Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 72640
Use decimal separator from Tools|Options|Language for input, not the separator from the cell's number format
Last modified: 2013-02-07 22:00:22 UTC
Locale: de_DE Decimal separator: comma Document language: de_DE 0,1 is a number, 0.1 is a text and formula =0,1 returns a number, while =0.1 returns #NAME Next column in the same document has some english number-format. Now 0.1 is a number, 0,1 is text whereas =0.1 returns #NAME and =0,1 returns a number. This leads to some problems: 1. Editing constant numbers in multilingual documents is a pain. You can use the num-pad or comma with some cells, other cells need a point. 2. Some people use the decimal separator of the operating system and OOo allows them to do so. They can not use the num-pad for editing constant numbers, while using spreadsheets in their native language unless they format all cells according to the decimal separator. This is particulary inacceptable with currency formats. 3. The consistant behaviour of constants within formulae is even more confusing. Changing the number-format-language for editing is not a convenient option and does not apply to all inheriting styles or hard formatted cells. All constant numbers (0.1) should behave exactly like the constant numbers used in formulae (=0.1) and formatting of cells should not influence the input method at all.
Hi villeroy, Can we summarize your problem so that you need some automatic decimal separator recognition and an automatic conversion to the language specific format _for_each_cell_?
From the user's point of view this is what the program does currently. Each cell may have a different decimal separator. It uses the decimal separator according to it's current number format rather than the specified one. So "1.99" is valid in an english cell but it is invalid in a german cell where you have to type "1,99". What I'd like to see: Just treat all input according to the locale (second option in Tools>Options>Lang where you specify the decimal separator). The formatting ("output") of a cell should be independant. This is exactly how constants in formulae are handled already. "=1,99" is accepted as a number if the locale uses comma as decimal separator. If the cell has some english style ("output") then "=1,99" yields "1.99". If constant values "1,99" where treated in the same consistant manner as constants within formulae, then you could edit all numbers in a spreadsheet through the Num-Pad. Currently this is impossible unless you format all cells according to your locale.
Confirming. The defect is: When entering a value into a cell, the decimal separator to be used is determined by the language of the cell´s number format. Correct would be: When entering a value into a cell, the decimal separator to be used is determined only by the settings of Tools|Options|Language