[Solved] Rename Columns?

[jmdraft]

I've never worked with spreadsheets, or for that matter, anything in OpenOffice before. When I open a blank spread sheet, the top of each column has a letter e.g. A, B, C, etc. I’m trying to prepare a document with stock market information listed in it. I would like to have the first column (A) for ticker symbols, the next column (B) for the current price of the stock, the next column (C) for the yearly dividend yield, the next (D) to the dividend percentage (%) and so on.

Can I rename the columns? In other words, change the A to Ticker Symbol etc.

Or, should I be trying to do this with a completely different kind of document e.g. Presentation, Database, something to do with Templates etc.?

[FJCC]

You cannot rename the columns themselves. The usual approach is to use the first row to show the column headings. As for which application to use, it really depends on what you want to do with the information. Calc is intended for calculations and graphing. Those seem likely activities with stock information but you need to tells us what you want to accomplish.

[crusader]

Attached is a sample along the lines suggest by FJCC.

Additonally, you can freeze the top row(s), so as you add data to rows below, the headers will be visible at all times. The sample's first row is frozen.

An excellent suggestion commonly given to spreadsheet novices on this forum is to get a basic spreadsheet text. It does not have to be specifically about Calc: an old Excel text will work fine.

Hope this helps...

[jmdraft]

In the picture with the graph (https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/q?s=AAPL), there is a lot of data about the stock. But I don’t want all that. I want only selected items that are listed on various parts/areas of this and similar pages e.g. ticker symbol, current price, dividend yield, dividend yield percentage, growth phase etc. I have marked these items with blue arrows.

The picture of a portion of a spreadsheet has various items listed in a one vertical column on the left. Examples are marked with orange arrows. I want the items listed above to be listed in horizontal columns across the top of the document as in the examples marked with green arrows.

As it is here, I would have to have a different spread sheet for each individual stock and I want only one with only the items I need.

Right now I have all this stuff listed in a Word doc. and, as you can see; it’s kind of a mess. I think there might be a way to do this with a Word doc. (maybe templates?) but it’s something I would have to set up and I don’t know how. I was hoping for some kind of document that is already designed to do this.

"Cannot add another attachment, 3 is the maximum."

I’ll have to add the other pictures in a new reply.

[jmdraft]

Additional Pictures:

[crusader]

In the picture with the graph (https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/q?s=AAPL), there is a lot of data about the stock. But I don’t want all that. I want only selected items that are listed on various parts/areas of this and similar pages e.g. ticker symbol, current price, dividend yield, dividend yield percentage, growth phase etc. I have marked these items with blue arrows.

You can pick and choose what you want on your spreadsheet.

The picture of a portion of a spreadsheet has various items listed in a one vertical column on the left. Examples are marked with orange arrows. I want the items listed above to be listed in horizontal columns across the top of the document as in the examples marked with green arrows.

I am not clear on the relationship of the orange arrowed items to the rest of what you want. If this is a personal budget, you can put it on another sheet within the same spreadsheet, or on another spreadsheet, or even have it on the same sheet as your stock data: there is lots of room on each sheet - the choice is yours!

As it is here, I would have to have a different spread sheet for each individual stock and I want only one with only the items I need.

One thing is clear: you don't need a different sheet for each individual stock - even if you add fanciful graphs and other elements related to each stock.

Right now I have all this stuff listed in a Word doc. and, as you can see; it’s kind of a mess. I think there might be a way to do this with a Word doc. (maybe templates?) but it’s something I would have to set up and I don’t know how. I was hoping for some kind of document that is already designed to do this.

A spreadsheet is more appropriate - and will serve you better than a word document.

Please review the amended sample in which i have added a couple of examples from your latest post about what you want.

Also, there is an ample supply of free templates on the web for what you are seeking to do: just search the web.

[jmdraft]

YES!

Now I get it.
I see from the example you provided that I don’t need to change the letters. I just add the titles of each column below the letters. This is exactly what I wanted to do.

Thank You!

“I am not clear on the relationship of the orange arrowed items to the rest of what you want. If this is a personal budget, you can put it on another sheet within the same spreadsheet, or on another spreadsheet”

Sorry I didn’t explain this better. I’m not trying to do anything with the budget sheet. I just used it to do a screenshot as an example of part of a spreadsheet. It’s just one that I happened to have available.

[jmdraft]

PS,

In this forum, how do I mark you answer as best reply or question answered?

[RoryOF]

You go to the first entry in your thread and pick the Edit button from top right - as it should be your entry you have rights to edit it. Then check the radio button for Green tick and add [Solved] to start of subject line.

[jmdraft]

Thanks and I’ll do that because you were kind enough to provide the information.

Meanwhile,

I was happy and now it’s turning out to be an erratic, self determining, will of its own, infuriating PntB.
It’s changing my entries. I have caps locked and enter capital letters e.g. MON. When I go to the next entry, it changes the entry e.g. Mon. if I enter 1/5, it changes this to 1/5, it changes this to 1/5/15. if I enter 1-5, it does the same.
Right now, it’s turning out to be a lot more trouble than a Word doc.
Is there a way to disable its self important nonsense and just allow my entries to be what they are when I enter them?
I absolutely hate stuff like this!
I really don’t want to have a PhD in the thing to just use it.

[crusader]

It’s changing my entries. I have caps locked and enter capital letters e.g. MON. When I go to the next entry, it changes the entry e.g. Mon.

This can be "corrected" by disabling Auto Correction: Menu -> Tools -> AutoCorrection Options -> Options.
Please note: the above sequence is for LibreOffice; the exact sequence for OpenOffice may be slightly different.

if I enter 1/5, it changes this to 1/5, it changes this to 1/5/15. if I enter 1-5, it does the same.

Most (if not all) spreadsheets will interpret an entry like 1/15 as date. You have to format the relevant column as Text before you begin entering data in that column. I have already done that in the sample spreadsheet. You may choose to use that as a template.

I really don’t want to have a PhD in the thing to just use it.

Fortunately, a PhD is not required; however, basic understanding of spreadsheets is - which explains my reference to a basic spreadsheet text in my initial response.

[jmdraft]

OK thanks and I’ll do all this.

I find too much of this kind of stuff annoying because:

I use a lot of dangerous tools e.g. chainsaw, arch welder, radial arm and many saws, impact and many types of drills. I also fly airplanes and drive cars. If any of these things started behaving like this (will of their own) e.g. automatically doing things that I don’t, consciously and knowingly, tell them to do, they would all be extremely more dangerous. If I adjust a cutting torch flame to a certain pressure, it doesn't decide, on its own, to produce a hotter flame. It does what I tell it to do and NOTHING more. If I put my foot on the brakes, the car doesn't speed up; it stops. If anything like this self editing/regulating nonsense happened, I would immediately start filling reports with all sorts of federal agencies and then file class action law suits against the companies that make them…………..as commonly seen every day in the news.

Software is not dangerous in this sense (cause physical injury) but there is no logical/rational/intelligent reason why it should be any different.

[RoryOF]

OK thanks and I’ll do all this.

I find too much of this kind of stuff annoying because:

I use a lot of dangerous tools e.g. chainsaw, arch welder, radial arm and many saws, impact and many types of drills. I also fly airplanes and drive cars. If any of these things started behaving like this (will of their own) e.g. automatically doing things that I don’t, consciously and knowingly, tell them to do, they would all be extremely more dangerous. If I adjust a cutting torch flame to a certain pressure, it doesn't decide, on its own, to produce a hotter flame. It does what I tell it to do and NOTHING more. If I put my foot on the brakes, the car doesn't speed up; it stops. If anything like this self editing/regulating nonsense happened, I would immediately start filling reports with all sorts of federal agencies and then file class action law suits against the companies that make them…………..as commonly seen every day in the news.

Software is not dangerous in this sense (cause physical injury) but there is no logical/rational/intelligent reason why it should be any different.

Before you used any of these tools, you surely received some training? I know I was not allowed near a circular saw, radial arm saw, drills, arc or gas welders, lathes, cars etc (yes, every one of them and more) without some initial training. In the case of a computer, because it doesn't immediately cut one's fingers off, most people think they need no training. Because of that, software designers design the program to work in a logical way - for every person who doesn't like some automated feature, there is another who does. Computer software at least comes with easy access to a manual (almost always also an online Help file) - most of the above tools don't, or didn't last time I bought any.

[keme]

Software also does what you tell it to do (most of the time), which is not always exactly what you want it to do.

By convention, a spreadsheet will attempt to interpret input as some numeric entity. Thus, 1/5 is taken as a date, and =1/5 is taken as a calculation. Enter either of those with a leading apostrophe, or preformat the input cell as "text", to explicitly instruct the spreadsheet to do no interpretation. Other automated input help/autocorrect functions are also on by default in many cases. They can be turned off, but you need to find the correct procedure depending on which software title you are using.

Similarly, by convention a manual gearshift in a car has the first 4 gears in the same position in virtually all cars. the position for reverse in one vehicle may be occupied by 5th, 6th or low gear on other vehicles. Other levers may engage "overdrive", low gear or 4WD. When you enter a vehicle of a type you have not used before, you need to determine the function of those before you use them. Failing to do so may lead to dangerous situations. Also, by convention the clutch pedal is the leftmost pedal. When you drive with automatic shift, you need to remember not to step on the leftmost pedal when you want to shift gears...

A cutting torch flame will, to the uninitiated, seem to have a will of its own. While adjustment is not difficult, you need to learn the basics, or you will have a monster spitting flames and/or soot flakes all over the place.

My point? You are working with powerful tools, so you need to learn the basics and know the pitfalls in order to work efficiently and avoid mistakes. Cf. the advice you have been given, to find a basic text on spreadsheets.
Oops! I see RoryOF beat me to it.

Also, some users work better with the helper tools enabled. For me and you, they are better disabled.

[RusselB]

@jmdraft, for the most part the problems you mention (changing of capitalization and entry of numerics changing to dates) can be overridden by changing the Auto Input selection under Tools -> Cell Contents

By default this is on.. turning it off will resolve most (if not all) of these kinds of problems.
However, please note that it also turns off the "balloon prompts" that assist when writing formulas.

[jmdraft]

Link check
I want to know if links are preserved here and that’s what this is. This, link (which has been converted) as opposed to this: http://techterms.com/definition/link

[jmdraft]

Well this is turning out to be an interesting discussion and I very much appreciate the time you are taking to explain all this to me. Obviously, I’m kind of a Luddite (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=luddite). I’m old, cranky and impatient with things I don’t understand. I will learn this thing and use it because I recognize its value, and because you've been kind and patient enough to spend the time to help me with it.

This is not a justification for my attitude but it will partially explain it.

Earl Grey Tea, Hot!

Me and Computers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2IJdfxWtPM

Captain Picard says “Tea, Earl Grey, hot” and voilà, it appears! The computer doesn't ask for any settings or conditions, it just produces the tea. If that didn't happen, everybody on the bridge would get their butts chewed.

But this is science fiction.

Bill Gates has predicted that, in the future, their will be no interface between user and computer. The computer will just know what to do………….as in, Earl Grey Hot.

I learn the basics (steering wheel, gears, brakes) of driving it but I don’t go under the hood of my car and adjust settings to keep it from, arbitrarily, deciding to behave unpredictably. I just turn the key and drive it.

My first experience with computers (1963-five story mainframe) was in the NATO War Room (https://www.google.com/search?q=nato+bunker+bör), which was in a giant (quasi science fiction) bunker, under a mountain near Börfink (http://wikimapia.org/25328617/B%C3%B6rf ... and-Bunker), Germany and I was a USAF aircraft controller. When it all worked, it was astounding. You could see almost anything moving on the planet e.g. a flock of guess in Siberia. But it almost never all worked. There was no such thing as tech support back then……………..it was called maintenance. I was constantly calling maintenance and, headphone dangling; in the middle of directing some young fighter jock to chase some Russian kid (in his airplane) out of our airspace and moving from console to console.

What has changed since then is that the five story mainframe can now fit in the palm of your hand and we ask for tech support instead of maintenance.

What has not changed is that, compared to Star Trek, the whole computer industry (including software) is still in the stone age and I am still constantly calling tech support (maintenance), or going to a forum like this one, to bumble and fumble through stuff like this.

