[Solved] Cell content automistaked: (2) is made -2

[morphingstar]

I want to mark rows with priority, so 1,2,3,4,5 in 1 column. Equal priorities will later be worked on.
Some rows might contain almost what I want, so I select [example] "(2)" instead of the higher priority "2".
The resulting -2 is not a priority I want to see or use.
Auto-correct is switched off.
When I check the Auto-correct window it shows -2 in the right filed, the left field is empty. Removing "-2" helps nothing.

At this time I am entering ",(2)" which works as a botch ... .
Defining the CELL as text requires 001, 011, 111, I prefer numbers in the usual form: 1,11,111.

How to get what I want?
Thanks.

Actual application:
Schedule
departure + arrival
mark the two trip legs which show the most convenient change (time) from one to the next part of the trip.
Say two get priority 2, but another one fits almost as well, it gets (2).
Cell refuses to show the entry I want.

[RusselB]

If it's just a matter of having the display look correct (ie: you aren't doing any math or sorting on that column), then you could just format the column using something like

Code: Select all

#,##0;(#,##0)

[Villeroy]

How to enter the text value (2): '(2). The leading apostrophe is just a text tag. It won't be part of the text.
Alternatively, without the leading apostrophe, you format the cell(s) as text (number format code @) before entering any literal text.
Second alternative: ="(2)"

[keme]

As also implied in previous response, interpreting "(2)" as a negative number is not a mistake. The "mistake" is that you assume that Calc will understand human semantics. (2) is minus two to a spreadsheet application, not because of autocorrection of any kind, but because of a well established convention for numerical presentation.

Calc, like other spreadsheets, is primarily a calculation tool, designed for handling numbers and quantifiable magnitudes. There is a good reason why the "lesser two" that you try to signify with parentheses is taken as -2: Spreadsheet software was designed around existing conventions among people who worked with numbers. Those conventions are taken from economy (accounting) and technology (engineering, science) mostly. A common way to present negative results in accounting is by having the numbers in parentheses.

To have a "graded 2" you need to go beyond plain numbers. If you have "2!" as a "strong two", "2" as a "normal two" and "(2)" as a "weak/subordinate two", you need to define that sequence, and ensure that your entry is not interpreted as something else. This is done by ...

• forcing text entry as per Villeroy's explanation (thus disabling numeric interpretation),
• limiting entry to the allowed options (which you can do by data validation after creating a list of allowed entries),
• use functions like MATCH() or VLOOKUP() to determine the entry's "score", or place in the sequence (position in said list).