Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 35093
Find (and replace) on selected cells is misleading
Last modified: 2015-11-16 16:42:40 UTC
Hallo, guys Quite tiny but sometimes annoying issu. User complained, that when he selects some cells and do Find and Replace - Replace All, the OOo Calc replaces ALL cells of the sheet. Until I showed him the option in the Find and Replace window, where he could check "selected area only". The option is unchecked by default and he must have checked it manually to get the expected results (only selected cells affected by Replace). Such behavior is quite misleading. I think OOo Calc should act in the same way as the Writer already does: -If user selects some cells and opens "Find and Replace" window, the "Only on selected area" option is checked by default -If user dosen't select any cells, then the "Selected area only" setting is unchecked and greyed out by default
Hi Bettina, one for you. Frank
*** Issue 72277 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
*** Issue 90411 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
*** Issue 73541 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
In addition to 3 duplicates above we have at least 10 issues on the same subject that are closed as invalid or WFM. IMO, there is substantial demand to change our curent behavior.
Is any activity here? What target version? I need it very much and hope I get it soon.
To grep the issues easier via "requirements" I put the issues currently lying on my owner to the owner "requirements".
"Find & replace" if we made a selection, displayed in gray checked the box "Current selection only", and look to the side of the box "Match case" (very important and urgent change to be made, in the Spreadsheet, Calc) When you make a selection and then click "Find and Replace" must always be changed only in the selection. For this reason, the user has made the selection. Always has been. Since the mid 80's, spreadsheets, Multiplan, Lotus 123, Excel. Changes to be made, in summary: Change 1) If a selection is made. automatically activate "Current selection only", and this box is in gray. Change 2) If you first click on "Find and Replace" and then make a selection also, same thing. Change 3) (very important) Boxes "Current selecction only" and "Regular Expression" must be to the right of "Match case" and "Entire Cells", without having to press "Fewer Options." To modify database from CSV spreadsheet "Find & replace" is used a lot, and if you make a selection, bound only to be replaced in the selection, why such selection is made. (AND IDEALLY, THAT IS, WHAT YOU NEED TO CHANGE IS:) to see, instantly, to open "Find & repolace" the box "Current seleectio only" is selected and gray, by default, when making a selection, without pressing "option Fewer", And so it saves many clicks, and get the job done in a third of the time. Thing, that makes perfectly Excel, Lotus 123, Multiplan, etc For databases with CSV files, often used to modify spreadsheet because the spreadsheet can be modified by selected columns, like a field. Therefore, "Find & Replace" is used many, many times. And make this change, save many clicks, because in this way, do not check constament, if activated or not, the box, "Current selection only". Because we have to view it, at first sight. that is, right away, open the "Find & replace". ---------------------------------------- Not having to constantly check, if this box checked for "Current selection only" This saves you many clicks and time. ---------------------------------------- This change has to be done, because as it stands now, it takes three times as long, and if you make this change, it would take one third of time As you do it correctly Excel, Lotus 123, Multiplan, etc. It is something standard, that goes without saying, and is international. There are bound to do.
Proposal to change even better: Change 1) "Current selection only" with box, must be transformed, in only one phrase without box. That what is a simple warning that "Find & replace" will act only on the selection. That is, a phrase. Without box. Or whatever. If a selection is made, displays a phrase that says "Current selection only". Change 2) If you first click on "Find & replace" and then makes a selection, also, same thing. Change 3) (very important) * The phrase "Current selection only" * And the box "Regular Expression" must be to the right of "Match case" and "Entire Cells", without having to press "Fewer Options." Change 4) If no selection, do not display the phrase, "Current selection only."
The change is best to do it this way: Step 1) Change of position: * The phrase "Current selection only" * And the box "Regular Expression" must be to the right of "Match case" and "Entire Cells", without having to press "Fewer Options." (The change of position, is the most important step of all steps to do. Well, now, the program aims to save the box, but often the wrong stores. Then you're forced to always check to see whether or not activated, and therefore, press "Fewer option" to view it. And therefore, to always having to check, are double or triple clicks, and therefore double or triple time. And is that, once that is not activated properly, and do not do well, and to corrupt the entire worksheet. This box "Current selection only" and "Regular Expressions", it is very important that they are to the right of "Match case" and "Entire Cells", WITHOUT HAVING TO PRESS "Fewer Options"). * Step 2) If selection: If selected area ALWAYS enabled by default, box "Current selection only". * Step 3) If no selection: If no selected area be disabled, and gray. * Step 4) Things to remove: NEVER memorize selection of the box. Whether a selection is made before or after opening the window "Find & Replace." (Also, is it wrong now, because if after opening the window "Find & replace, to make a new one, with the window open, do not memorize the activation of the box properly. Well this is a bug has, but how you have to remove the memorization, so ... That's it. Never store the selection of this box) * Step 5) Verification of the source code and verification program: Check that work properly, whether the selection is made before or after to open the "Find & replace".
Created attachment 72280
*** Issue 81039 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
This is not an Enhancement request, but a bug report. If a cells area is selected when user opens find dialog by <control+f> it can be assumed that he wants to search only selection. So "Current Selection only" should be checked automatically if user opens "Find & Replace" dialog while a selection is active. Steps how to reproduce Reproducible with "AOO 4.1.0-Dev – English UI / German locale - [AOO410m1(Build:9750) - Rev. 1516435 2013-08-24]" on German WIN7 Home Premium (64bit)", own separate user profile: 1. Open Attachment 81339 [details] for Bug 123047 2. Click cell F4 3. <control+f> to open 'Find & Replace' dialog 4. click <More Options> 5. If "Current Selection only" is checked, uncheck, 6. <Esc> 7. Select F4:H8 (using Mouse) 8. <control+f> to open 'Find & Replace' dialog 9. click <More Options> Expected: "Current Selection only" checked Actual: unchecked :-( 10. Check "Current Selection only" 11. Type "ii" into find pane, <find> > Nothing found, because cell cursor is at end of range 12. Contiunue form beginning > F4 will be found :-) 13. Click cell F4 14. Close 'Find & Replace' dialog with Close-X-Button 15. <control+f> to open 'Find & Replace' dialog > Cell cursor at F4 > "Current Selection only" still is checked, what is rather useless, nothing is selected, so nothing can be found :-( Additional info --------------- a) Competitors: a1) LibreOffice 4 has such a "smart check function" a2) SoftMaker FreeOffice: No such check box available, but search will be for whole sheet if nothing is selected and for selected range if there is a election a3) I have difficulties to understand how it works, but it seems that Calligra never respects selection a4) Gnumeric 1.10.14 Always has "whole document" as default, here less annoying than in AOO because that selection always is visible when you start and you can click radiobutton "Range" (what shows current selection") immediately b) it's very annoying that that option is not visible by default in AOO c) If you never used something better (this never worked better in OOo) you might consider this one as a minor fault, but for me it's one of the reasons why I do not use AOO Calc for my daily work. d) Calc behavior is inconsistent, Writer handles that correctly and checks "Selection only" in a smart way if some text is selected when 'Find & Replace' becomes opened. e) Summary was misleading, the root of the problem is the faulty search. This is not an Enhancement request, but a bug report. If a cells area is selected when user opens find dialog by <control+f> it can be assumed that he wants to search only selection. So "Current Selection only" should be checked automatically if user opens "Find & Replace" dialog while a selection is active. Steps how to reproduce Reproducible with "AOO 4.1.0-Dev – English UI / German locale - [AOO410m1(Build:9750) - Rev. 1516435 2013-08-24]" on German WIN7 Home Premium (64bit)", own separate user profile: 1. Open Attachment 81339 [details] for Bug 123047 2. Click cell F4 3. <control+f> to open 'Find & Replace' dialog 4. click <More Options> 5. If "Current Selection only" is checked, uncheck, 6. <Esc> 7. Select F4:H8 (using Mouse) 8. <control+f> to open 'Find & Replace' dialog 9. click <More Options> Expected: "Current Selection only" checked Actual: unchecked :-( 10. Check "Current Selection only" 11. Type "ii" into find pane, <find> > Nothing found, because cell cursor is at end of range 12. Contiunue form beginning > F4 will be found :-) 13. Click cell F4 14. Close 'Find & Replace' dialog with Close-X-Button 15. <control+f> to open 'Find & Replace' dialog > Cell cursor at F4 > "Current Selection only" still is checked, what is rather useless, nothing is selected, so nothing can be found :-( Additional info --------------- a) Competitors: a1) LibreOffice 4 has such a "smart check function" a2) SoftMaker FreeOffice: No such check box available, but search will be for whole sheet if nothing is selected and for selected range if there is a election a3) I have difficulties to understand how it works, but it seems that Calligra never respects selection a4) Gnumeric 1.10.14 Always has "whole document" as default, here less annoying than in AOO because that selection always is visible when you start and you can click radiobutton "Range" (what shows current selection") immediately Perfect solution b) it's very annoying that that option is not visible by default in AOO c) If you never used something better (this never worked better in OOo) you might consider this one as a minor fault, but for me it's one of the reasons why I do not use AOO Calc for my daily work. And the number of votes shows that this one is not "Trivial" d) Calc behavior is inconsistent, Writer handles that correctly and checks "Selection only" in a smart way if some text is selected when 'Find & Replace' becomes opened.
*** Issue 9327 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
*** Issue 112334 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
*** Issue 114841 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Confirming on 4.2.0-dev and adding keyword "usability".
As of revision 1714091, having cells selected at the time the "Search & Replace" dialog opens will cause the "Current selection only" checkbox to be checked. Resolving fixed. For the other suggestions, like moving "Current selection only" and "Regular Expression" to the right of "Match case" and "Entire Cells", please opens separate bugs. Thank you very much for all your suggestions. You can use nightly builds until this patch appears in a release.
(In reply to damjan from comment #18) Thank you very much for all your > suggestions. You can use nightly builds until this patch appears in a > release. I'd like to do that and test some other fixes too. How do I find the nightly builds?
(In reply to orcmid from comment #19) > (In reply to damjan from comment #18) > Thank you very much for all your > > suggestions. You can use nightly builds until this patch appears in a > > release. > > I'd like to do that and test some other fixes too. How do I find the > nightly builds? https://www.openoffice.org/download/devbuilds.html Not all platforms have recent enough builds, so check the build dates carefully.