Before I retired, I had a drafting company (JM Drafting Illustration- https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=c ... lustration) my father, and high school, taught me board drafting (https://www.google.com/search?q=manual+ ... d=0CCYQsAQ) when I was very young. Having spent 30+ years doing it, I became very proficient and, oh cr-p, here come the old radar/bunker days again……………CAD (https://www.google.com/search?q=manual+ ... =505318663) appears. Kicking and screaming, I bought the very expensive software. Of course, I soon realized the great value of being able to save what was good and delete what was wrong without having to start with a new sheet of paper and draw the whole thing over again. It was also nice to take some little memory device (floppy disk at first; thumb drive later) to the jobsite instead of big, bulky rolls of paper which blew around in the wind when unrolled. But I continued to be resentful about having to go (back) to school and stay in it for six years to learn and keep up with the constant changes, (and yes) improvements and upgrades (which I had to buy) in the software.

I have to apologize for being such a grump. If I want the auto correct, and other features, I’m know they’re an advantage but, at least, let me learn about, and then, select them. For grouchy old poots (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Poot) like me, they should all be (by default), off until I do.

Unless there could be a fast way of skipping ahead to Star Trek technology, left up to me, I’d probably just gather all the computers on earth, load them aboard rockets and shoot them into the sun. But very little about this life is left up to me, so here I am. And I’m glad there are folks like you to keep me on track.

[jmdraft]

I unchecked (turned off) AutoCalculate and AutoInput but it is still turning 6/1 to a date 06/014/15. I can live with this by just entering 61. But if there’s a way to make it accept what I enter (6/1), I would prefer it. Is there something else I can disable to do this?

[keme]

I unchecked (turned off) AutoCalculate and AutoInput but it is still turning 6/1 to a date 06/014/15. I can live with this by just entering 61. But if there’s a way to make it accept what I enter (6/1), I would prefer it. Is there something else I can disable to do this?

Preformat that cell to treat input as plain text even if there is a numerical interpretation possible: Menu selection Format - Cells, select the Numbers tab and then category Text,

... or ...

Type a leading apostrophe to insist on verbatim interpretation of your entry.

If I want the auto correct, and other features, I’m know they’re an advantage but, at least, let me learn about, and then, select them.

I agree completely.

The rationale for having them enabled by default may be that otherwise, users who may benefit from those features may not ever know that they exist.
Being one of the tech support (and maintenance) guys, I reinstall frequently, for myself and for others. It is always a drag when I get the reminder that I forgot to turn off those things.

[RoryOF]

As 6/1 is in your case not a number, select column E (or highlight only the cells required, then /Format /Cells : Numbers tab and select text from the dropdown (last item on it - you may have to scroll to get to it). Such formatting has to be applied before you enter values. In some cases there is a way to copy and re-enter the text without having to retype it. I think this is by /Format /Cut then /Format /Paste (or perhaps Paste Special). I'm not certain about that step, as I do very little calc work

[jmdraft]

Thanks again all.

For future reference in this group, how are you guys doing the auto quotes “ (if they are auto)?

I just noticed the Quote tab above and my guess is that this is it but, cyber dummy that I am, I’ll have to figure out how it works.

[RoryOF]

To do Quote boxes and Code boxes, you must use PostReply button (left under the posting) or start in QuickReply then choose Full Editor. Across the top of the FullEditor window (both options lead to this), there are formatting buttons. If you press the Code button, you get

Code: Select all

 [code]

[/code]
tags inserted. Positioning cursor between those will place the entered text in the Code box when you post or preview your posting. Alternately, you can just type away (or Copy and Paste) content. Highlight what you want, then press the Code button and your selected text will be in a Code box. More or less ditto for Quote.

[jmdraft]

Thanks,

I’ll try it next time. I somehow get the impression that you folks are in the UK, or, at least that this software was created there. Just my imagination? Or you all over the world?
I think the Pooh Bear gave me that idea.
Anyway, got to pay bills today and I’ll get back to the spreadsheet tomorrow.

Thanks all.

[RoryOF]

OpenOffice in its original form was written inn Germany 25 or 30 years ago. Some of us are in Europe, others in US.

[jmdraft]

OpenOffice in its original form was written inn Germany 25 or 30 years ago. Some of us are in Europe, others in US.

Interested: Although more comfortable in English (native language) I speak German so, just to see if I might learn some new German terms, words (dealing with docs in general), it would be interesting to see the thing in German. Does anyone know where I might find it? And/or, also in Italian, Spanish and French (which I also speak)? I also speak Japanese and Portuguese but never do any kind of biz in these languages so they wouldn't matter. But it would be interesting to see them just out of curiosity. I’m guessing that I would go to OpenOffice website and select the languages individually……….right?

