F2.
To view more completions, press Tab to scroll forwards, or Shift+Tab to scroll backwards.
To see a list of all available AutoInput text items for the current column, press Ctrl+D.
When typing formulae using characters that match previous entries, a Help tip will appear listing the last ten functions used from Function Wizard, from all defined range names, from all database range names, and from the content of all label ranges.
AutoInput is case-sensitive. If, for example, you have written "Total" in a cell, you cannot enter "total" in another cell of the same column without first deactivating AutoInput.
open office 3.2
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
ARg this is not right... even if I prefix my string with a single quote, it *still* changes it. Go ahead, try and enter the label "HSA" into a cell without it changing to "has". Try it. you'll see. With single quote, without, doesn't matter. With a double quote prefix, it won't change it, but shows the quote in the cell. WTF!??
Driving me nuts.
OOo 3.2, OSX 10.58
Driving me nuts.
OOo 3.2, OSX 10.58
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
This is a different sort of "help" that Calc is providing.
To turn it off, set Tools > AutoCorrect Options > Options > Use replacement table: NO (unchecked)
Typing an apostrophe at the start of an entry is not relevant in this situation.
To turn it off, set Tools > AutoCorrect Options > Options > Use replacement table: NO (unchecked)
Typing an apostrophe at the start of an entry is not relevant in this situation.
AOO4/LO5 • Linux • Fedora 23
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2013 9:11 pm
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Dear ACK NAK
I have just registered to the forum just so I could thank you for saving me from the Autocorrect. God Bless you, you are one of the righteous
I have just registered to the forum just so I could thank you for saving me from the Autocorrect. God Bless you, you are one of the righteous
Open Office.org 3.4.1 on windows 7
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Here is a workaround to get a cell to display: 1/4
Problem: When entering 1/4 gives: ¼
Entering: '1/4 still gives: ¼ (the ' is ignored - Is this a bug or a quirk?)
First enter a leading double quote: "1/4
Then edit the cell, changing the double quote to apostrophe: '
The cell will contain: '1/4 and display: 1/4
Problem: When entering 1/4 gives: ¼
Entering: '1/4 still gives: ¼ (the ' is ignored - Is this a bug or a quirk?)
First enter a leading double quote: "1/4
Then edit the cell, changing the double quote to apostrophe: '
The cell will contain: '1/4 and display: 1/4
Open Office 4.1.11, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
But if you want to do any math you're out of luck.Phillip wrote:Here is a workaround to get a cell to display: 1/4
Problem: When entering 1/4 gives: ¼
Entering: '1/4 still gives: ¼ (the ' is ignored - Is this a bug or a quirk?)
First enter a leading double quote: "1/4
Then edit the cell, changing the double quote to apostrophe: '
The cell will contain: '1/4 and display: 1/4
I think most of the problems once we are past the AutoPut stage is to a) judiciously edit the Autocorrect table, (e.g delete the blasted 1/2, 1/4, etc., entries, and b) format everything as much as possible.
If you are going to input a date, always format the cell as a date before data entry
If you want 1/4 to be numeric, format the cell as fractional before data entry and so on.
Non-number numbers such as telephone numbers, invoice numbers, etc, should be entered into character formatted cellls, formated before.
A North American telephone number (well USA,CDA, and parts of the Caribbean, I'm not sure about Mexico) when properly formatted is still a number. In Calc a NA phone number, entered as 555444333 with a user formatted as 555-444-3333 * 2 = 11108886666. I imagine this is true for most other countries but I have not tried it on others.
BTW 1/4 formatted as fraction * 2 = 0.5 or if the result cell is formatted fraction then
1/4 * 2 = 1/2. Interestingly enough one can change the result after it is calculated, presumably because it is a calculated field hence a number.
It means a lot of preplaning and probably the development of a new template with some new Styles but it cures most of Calc's helpful modifications.
LibreOffice 7.3.7. 2; Ubuntu 22.04
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
The two functions apply to different situations: 1/4 -> ¼ happens as you type. The apostrophe applies only after you press Enter.Phillip wrote:... Entering: '1/4 still gives: ¼ (the ' is ignored - Is this a bug or a quirk?) ...
