[Solved] Unwanted default for Calc "Delete Cells" dialog

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rgurganus
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[Solved] Unwanted default for Calc "Delete Cells" dialog

Post by rgurganus »

In the Calc dialog box "Delete Cells", it defaults to the option "Shift Cells Up", but I'd suggest that either the default should be "Delete Entire Rows", or have the default customizable, or have it remember from session to session what a user's choice is.

I find that I *ALWAYS* use "Delete Entire Rows", and I often use the keyboard combination Ctrl+Dash, and <Enter> to delete row. The problem is when I close Calc and re-open later, it always goes back to "Shift Cells Up". So if I'm not paying attention, I accidentally choose this default when trying to delete a row, and this corrupts the data integrity of the entire spreadsheet, with columns now being misaligned. I can undo, but sometimes I am beyond the ability to undo back to the point where the deletion occurred.

Thank you.
Last edited by Hagar Delest on Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: tagged solved.
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Villeroy
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Re: Calc "Delete Cells"

Post by Villeroy »

Richt-click row header > Delete
or
Shift+[Space Key], right-click > Delete
Please, edit this topic's initial post and add "[Solved]" to the subject line if your problem has been solved.
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MrProgrammer
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Re: Unwanted default for Calc "Delete Cells" dialog

Post by MrProgrammer »

rgurganus wrote:I'd suggest that either the default should be "Delete Entire Rows" … or have it remember from session to session what a user's choice is.
This is a user-to-user forum. No one here can change how Calc works.
rgurganus wrote:I find that I *ALWAYS* use "Delete Entire Rows",
Just use Tools → Customize → Keyboard so that Ctrl+Dash does what you want. I use a Mac, which uses the ⌘ key instead of the Ctrl key so your dialog will look a bit different, but I think it will be clear what to do. Select Ctrl+Dash, Edit, and Delete Rows then use the Modify button which will add Ctrl+Dash to the Keys area and change the desciption of Ctrl+Dash from Delete Cells to Delete Rows. Restart OpenOffice and you should find that key combination will delete the entire row. I tested and it does for me.
Delete Rows.gif
My personal preference is to leave the operation of ⌘- as delivered and use:
• Shift+Space then ⌘- if I want to delete rows and
• ⌘Shift+Space then ⌘- if I want to delete columns

Neither of those methods displays a dialog box. If I have only a range selected and use ⌘- Calc displays a dialog, so it is immediately clear if the intent was to use one of the combinations above but I didn't select rows or columns correctly.

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.
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rgurganus
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Re: Unwanted default for Calc "Delete Cells" dialog

Post by rgurganus »

Yes, that makes sense. Thank you!
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Hagar Delest
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Re: Unwanted default for Calc "Delete Cells" dialog

Post by Hagar Delest »

MrProgrammer wrote:This is a user-to-user forum. No one here can change how Calc works.
That is the point of this section, see: Harvesting UX Data.
Even if I agree that in this case, there are some ways to do what is asked.
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