Libreoffice calculation [OT]

[jdow]

On 2011/03/21 18:55, Mike Chambers wrote:
> On Mon, 2011-03-21 at 21:43 -0400, Kevin J. Cummings wrote:
>> On 03/21/2011 09:26 PM, Mike Chambers wrote:
>>> Got a sort of OT question...
>>>
>>> In libreoffice using spreadsheet, I want to input a number in a cell and
>>> have it multiply by 16.
>>>
>>> I have tried =D3*16 and =sum(D3*16) and both get errors.
>>>
>>> Anyone have any ideas?  Obviously may contact me offlist and not bug the
>>> list if know the answer.
>>>
>>> thanks ahead of time,
>>
>> Basic spreadsheet 101:
>>
>> 	You cannot self-reference a cell in a calculation.  ie, you cannot put
>> the expression: =D3*16  into cell D3.
>>
>> 	If you put that expression in some other cell, then D3 needs to contain
>> numeric data so that the multiplication can succeed.  I do it all the
>> time in Excel and OpenOffice.  I can't believe it is broken in
>> LibreOffice.....
>
>
> Maybe I should ask it this way....
>
> How do I come up with a calculation by inputting a number into a cell,
> and have it automatically multiply by a set number?  Then I can paste it
> to other cells or the entire row.  Basically I want it to do the
> calculation for me instead of in my head or calculator.  Not a do or die
> thing, just something trying to do for fun.

Cells respond to changes. You input the number, say 8. It gets multiplied
by 16 to get 128. That gets put back in the cell. The cell senses the
change. It responds to the change by multiplying the new value by 16,
ad infinitum. So this is a prohibited operation.

Enter the number somewhere else in the spread sheet. Have the cell you
want to be 16 * entry value refer to that entry value cell, multiply it
by 16, and in install the value. Other cells which refer to it then
will pick up the change. Bob's your uncle.

{^_^}