Another workaround for automatic changes as you type: press Ctrl+z as soon as it changes. It doesn't solve all such problems but can be useful.
AOO4/LO5 • Linux • Fedora 23
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
I tried pasting a fraction to decimal chart in Calc and it behaved as the other complaints indicated: it changed many of the fractions to dates. I found a way to cancel this in this instance by "selecting all." then "edit" then "paste special..." and "Unformated text"
This got rid of the dates and restored the fractions.
This got rid of the dates and restored the fractions.
OpenOffice 4.1.1 on Windows 10
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
I wholeheartedly agree with everyone here who is complaining about all of the so-called "intuitiveness" of Calc when it comes to entering data in cells.
Now, while I have no idea why anyone else uses OpenOffice I can speak for myself. I came to install this product because I was fed up with the blatant arrogance of micro$oft and their office suite, which automatically corrects, edits and spellchecks everything you enter into it. Basically, it amounts to being a product that is dumbed-down to a lowest possible common denominator of users, in order to essentially mask their fundamental ignorance when it comes to spelling or doing math. Period. Case closed. (And, basically, I can easily learn all I need to know about a person's abilities who is seeking a job is to have them type a text document without any spell check tools, but I digress....)
Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING irks me more than to type some form of data into a cell and have the program automatically fix what IT ALONE thinks is wrong, which amounts to nothing more micro$oft-style arrogance at its height, that has been fully embraced by whoever the idiots are that have designed this competing product. It's patently obvious they have not even gone to micro$oft community boards to see what users THERE want to see put in the software that frustrates them; but then again, I suppose doing something like *THAT* would make too much sense for your average egotistical software product development organization. It is those very idiots who probably are not even smart enough to realize that the reason we came to this product was NOT to circumvent BUYING what micro$oft offers. We are looking for a FUNCTIONAL alternative. Well *duh* *duh* and CAPITAL *DUH*. But, I suppose the thinking at OpenOffice is that their attitude must be, "well, it's free, so who cares if the users are frustrated. it's just supposed to be a re-wrapping of what we stole from micro$soft anyway".
I have been a PC spreadsheet and database user since 1989 and have had careers in both Finance and Information Technology, and I will only say this:
Lotus 1-2-3 and their Symphony products that were designed in the late 1980s simply did what everyone in this thread is complaining about, without any problems, and given the state of software development, it actually demanded a certain degree of intelligence by the users, because it wasn't trying to solve all of the world's problems *intuitively* in virtually every spreadsheet. We never had to deal with all this "intuitive" garbage until micro$oft won the "war of the office suites" in the mid 90s. Ever since then we've had to deal with all of their "intuitive" crap for 20+ years now ever since system administrators and IT blowhards decided what was best for us without consulting any of the INTELLIGENT users for what we want or need or like about a product. And the ONLY conclusion that I can come to regarding any of it is that the folks at OpenOffice fully embrace the entire concept of micro$oft style arrogance, with ZERO regard for how anyone might use the product, what we want or expect from it, or why we are even giving it a try in the first place.
It''s a classic case of a bunch of *arrogant* programmers who know nothing about anything about how the real world operates among people who are actually trying to get something done.
And to think all this "tech-NO-LO-GY" came about under the guise of supposedly *helping* us to get done something that is of actual value in our professions. And it's been 20+ years that NOBODY has addressed the issues we have had to deal with when it comes to doing something as basic as providing an option to DISABLE INTUITIVENESS and just give us something we can use without having to become masters of exceptions before we try to do something.
How positively revolutionary and intuitive if you ask me. But I won't hold my breath. Everyone knows software developers live in their own bubble and have a KMA attitude.
Now, while I have no idea why anyone else uses OpenOffice I can speak for myself. I came to install this product because I was fed up with the blatant arrogance of micro$oft and their office suite, which automatically corrects, edits and spellchecks everything you enter into it. Basically, it amounts to being a product that is dumbed-down to a lowest possible common denominator of users, in order to essentially mask their fundamental ignorance when it comes to spelling or doing math. Period. Case closed. (And, basically, I can easily learn all I need to know about a person's abilities who is seeking a job is to have them type a text document without any spell check tools, but I digress....)
Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING irks me more than to type some form of data into a cell and have the program automatically fix what IT ALONE thinks is wrong, which amounts to nothing more micro$oft-style arrogance at its height, that has been fully embraced by whoever the idiots are that have designed this competing product. It's patently obvious they have not even gone to micro$oft community boards to see what users THERE want to see put in the software that frustrates them; but then again, I suppose doing something like *THAT* would make too much sense for your average egotistical software product development organization. It is those very idiots who probably are not even smart enough to realize that the reason we came to this product was NOT to circumvent BUYING what micro$oft offers. We are looking for a FUNCTIONAL alternative. Well *duh* *duh* and CAPITAL *DUH*. But, I suppose the thinking at OpenOffice is that their attitude must be, "well, it's free, so who cares if the users are frustrated. it's just supposed to be a re-wrapping of what we stole from micro$soft anyway".
I have been a PC spreadsheet and database user since 1989 and have had careers in both Finance and Information Technology, and I will only say this:
Lotus 1-2-3 and their Symphony products that were designed in the late 1980s simply did what everyone in this thread is complaining about, without any problems, and given the state of software development, it actually demanded a certain degree of intelligence by the users, because it wasn't trying to solve all of the world's problems *intuitively* in virtually every spreadsheet. We never had to deal with all this "intuitive" garbage until micro$oft won the "war of the office suites" in the mid 90s. Ever since then we've had to deal with all of their "intuitive" crap for 20+ years now ever since system administrators and IT blowhards decided what was best for us without consulting any of the INTELLIGENT users for what we want or need or like about a product. And the ONLY conclusion that I can come to regarding any of it is that the folks at OpenOffice fully embrace the entire concept of micro$oft style arrogance, with ZERO regard for how anyone might use the product, what we want or expect from it, or why we are even giving it a try in the first place.
It''s a classic case of a bunch of *arrogant* programmers who know nothing about anything about how the real world operates among people who are actually trying to get something done.
And to think all this "tech-NO-LO-GY" came about under the guise of supposedly *helping* us to get done something that is of actual value in our professions. And it's been 20+ years that NOBODY has addressed the issues we have had to deal with when it comes to doing something as basic as providing an option to DISABLE INTUITIVENESS and just give us something we can use without having to become masters of exceptions before we try to do something.
How positively revolutionary and intuitive if you ask me. But I won't hold my breath. Everyone knows software developers live in their own bubble and have a KMA attitude.
Openoffice 4.1.2 on Windows Server 2008 r2
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
In response to the above.
While I have some sympathy, I guess the answer is "Calc is a calculating spreadsheet. If you want it to look as text, you have to enter it as text".
To recap:
"1/4" is replaced by the symbol ¼ because this in the AutoCorrect table.
So you either need to delete this entry from the AutoCorrect table (also ½ & ¾)
or switch off AutoCorrect completely (Tools/AutoCorrect Options/Options untick "Use replacement table")
However - typing "1/4" Calc will then assume you meant the date of 1st April in the current year - 01/04/2016.
I think a reasonable assumption. What else should Calc do with this input?
NB. I actually like "1/4" as a quick way to enter dates, but then I have already formatted the relevant cells as "Date".
If you want text "1/4", then you either have to format the cell as text, or enter as '1/4. While this appears to store the extra ', the ' does not count as a character. I.E. Cell A1: '1/4 Cell A2: =LEFT(A1;1) gives "1/", not '1
BUT then you cannot do maths on the cell
So what if you format the cell as "Fraction"?
At last "1/4" will show as "1/4"
But what about 23/88? To get this you have to set the Fraction format to "# ??/??"
This will show "1234 23/88" as "1234 23/88".
For 123 123/456, set the fraction to "# ???/???" - all a bit tedious but ok I guess.
Well now try entering "77/88" - you get "7/8".
No doubt the answer to this one is: "That is the same accuracy".
Can you complain "but it is not what I entered"?
Well - say you wanted to show results of "n/100" and set the format as Fraction "# ???/???"
1/100 shows as 1/100
2/100 shoes as 1/50
3/100 shows as 3/100
4/100 shows as 1/25.
Wrong? Well, sorry - these are mathematically correct
So as I said before: I guess the answer is "Calc is a calculating spreadsheet. If you want it to look as text, you have to enter it as text".
