Linking Cells

rong · Agent Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 10

I am a virgin user of NeoOffice so please excuse what may be a stupid question. I have used Excel for many, many years. To link a value/cell from one spread sheet to another simply required that you have both sheets open and you type = on the target cell then window to or click on the sourse sheet, select the cell and hit return or enter. The cell reference then was linked to the sheet and displayed as the value for the new cell. I often would perform math by adding one linked cell to another or some such operation.

For the life of me I can't figure out how to do this in NeoOffice. I can get the link in the target cell but it returns #NAME? I have read the help file several times and tried to do as it says to no avail.

Help please?

rays · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 3:27 am Post subject:

I hit 'tab' to rather than 'return' and it works for me. But so does hitting return in exactly the way you describe. At least when I'm linking two cells on separate worksheets within the same workbook.

For example, using the technique you describe, my Sheet 1 A1 cell has this formula when I link to cell B2 on sheet 2:

=Sheet2.B2

Hope this encourages and doesn't confuse!

Ray

Lorinda · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:54 am Post subject:

Rong,

Are you talking about referring to a cell on another sheet within the same Calc document, or referring to a cell in an entirely different document?

Lorinda

rong · Agent Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 10

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I am linking to a cell on a completely different spreadsheet (workbook in Excel). Haven't tried linking with in the same workbook yet.

I am trying to convert my Excel Workbooks to NeoOffice. The first I tried to convert was linked to another workbook. I am quiet impressed at how it opens Excel Workbooks with links all over the place correctly. But I have to get the same links to work between NeoOffice workbooks.

rong · Agent Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 10

rong · Agent Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 10

I tried following the method in the help menu using the Navigator and it didn't work for me either. I had a hard time understanding just what the point of the explanation was. I tried to follow step by step but it is confusing and doesn't help.

rong · Agent Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 10

I'm still waiting for an explanation on simple linking between separate spread sheets. Surely someone out there knows the answer to this. This is so easy in Excel and can be done from sheet to sheet or workbook identically simply by typing = in a cell plus the cell reference from another sheet or workbook gotten by windowing to it and clicking on the cell you want to link to.

Please help or, God forbid my attempt to extricate myself from Micro$oft will be over. I use linking a lot and can't have a spread sheet program that can't easily perform this function.

I feel like there is something missing in my preference settings or some other simple thing that is keeping this from working.

HELP!!!

Lorinda · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:27 am Post subject:

Have you tried the instructions in the section titled "Referencing a Cell in Another Document" in the NeoOffice User Guide? The full guide is available here

If you have a slow connection, or only want the Calc chapter, the separate chapters are available for download here. Calc is chapter 4.

I'm no spreadsheet whiz, so I can't help you more if those instructions don't work, but that should give you a start.

doctype · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:35 am Post subject:

rong · Agent Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 10

Thanks for the response. I think I figured it out just before your post. I can make it work with two empty spreadsheets. Next step, two existing Excel workbooks that I was having a problem with.

I really appreciate the download link to the to the manual. I have a feeling I will be using it a lot. I am very interested in becoming M$ free very soon. I have switched from Entourage to Apple's Mail and iCal and have been using NeoOffice's word processor. So the spreadsheet is the last step. Then I will be "free".

Thanks again.

rong · Agent Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 10

I think I have figured out the problem. It is obscure to say the least. I was able to link cell on one work book to another. However, when I made a formula things didn't work. It turns out that the file name I was linking to had a ' in the name. Erik's to be exact. I tried sever attempts to link the workbooks together in a formula and nothing worked. The formula required linking to two different cells on two different sheets in the same workbook.

Long story short, I changed the folder name the files were in from Erik's to Erik and everything worked. I can only surmise that the path needs all extraneous caricatures out of file and folder names for this to work.

I am forging on now feeling a little better about my chances of getting where I want to be with NeoOffice's spreadsheet.

Lorinda · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:06 pm Post subject:

Yeah, the underlying OpenOffice.org code can't handle most non-alphanumeric characters in path names. I ran into problems shortly after starting with NeoOffice because I used * in some folder names to force them to the top of the list.

In terms of help files and guides, the wiki is also a good source of tips and information. The Calc tips are indexed on the NeoCalc page.

Lorinda

rong · Agent Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 10

Thanks, I bookmarked that page for future ref.

rong · Agent Joined: Jul 27, 2007 Posts: 10

doctype · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:14 pm Post subject: