Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 88569
[RFE] Make existing array formula edit easier for user
Last modified: 2013-02-07 22:42:00 UTC
At present in OOo Calc if you try to edit a cell which is a part of an array. user get a message "You cannot change only part of an array" A better feedback would have been giving an option to select the entire array. Steps:- 1. in OOo Calc goto cell "B3" 2. enter formula "={1;2;3}" 3. press ctrl+shift+enter to enter array data 4. move to cell "B3" again 5. try to edit cell content by a) either pressing "F2" key, b) or by double clicking cell "B3" Result:- * user get message "You cannot change only part of an array" * clicking OK goes back to cell "B3" after doing nothing see: ooo_edit_array_cell.png Expected:- * user should get message asking ================= Edit array ? ================ You are trying to edit part of an array. to edit an array you have to select whole array. Do you want select whole array? [Select] [Cancel] ============================================== * with default as "Select" button * upon confirming selection, OOo Calc should select whole array. * pressing "cancel" should do current behaviour
Created attachment 53101 [details] ooo_edit_array_cell.png
reassigning features and enhancements to user requirements@openoffice.org which will be the default owner for those tasks (was introduced some time ago)
Nice idea! But if there's only one useful outcome, why bother asking the question? If the user tries to edit an array formula, Calc should just select the array range and edit the formula. If the user edits the formula and presses "Enter" in the array formula context, then there may be a useful question: Do you want to a) modify the array range, or b) replace the array range with a single array formula c) replace the array range with a single non-array formula Currently, if you just press Enter, you get the "You cannot change only part of an array" error and you _lose your edits_ entirely. The a) choice should be the default--it's the case where the user simply forgot to press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. The b) and c) options are probably much less common, but useful, and very inconvenient at present. You have to: 1) select the array range 2) edit the formula (F2) 3) select the formula text 4) copy the formula text to the clipboard 5) leave edit mode (Escape) 6) clear the array range 7) edit the cell 8) paste the formula text 9) press Ctrl+Shift+Enter (for b), or Enter (for c) I run into b/c when working out formulas that use array ranges but return a single result. I start with the simple array formula where I need to see the entire range, then add a function that processes the array range to get one value. Making such an edit requires all the steps above, in that precise order, and is a big nuisance.
*** This issue has been confirmed by popular vote. ***