While I have some sympathy, I guess the answer is "Calc is a calculating spreadsheet. If you want it to look as text, you have to enter it as text".
To recap:
"1/4" is replaced by the symbol ¼ because this in the AutoCorrect table.
So you either need to delete this entry from the AutoCorrect table (also ½ & ¾)
or switch off AutoCorrect completely (Tools/AutoCorrect Options/Options untick "Use replacement table")
However - typing "1/4" Calc will then assume you meant the date of 1st April in the current year - 01/04/2016.
I think a reasonable assumption. What else should Calc do with this input?
NB. I actually like "1/4" as a quick way to enter dates, but then I have already formatted the relevant cells as "Date".
If you want text "1/4", then you either have to format the cell as text, or enter as '1/4. While this appears to store the extra ', the ' does not count as a character. I.E. Cell A1: '1/4 Cell A2: =LEFT(A1;1) gives "1/", not '1
BUT then you cannot do maths on the cell
So what if you format the cell as "Fraction"?
At last "1/4" will show as "1/4"
But what about 23/88? To get this you have to set the Fraction format to "# ??/??"
This will show "1234 23/88" as "1234 23/88".
For 123 123/456, set the fraction to "# ???/???" - all a bit tedious but ok I guess.
Well now try entering "77/88" - you get "7/8".
No doubt the answer to this one is: "That is the same accuracy".
Can you complain "but it is not what I entered"?
Well - say you wanted to show results of "n/100" and set the format as Fraction "# ???/???"
1/100 shows as 1/100
2/100 shoes as 1/50
3/100 shows as 3/100
4/100 shows as 1/25.
Wrong? Well, sorry - these are mathematically correct
So as I said before: I guess the answer is "Calc is a calculating spreadsheet. If you want it to look as text, you have to enter it as text".
Open Office 4.1.11, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
I found the easiest way to get around this is to enter the date using a period instead of a slash. ie: 1/4/21 turns into 1/4 fraction. If you enter as 1.4.21 it will show the date the way you have the cell formated.
Windows 10 64 bit Open Office 4.1.6
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Looked at this again and interesting!?!
On a cell formatted as Date "dd/mm/yy" - Using a period instead of a slash
While 1.4.21 does give the date 1/4/2021, 1.4 gives 31/12/1899 ! 2.3 gives 1/1/1900!
This is with AutoCorrect on or off: Tools/AutoCorrect Options/Options tick\untick "Use replacement table"
So using a period means you always have to enter the year - a lot of extra typing if your dates are the current year.
NB. I am still a 2-finger typist despite 45 years as an IT developer, now retired and still using as many keyboard shortcuts as I can!
On a cell formatted as Date "dd/mm/yy" - Using a period instead of a slash
While 1.4.21 does give the date 1/4/2021, 1.4 gives 31/12/1899 ! 2.3 gives 1/1/1900!
This is with AutoCorrect on or off: Tools/AutoCorrect Options/Options tick\untick "Use replacement table"
So using a period means you always have to enter the year - a lot of extra typing if your dates are the current year.
NB. I am still a 2-finger typist despite 45 years as an IT developer, now retired and still using as many keyboard shortcuts as I can!
Open Office 4.1.11, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
1/ --> 1st of this month
1/2 --> 1st of this year's February (or 2nd of January in US context)
1/2/ --> same
1.4 in English context is 1 point 4 --> 31/12/1899 9:36 am
2.3 in English context is 2 point 3 --> 1/1/1900 7:12 am
Autocorrect is a text feature.
Number recognition has nothing to do with Autocorrect
1/2 --> 1st of this year's February (or 2nd of January in US context)
1/2/ --> same
1.4 in English context is 1 point 4 --> 31/12/1899 9:36 am
2.3 in English context is 2 point 3 --> 1/1/1900 7:12 am
Autocorrect is a text feature.
Number recognition has nothing to do with Autocorrect
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
Ubuntu 18.04 with LibreOffice 6.0, latest OpenOffice and LibreOffice
Re: Disabling autocorrect in Calc
Hi Villeroy, could you explain why I get 1/2 --> ½ in a cell formatted as 31/12/99 (With Autocorrect on), and not 1/2/2021 - see attached.
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Open Office 4.1.11, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit