Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 25093
Functions to span cells and solve for missing values
Last modified: 2013-02-07 22:35:14 UTC
I would like the option for formulas to truly link cells together, and solve for missing values (as described below). This is functionality I have not seen in any other spreadsheet program, and IMHO, it might give OO.o a leg up on competition. I know what I ask below is difficult, but the algebra functionality is something I have seen before on my HP 48 graphing calculator, so I know it to be possible. I would like to see the capability to link cells together with a formula. Currently, if for example you are interested in f(x) = 2x + 5, you would: 1. let B2 contain the value for x 2. let B3 contain the value for f(x) 3. enter the formula '=2*B2 + 5' into B3 However, in some occasions it would be very handy to do the following: 1. Select B2:B3 2. enter the formula 'B3=2*B2 + 5' into the joint formula for both cells This would then allow you to enter in a value for one or the other numbers, and Calc would solve for the remaining value. This would be very handy for things like time tracking, where you might know 3 of these variables, but not know which of these 3 you will know: the start time, regular hours duration, overtime hours duration, and end time. Extra Credit: If less than n-1 data are given (e.g. only 1 of 4 possible fields), isolate algebraically each of the other variables and enter those formulas into their cells. For example, for 'B2=B3*B4 + B5', if 3 is given for B3, then the following values would appear for these cells: B2: 3*B4 + B5 B3: 3 B4: (B2-B5)/3 B5: B2-3*B4
Hi Bettina, one for you. Frank
OpenOffice.org Issue Tracker - Feedback Request. The Issue you raised has the status 'New' pending further action, but has not been updated within the last 4 years. Please consider re-testing with one of the latest versions of OOo, as the problem(s) may have already been addressed. Either use the recent stable version: http://download.openoffice.org/index.html or consider trying the new OOo 3 BETA (still in testing): http://download.openoffice.org/3.0beta/ Please report back the outcome so this Issue may be Closed or Progressed as necessary - otherwise it may be Resolved as Invalid in the future. You may also wish to search for (and note) any duplicates of this Issue that may have advanced further by checking the Issue Tracker: http://www.openoffice.org/issues/query.cgi Many thanks, Andrew Cleaning-up and Closing old Issues as part of: ~ The Grand Bug Squash, pre v3 ~ http://marketing.openoffice.org/3.0/announcementbeta.html
Wow. I had totally forgotten about this issue. I still think it's a cool idea, though, and one that would give OO.o a step up. Consider the niceness of data entry, for instance, where you might know one value here, another value there. Put in what you know, and (if Calc has enough info) Calc enters in the rest. Peace of mind and wowness. The original itch that originated this issue is when I was using Calc as a time tracker. Sometimes I knew the duration worked and when I ended. Sometimes I knew the duration worked and when I started. Sometimes I knew the start and stop times. I was a scattered worker. I wanted to just input the two values into their columns and have Calc do the third. Simple idea. Probably difficult to do. And it seems to be something that would be very multipurpose and missed once gotten used to. It's just that no one uses spreadsheets quite like that currently. Because they can't. BTW, I did download Office 3.0 Beta. Though the multiple cells/formulas feature approaches this idea, it's far too cells-oriented, and doesn't allow the nifty data-entriness I've described above. Erich
To grep the issues easier via "requirements" I put the issues currently lying on my owner to the owner "requirements".