[Solved] 2.4.1 Calc questions

[williaba]

Using 2.4.1. In Calc.

Item 1:
If I cut and paste from one cell (say, A2) to another (say, G2), then right-click to format cell G2, I get a box with 'Default, Font, Size, Style, Character, Cut, Copy, Paste'.

Where's the familiar box with 'Default Formatting, Format Cells... etc..... ' gone?

I can format the cell as a text cell by using Format > Cells, but this doesn't affect the above.

However, if I insert a single quote ' at the beginning of the text in Cell G2 and right-click I see the familiar box with 'Default Formatting, Format Cells... etc..... '

Is this supposed to be?

Item 2:
Cell G2 is formatted as a text cell.

Cell H8 is formatted as a Number - General cell.
In cell H8 if I type =G2 the text in G2 is reproduced.

Cell H9 is formatted as a text cell.
In cell H9 if I again type =G2 H9 contains =G2 and NOT the text.

Is this supposed to be?

Item 3:
A question:

Can the contents of a cell be substituted into a formula defined in another cell?

Cell C2 is a text cell, and contains the text D6:D25

I want this text to be substituted into a formula in Cell D26.

Cells D6 to D25 contain numbers.

In Cell D26 I have the formula =SUM(D6:D25) which gives me the correct total in D26.

In simple terms, I would like to enter into Cell D26 something like the formula =sum(C2) where the contents of cell C2 (D6:D25) will be substituted into the formula also giving me the correct total in D26.

Is this possible?

[Villeroy]

'Default, Font, Size, Style, Character, Cut, Copy, Paste'.

This is the context menu to edit the (text-)content of a cell. The cursor is within the cell. Hit enter and right-click. May be you have set Tools>Options...Calc>General:"Enter switches to edit mode". In this case you hit the escape key. Anyway, the cell is a different thing to edit than it's content.
2nd question: Formatting as text means that all your input is treated as literal text. No more new formulas nor numbers in these cells. Existing values and formulas are never affected by formattings.
Regarding your 3rd question: =SUM(INDIRECT(A2))

[williaba]

Hi Villeroy.

Many thanks for your response. Understood.