Calc V2.4 Err:529 on calc-text cell should = 0 not err

[John M]

Binary package hint: openoffice.org

Formulas that contain references to cells with text return error 529. Prior versions, VisiCalc, 123, Excel all interpret text cells as zero. This bug greatly complicates formulas and requires formulas to be customized based on cell content.

OpenOffice v2.4.1 contained in Ubuntueee 8.04.1. Installed package 1:2.4.1-1ubuntu2 Problem file attached. Related to #226457 which reports an aspect of the issue.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon Nov 17 07:17:08 2008
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.04
NonfreeKernelModules: ath_hal
Package: openoffice.org-core 1:2.4.1-1ubuntu2
PackageArchitecture: i386
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 PATH=/usr/lib/openoffice/program:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: openoffice.org
Uname: Linux 2.6.24-21-eeepc i686

[Chris Cheney (ccheney)]

This is intended behavior and will be changed to Err:519 in the next release since Err:529 is an internal error code.

Merging this duplicate bug.

[John M (2rover)]

This INTENDED behavior is at odds with other systems so that OpenOffice is
no longer compatible with Excel which is its primary advantage. This
behavior effectively makes OpenOffice almost worthless to me and I will need
to explore other Linux alternatives.

As shown in the sample file I attached, this NEW behavior makes OpenOffice
formulas difficult to cut and paste effectively and requires a HUGE increase
in effort to custom create formulas based on data type. If you desire to
move OpenOffice out of the mainstream into the realm of the weird this is
surely an effective way. Sorry, I would rather suffer under Bill.

On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 1:09 PM, Chris Cheney <email address hidden> wrote:

> *** This bug is a duplicate of bug 226457 ***
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/226457
>
> This is intended behavior and will be changed to Err:519 in the next
> release since Err:529 is an internal error code.
>
> Merging this duplicate bug.
>
> ** This bug has been marked a duplicate of bug 226457
> [ooo-build] ooo-calc: Err:529 description missing!
>
> --
> Calc V2.4 Err:529 on calc-text cell should = 0 not err
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/299134
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "openoffice.org" source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: openoffice.org
>
> Formulas that contain references to cells with text return error 529.
> Prior versions, VisiCalc, 123, Excel all interpret text cells as zero.
> This bug greatly complicates formulas and requires formulas to be customized
> based on cell content.
>
> OpenOffice v2.4.1 contained in Ubuntueee 8.04.1. Installed package
> 1:2.4.1-1ubuntu2 Problem file attached. Related to #226457 which reports
> an aspect of the issue.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> Architecture: i386
> Date: Mon Nov 17 07:17:08 2008
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.04
> NonfreeKernelModules: ath_hal
> Package: openoffice.org-core 1:2.4.1-1ubuntu2
> PackageArchitecture: i386
> ProcEnviron:
> LANGUAGE=en_US:en
>
> PATH=/usr/lib/openoffice/program:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games
> LANG=en_US.UTF-8
> SHELL=/bin/bash
> SourcePackage: openoffice.org
> Uname: Linux 2.6.24-21-eeepc i686
>

[Chris Cheney (ccheney)]

You do realize the Excel way of doing this is not to show '0'... it shows '#VALUE!' ?

[Chris Cheney (ccheney)]

Perhaps this changed with Excel 2007? But the locations in the example file that show Err:529 show as #VALUE! in Excel 2007.

[Chris Cheney (ccheney)]

Also if you hover over the #VALUE! cell in Excel 2007 it says 'A value used in this formula is of the wrong data type.'

[John M (2rover)]

Sorry for the delay but I just got my windows box back (long story you don't
want to hear). Microsoft Excell 2002 (build 10.2614.2625) with all current
microsoft updates operates EXACTLY as I indicated. In the simple example
shown below, cells A-D are summed in E:

   14 28 ABC 47 89

Since I am retired and don't want Vista, I don't have access to Excell 2007,
but I presumed (dangerous with Bill) that a fully updated copy of Microsoft
Office would include any computational changes they made. If not there are
a lot of people really ticked when they share data across an enterprise.
This may be one of the reasons most companies have not converted to Vista.

On Mon, Dec 1, 2008 at 8:08 PM, Chris Cheney <email address hidden> wrote:

> *** This bug is a duplicate of bug 226457 ***
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/226457
>
> Also if you hover over the #VALUE! cell in Excel 2007 it says 'A value
> used in this formula is of the wrong data type.'
>
> --
> Calc V2.4 Err:529 on calc-text cell should = 0 not err
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/299134
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "openoffice.org" source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: openoffice.org
>
> Formulas that contain references to cells with text return error 529.
> Prior versions, VisiCalc, 123, Excel all interpret text cells as zero.
> This bug greatly complicates formulas and requires formulas to be customized
> based on cell content.
>
> OpenOffice v2.4.1 contained in Ubuntueee 8.04.1. Installed package
> 1:2.4.1-1ubuntu2 Problem file attached. Related to #226457 which reports
> an aspect of the issue.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> Architecture: i386
> Date: Mon Nov 17 07:17:08 2008
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.04
> NonfreeKernelModules: ath_hal
> Package: openoffice.org-core 1:2.4.1-1ubuntu2
> PackageArchitecture: i386
> ProcEnviron:
> LANGUAGE=en_US:en
>
> PATH=/usr/lib/openoffice/program:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games
> LANG=en_US.UTF-8
> SHELL=/bin/bash
> SourcePackage: openoffice.org
> Uname: Linux 2.6.24-21-eeepc i686
>