CHAPTER 24 In Depth: Calc (Jetty web server)
CHAPTER 24 In Depth: Calc Calc is the spreadsheet component of OpenOffice.org. Like most modern spreadsheet programs, it contains hundreds of features, many of which few average users will ever use. However, it doesn t abandon its user-friendliness in the process and remains very simple for those who want to work on modest calculations, such as home finances or mortgage interest payments. In many regards, Calc is practically a clone of Excel, and anyone who has used Microsoft s spreadsheet program will be able to get started with it immediately. In this chapter, you ll learn about some of the best features of Calc, as well as the basics of spreadsheet creation. Entering and Formatting Data As with all spreadsheets, entering data into a Calc document is simply a matter of selecting a cell and starting to type. You can enter practically anything into a cell, but a handful of symbols are not allowed. For example, you cannot enter an equal sign (=) followed by a number and have it appear in a cell, because Calc will assume that this is part of a formula. Tip To enter any character into a cell, including an equal sign followed by a digit, precede it with an apostrophe ( ). The apostrophe itself won t be visible within the spreadsheet, and whatever you type won’t be interpreted in any special way; it will be seen as plain text. Entering a sequence of data across a range of cells can be automated. Start typing the sequence of numbers, highlight them, and then click and drag the small handle to the bottom right of the last cell. This will continue the sequence. You ll see a tooltip window, indicating what the content of each cell will be. Figure 24-1 illustrates this process. Cells can be formatted in a variety of ways. For trivial formatting changes, such as selecting a different font or changing the number format, you can use the Formatting toolbar. For example, to turn the cell into one that displays currency, click the Currency icon (remember that hovering the mouse cursor over each icon will reveal a tooltip). You can also increase or decrease the number of visible decimal places by clicking the relevant Formatting toolbar icon.