Issue 2131 - RFE: ability to merge cells already merged
Summary: RFE: ability to merge cells already merged
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: Calc
Classification: Application
Component: formatting (show other issues)
Version: OOo 1.0.1
Hardware: All All
: P3 Trivial with 69 votes (vote)
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: AOO issues mailing list
QA Contact:
URL:
Keywords: ms_interoperability, rfe_eval_ok
: 7605 10858 11402 16286 26288 43337 65189 77253 95062 (view as issue list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2001-11-06 10:41 UTC by Unknown
Modified: 2013-08-07 15:13 UTC (History)
15 users (show)

See Also:
Issue Type: ENHANCEMENT
Latest Confirmation in: ---
Developer Difficulty: ---


Attachments
File with merged cells (7.04 KB, text/plain)
2009-10-04 20:46 UTC, tab
no flags Details

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Description Unknown 2001-11-06 10:41:12 UTC
in Calc,

suppose that there're cells named

[ A ][ B ][ C ]

if you've merged A,B together

[   AB   ][ C ]

oo.o doesn't allow us to merge AB,C

"Cell merge not possible if cells already merged"
message shown in pop-up dialog


in MS Excel, we can merge AB,C

[     ABC     ]


----

request for enhancement
Comment 1 peter.junge 2001-11-06 11:29:07 UTC
Hi Falko,
this is for you.
Regards, Peter
Comment 2 falko.tesch 2002-01-02 10:36:25 UTC
This issue is re-assigned to Christian Jansen for further evaluation.
Comment 3 christian.jansen 2002-01-03 15:13:54 UTC
Sounds good, we should think about it.
Comment 4 lexivore 2002-05-07 15:36:06 UTC
This also applies when copying and pasting merged cells into merged
cells of the same size.

eg. You have [ A B ] (as a merged cell).  If you try to copy this and
paste into a different merged cell [ C D ], you get the same message,
"Cell merge not possible if cells already merged".
Comment 5 diane 2002-09-22 12:58:56 UTC
*** Issue 7605 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 6 lars 2002-10-15 19:00:17 UTC
please adjust the Platform, OS and version field !


(the merged cells behaviour needs to be "completely" redesigned 
beacuse there are many related issues)
Comment 7 peter.junge 2002-10-16 10:03:17 UTC
@Lars: Platform, OS and Version seem to be adjusted right. So what's
wrong?
Peter
Comment 8 frank 2003-01-23 07:24:45 UTC
*** Issue 10858 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 9 christian.jansen 2003-01-30 11:16:42 UTC
Reassigned to Bettina.
Comment 10 oc 2003-05-28 13:52:36 UTC
*** Issue 7605 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 11 oc 2003-07-08 13:59:38 UTC
*** Issue 16286 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 12 bettina.haberer 2003-07-15 09:12:51 UTC
Yes, merging already merged cells should be possible.
Comment 13 bettina.haberer 2003-12-04 18:05:55 UTC
Summary: Merging already merged cells should be possible.
Hello Niklas, please give approval for this evaluated OO.o 2.0 flagged
issue. 
If you confirm with the target OO.o 2.0, then please keep it on your
owner (or the owner of the concerning developer) for implementation.
In case you want this issue for 'OOo Later', then please reset the
target milestone. If you decline the issue finally, please set the
resolution to 'Wontfix' (but do not close). In case of 'OOo Later' or
'Wontfix' please reset it on Bettina's owner. Thank you.
Comment 14 bettina.haberer 2004-01-21 17:58:54 UTC
*** Issue 11402 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 15 niklas.nebel 2004-01-26 11:42:33 UTC
This is not on the list of features that we're going to do for 2.0. We need to
focus on the enhancements from the PCD document.
Comment 16 frank 2004-03-11 10:46:52 UTC
*** Issue 26288 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 17 bettina.haberer 2004-12-20 17:11:07 UTC
Here are some more good details from Jonthan describing the different cases to
consider at merging:

Let us assume we have a merged range, D3:H10.

The scope of deleting cells within this range, means that we only allow deletion
of a row, column or block which extends up to both edges: We do not permit
deletion of only one edge. (2 is permitted only if they are both the vertical or
horizontal ones; 3 or 4 is permitted)

So, if we select column E; or cells E2:E20, F1:M6 or D2:D11, this operation
should be permitted. (covers 2 edges, 2 edges, 4 edges (ie the entire item) and
3 edges)

It would not be possible to delete G2:G4, G2:J4 or F14:K5 still as these are
only affect one edge of a row or column, or 2 edges which are not both
horizontal or vertical.

It is also not possible to delete E4:F6, A1:F5 as these are within the area.
Note that the GUI won't allow you to select this anyway (as far as I know) but
requests might be generate by macros.

If a new data cell (The top left one which defines the formatting and contents)
is created, it should be set to the old data cell, unless the entire range has
been deleted.
Comment 18 bettina.haberer 2004-12-20 17:15:15 UTC
Reassigned to owner 'requirements', set the appropriate keywords.
Comment 19 niklas.nebel 2005-03-02 11:55:14 UTC
*** Issue 43337 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 20 lars 2006-05-09 13:21:15 UTC
*** Issue 65189 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 21 frarei 2006-09-15 14:56:26 UTC
I was lead to this after having crashed my 2.0.2 by trying to insert a column 
right through some horizontally merged cells. Starting the chase in OOo's 
issuezilla I found #10858 which is stated a duplicate of this one, but I guess 
inserting columns through merged cells and merging groups of already merged 
cells are different issues. But you guys @OOO will know better...

So, if my problem really relates to #2131 which has been detected in 1.0.1, I 
fear it will take some more time (maybe up to 3.0.3) till OOo will behave as 
it should.
Comment 22 frarei 2006-09-15 15:08:26 UTC
ATM I only tagged a column that crosses a horizontally merger. Then I clicked 
to that merger, and OOo decided to quit...     :(
Comment 23 frank 2007-06-13 07:40:52 UTC
*** Issue 77253 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 24 dprina 2007-07-21 19:20:24 UTC
a workaround can be this:

1) create a macro (a personal macro) with the following code:

REM  *****  BASIC  *****

sub MergeAllCells
rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
rem define variables
dim document   as object
dim dispatcher as object
rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
rem get access to the document
document   = ThisComponent.CurrentController.Frame
dispatcher = createUnoService("com.sun.star.frame.DispatchHelper")

rem ----------------------------------------------------------------------
dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:SplitCell", "", 0, Array())
dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:MergeCells", "", 0, Array())

end sub

2) Tools -> Personalization -> Symbol toolbars
Note: Sorry ... I have Italian OOo so I don't know if all the English names are
correts

3) select "Formatting" from combo box "Toolbars"

4) press Import button

5) select "OpenOffice.org macro" -> MergeAllCells

6) press Add button

You can now add an icon for it and adjust its position and also can delete the
"join cells" button

I think that the same warkaround can be implemented very easy into the code and
probably it need only few minuts (to search the code)

Ciao
Davide
Comment 25 cleric82 2008-01-31 11:26:26 UTC
5
Comment 26 frank.loehmann 2008-05-22 09:32:55 UTC
This issue is important and listed on the quarterly review for Calc:
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/2008_Q2_Review_of_Spreadsheet_Project
Therefore adjusting target to 3.x.
Comment 27 orwel 2008-06-12 09:31:55 UTC
In OO 3.0 Beta this still not work (copying a group of marged cells to another 
group of merged cells with the same number of merged cells - merged AB line 1 
is not possible to copy to merged AB line 2).
Comment 28 oc 2008-10-20 14:54:49 UTC
*** Issue 95062 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 29 tab 2009-10-04 20:44:22 UTC
In MergA.ods, click on (triple) cell A1, copy it (^c), paste it (^v) to A3: get
cannot_do_it_msg 'cell merge not possible if cells already merged!'
  To do the copy, one has to 'unmerge' the cells A3 and C3 (by 'merging' them),
then do the copy; Calc should do that, instead of popping the cannot_do_it_msg.

  Calc also refuses to merge A3 and C3. One has to unmerge them, then highlight
A3..D3, click Merge, and answer the_question: 'Should the contents...?'.  Again,
Calc should do that --including the_question, which should have (beside the
Yes/No choice) a Cancel option, in case the user did not foresee the
implications of his/her request.

  In conclusion, the solution to this whole issue seems simple: Calc should do
automatically all the necessary 'unmerge', then do the requested operation. (If
that gives an unexpected or unwanted result, the user can undo it.)
  Since all the required steps are already programmed, it should be fairly easy
(through a few procedure calls) to substitute them for the cannot_do_it_msg.
Comment 30 tab 2009-10-04 20:46:46 UTC
Created attachment 65131 [details]
File with merged cells