When I did a previous list, just for my class, I used the merge cells function without any problems whatsoever. That was over a year ago, so that spreadsheet was probably developed using OO, not LO. So, that makes me wonder if there is something lacking, or a bug in LO that is causing this. I still have that older spreadsheet, and can open it in LO, and everything is still just like it should be, with the cells merged. Is there a default setting in the options somewhere that is different between the 2 - OO & LO? Or, is this a bug? It seems to me that once you have told cells to merge, they should stay merged until you "un-merge" them. What's going on here??????? I thought this list was for answers???? Roxy
Hi : I'm not sure why the merge-cells wasn't working. When i was running a similar list i found combining cells made the list very unwieldy. Invariably i would then need to sort the spreadsheet some unexpected way and that would be impossible. By keeping each element separate in the table it keeps your list flexible. I agree about 11pt being the smallest and many people recommend 12pt for accessibility issues. With the database program it should be possible to create a special query that fills a row with a single result. That would help get 1955 into a field/column in all rows/records. Later you could add another class and set the query to look-up whether the field already has an entry and if empty would put in the new value. Most people have real trouble grasping database programs. The 4 different components; tables, queries, forms and reports with only the tables containing the real data is difficult to understand. It's quite different from Word/Writer where the data that you see is where it appears to be. In queries, forms and records the data is not really there, it's only in the table. It's a bit like html where pictures are not embedded into the document and have to be kept in a good place that the html page can see. Regards from Tom :) ----- Original Message ---- > From: Roxy Robinson <rocma...@ranchwireless.com> > To: Tom Davies <tomdavie...@yahoo.co.uk> > Sent: Sun, 12 June, 2011 2:58:23 > Subject: Re: off-list Re: [libreoffice-users] Merge cell problem LO3.3.2.2 > > Mine is set up on legal sized paper, landscape mode, so that I can keep the >font size up close to 11. When you're between 65 and 75 years old, it helps to >have a printout as large as possible. If you can't read it you might as well >not have it. The CD handout is a good idea, but I would say about 30% of this >group don't use computers - don't even want to look at one. Seems odd to me, >but then I've been playing with them since the Coleco Adam. And then there are >quite a few that have computers, a nice internet connection, an email address >and they don't know what to do with it. Its mostly for when their grandkids >come. You still have to "snail mail" them or call them on the phone. > So, to keep it from printing just one or 2 columns on another page, and where >everyone can read it, I have to stick with legal sized (8.5 X 14) paper. > I did start playing with Base. Figured out how to give it access to my >spreadsheet, but couldn't do anything with the "table" function, but did a >"query" and I think I would have to change my spreadsheet some to get the info >in properly. My spreadsheet is done by "class year", with the year in the >first >cell of the row above where each class starts. I think from what I saw I would >have to add a column, probably column 1 with the year in each row of that >column, designating each person's class year. Then I also have deceased class >members listed at the end of each class. That listing has the person's name, >and if available, their death date. I believe, to get this info properly >transferred I would have to put each deceased person back in their "proper" >alphabetical order, but not sure about the death date - where to put it. > So, I will continue to play with this transfer to Base and see what I can >learn. But I still don't understand why the "merge cells" won't hold in my >spreadsheet??? > Roxy > > > Hi :) > I have attached the spreadsheet. I did a lot of formatting and formulas on >the > 2nd sheet. Hopefully it should be possible to open both spreadsheets at the > same time and then right-click on the tab you want to move into the other > spreadsheet/workbook. > > I used "Tools - Options - Calc" to set formulas to be more compatible with >Excel > which makes them look like this > =IF(TableData!E9&", "&TableData!F9&", "&TableData!G9&", "&TableData!H9&". > "=", >, > , . ","",TableData!E9&", "&TableData!F9&", "&TableData!G9&", >"&TableData!H9&". > ") > > If the ! have changed to . then it's gone back to Calc format in which case >the > compatibility setting probably doesn't matter as each program should convert >it > correctly. > > > After moving the sheet into the right spreadsheet/workbook you might need to >do > search&replace to change "TableData" to "Sheet1". Hopefully that should have >an > interesting result. Check the last few though because i might not have copied > all the formulas far enough down. > > I changed the page set-up to A4 rather than letter but it should still fit on > letter sized paper and switched to landscape and the font-size to quite small, > 10pt i think. It was the only way to get email addresses on the same page as > the persons name. > > > It occurred to me that it might be an excellent opportunity to hand the > address-list out on Cd/Dvd/usb-stick this year so that people get the >electronic > versions of the list and also get the LibreOffice installers. It might work >out > cheaper & easier! WebMaster at Kracked Press might have good ideas about it >if > you want to explore that route. I am not sure which would work out best & >it's > up to you. > > Sorry i didn't explore the Base methods. I just got a bit carried away >playing > with Calc :) > Thanks and regards from > Tom :) > > > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > > From: Roxy Robinson <rocma...@ranchwireless.com> > > To: Tom Davies <tomdavie...