More automation

When I enter a number followed by a decimal point and zeros e.g. $1.00, it eliminates the decimal point and the zeros and leaves only the number e.g. 1. It ignores zeros at the beginning or within the number e.g. 0.11, 1.01.
What do I disable to stop this? And while here, are there other things to disable so that it will completely ignore ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING that I enter? Or, better yet, is there a way to set the whole thing up permanently, so that whenever I open it (a new doc), it will, by default, completely ignore anything and everything that I enter?

[crusader]

I’m guessing that I would go to OpenOffice website and select the languages individually……….right?

Correct.

When I enter a number followed by a decimal point and zeros e.g. $1.00, it eliminates the decimal point and the zeros and leaves only the number e.g. 1. It ignores zeros at the beginning or within the number e.g. 0.11, 1.01. What do I disable to stop this?

Use the appropriate icon on the toolbar to choose the number of decimal places or from the Menu -> Format -> Cells -> Numbers.

Or, better yet, is there a way to set the whole thing up permanently, so that whenever I open it (a new doc), it will, by default, completely ignore anything and everything that I enter?

You can use Styles and create a template that meets your needs.

[jmdraft]

“Use the appropriate icon on the toolbar to choose the number of decimal places or from the Menu -> Format -> Cells -> Numbers.”

Sorry to be such a dummy but I don’t understand this.
In the screenshot, can you tell me, specifically, what to select/change (or leave as is) so that the zeros and decimal points that I enter will be ignored.

Maybe if I do enough of this often enough, I’ll get the hang of it.

[crusader]

The screen shot indicates you have selected zero decimal places - and so it shall be - in the cells you selected!

I am getting the impression you changed the settings to zero decimal places, but Calc is disobeying you (naughty Calc! ). Before changing the settings, you have to first highlight the cells in which you want a particular setting changed (in this case, zero decimals). Then, you can pull up the formatting window (your screen shot) and make the formatting changes you want. You can pull up your screen shot window easily using Ctrl+1.

If you are not familiar with terms like highlight(ing) and Ctrl+1, a basic Excel text will address that (even if it is an older version). My volunteer compadres have also indicated basic spreadsheet education (not a PhD). The (repeated) suggestion is worth its weight in gold.

Jmdraft, at a basic level, Calc is (as are other spreadsheets), much simpler than what you are experiencing. Reading up on it will assure you of that...

Fumbiling with Calc may not be physically as dangerous as fumbling with a chainsaw; however, knowing how to operate each tool keeps the blood pressure under control.

[jmdraft]

Thanks,

Your patience (compadres all), is much appreciated.

My first question would have been: Who/what is Calc?
Then in OO Help, I noticed OpenOffice Calc so maybe that means that the specific doc I’m working with is called Calc. but then I wonder what the others in the drop down are (pic1). Curious: If I were working with OpenOffice Basic, might that mean that these settings (selected) would be off by default? In other words does Calc mean calculate and it is therefore changing/calculating my entries automatically………..probably not that simple right?

“ first highlight the cells”

Since I want all to be uniform, I highlighted everything (pic2). Maybe I shouldn’t have done that.

“you changed the settings to zero decimal places”

If I did this, it was unintentional since, not knowing what I’m doing, it wouldn’t have occurred to me. I don’t even understand what it means. The only thing I did consciously/intentionally was this:

“Menu selection Format - Cells, select the Numbers tab and then category Text, ”

Right now it looks like picture 3. This is OK because all the data is preserved. It looks a little goofy but I’ll worry about that later.

“a basic Excel text will address that”

“basic Excel text” I’m looking here: http://www.excelfunctions.net/Basic-Excel.html
And I’ll go through it later. I thought that the word Excel refers to something Microsoft: https://products.office.com/en-us/excel
Is the word analogous to all (any) spreadsheets?

“basic spreadsheet education”

Does this just mean reading all the stuff in OO Help? I see a lot of stuff on the (http://www.excelfunctions.net/Basic-Excel.html) page and I’ll get to it eventually (pic5).

Before, it was changing zeros at the end of entries (input) e.g. “Today’s Open 0.00 & EPS (TTM, GAAP)
4.70” (pic6) but that has stopped and it is accepting them………..I don’t know why or what I did to cause this.

[jmdraft]

Additional pictures
One was mislabeled: 6 instead of 5.............I think.