@yahoo.co.uk> > > Sent: Sat, 11 June, 2011 21:48:49 > > Subject: Re: off-list Re: [libreoffice-users] Merge cell problem LO3.3.2.2 > > > > Tom, > > I've attached a file that has 5 rows of data. All of them are MIA's with > >address, etc, info that no longer has anything to do with any of them. The >way > >my current spreadsheet is set up is like line 3. The LAST name is the last >name > >as people would have known them by in high school. For females, that would be > >maiden names (why its in parentheses). The reason I was doing the merge on >names > >is because it would take out almost the width of one column by merging those >3. > >This would allow all the information to be printed on one legal sized page - > >width, and still retain the 11 point font size (allows for easier reading by > >this aging crowd). Its saved in xls format - I'm probably the only one in >this > >group that uses LO. And probably only one of a handful that uses a >spreadsheet > >of any kind. My smaller "class" directories generally fit on one letter size > >page and I convert those to pdf to send out. > > This big one I have until 10/2012 to get right so it can be printed out >and > >distributed at the reunion. > > Roxy > > > > Hi :) > > Can you create a copy of the spreadsheet, perhaps adding >"rocmar-2011-06-11" > >to > > the end of the filename and afterwards just change the data in that to give > me > > about 4 or 5 lines of faked data. I might have time to create a mock-up >and > >you > > might even be able to get that to read the right data, or just use it for > >ideas. > > > > Regards from > > Tom :) > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > > > From: Roxy Robinson <rocma...@ranchwireless.com> > > > To: users@global.libreoffice.org > > > Sent: Sat, 11 June, 2011 18:59:53 > > > Subject: Re: [libreoffice-users] Merge cell problem LO3.3.2.2 > > > > > > Tom, > > > Thanks for your suggestions - I guess I will have to try that since I'm > not > > >getting what I want with what I'm doing. > > > This is "off" the subject issue, but I come from a very small town. My > high > > >school class - 1961 - was the first to got over 50. We had 60 in the >class, > >55 > > >who "walked" on graduation night. The other 5 finished in summer school. > >The > > >classes continued to grow after that, though I don't think they ever went > >over > > >100; and are probably running around 70-75 now, if not less. > > > I just finished organizing my class's 50th reunion and am now putting > >together > > >a reunion for the classes of 1955-1964. The total number of students >during > > >that period is, according to my spreadsheet, 500. I dare say, I knew, >and > > >remember about 490 of those, along with quite a few others from the >classes > > >before and after. We were all like one big family - you usually knew >whole > > >families because you knew someone in your class, or within 2 or 3 years >of > >your > > >class. Your classmates were, essentially, your group of friends. > > > Anyway, every class in this group has, in some format, a database of >their > > >classmates and their information. Each class has a few that have gone > >"missing > > >in action", but we are all working together to find everyone. This will >be > >the > > >4th, I think, combined reunion like this over the past 50 years, and this > > >combined database is something that got started after the first one. But, >it > >has > > >not been updated since the last reunion in 1997. Every classmate - there >are > >a > > >few exceptions - has given there info to freely share with everyone. And > > >everyone at this reunion will receive a copy of this spreadsheet I'm >working > > >on. > > > Roxy > > > > > > Hi :) > > > > > > I did something similar once. It's easier to keep the data intact, in >the > >3 > > > separate columns for data entry and for sorting the lists into > alphabetical > > > order and stuff but then use a 2nd worksheet (2nd tab at the bottom) to > use > > > formulas to add the 3 names together. eg > > > A2 = Sheet1.A2 & " " & Sheet1.B2 & " " & Sheet1.C2 > > > You might have renamed the worksheet tabs so just swap the new name for > > >"Sheet1" > > > but still make sure there is a dot . after it and before the cell >address. > > > > > > There are issues with "Data Protection" and respecting people's right >to > > >privacy > > > but if they have given you their addresses and know that it's for >sharing > > with > > > the whole class then that sort-of implies that they have given you > > permission. > > > I'm not sure wheter it's legally enough but it probably gives you a good > > > position. > > > Good luck and regards from > > > Tom :) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > > > > From: Roxy Robinson <rocma...@ranchwireless.com> > > > > To: users@global.libreoffice.org > > > > Sent: Sat, 11 June, 2011 15:51:55 > > > > Subject: [libreoffice-users] Merge cell problem LO3.3.2.2 > > > > > > > > I have a 15 page spreadsheet of classmate addresses, phone numbers, > >email, > > >etc. > > > >I "manipulate" this information in several different ways to give my > > >classmates > > > >different kinds of "directories". Anyway, their names are in the first >3 > > > >columns. This particular spreadsheet is going to include ALL the > >information > > >on > > > >each person, will be printed on legal sized paper in landscape format, >so > >I > > >need > > > >a little more room to contain everything on the width of the page. > > > > So (SEVERAL TIMES) I have merged the cells in the first 3 columns. > This > > > >contains the parts of their names, and allows me to conserve enough >room > >to > > >get > > > >everything on the width of the page. But every time I close LO, and >then > > come > > > >back to work on this spreadsheet, the cells are no longer "merged". >They > > will > > > >not stay merged. I haven't gotten all the way through the spreadsheet - > at > > >one > > > >time - to merge the cells. Would the "un-merged" cells that are left >in > >the > > 3 > > > >columns keep the ones above them from staying merged, or am I doing > > something > > > >wrong? I just don't understand - time after time - I merge them, come > back > > >and > > > >they are no long merged?????????? > > > > Roxy > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to users+h...@global.libreoffice.org > > > > In case of problems unsubscribing, write to > > >postmas...@documentfoundation.org > > > > Posting guidelines + more: >http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette > > > > List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ > > > > All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot > be > > > >deleted > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to users+h...@global.libreoffice.org > > > In case of problems unsubscribing, write to > >postmas...@documentfoundation.org > > > Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette > > > List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ > > > All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be > > >deleted > > > > > > -- > > > Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to users+h...@global.libreoffice.org > > > In case of problems unsubscribing, write to > >postmas...@documentfoundation.org > > > Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette > > > List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ > > > All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be > > deleted > > > > > > -- Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to users+h...@global.libreoffice.org In case of problems unsubscribing, write to postmas...@documentfoundation.org Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
