https://bz.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=126827

orcmid <[email protected]> changed:

           What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 CC|                            |[email protected]
             Status|UNCONFIRMED                 |CONFIRMED
     Ever confirmed|0                           |1

--- Comment #1 from orcmid <[email protected]> ---
This is a consequence of the ODF specification of the number:position attribute
in ODF 1.2 Part 1 section 19.354.  The value must be an integer, starting with
1, and it only applies counting left from the rightmost position of the integer
part of a number's presentation.  

So there is no way to put the "D" (at position 0) and anything to the right of
the decimal (technically, negative positions given the number:position"
definition).

The number:position definition probably codifies what the implementers of
OpenOffice.org thought the behavior might have already been.  That was probably
determined too long ago (i.e., 2005 or earlier).

I confirm that AOO 4.1.2 Calc allows the User-defined format code 
0"A"0"B"0"C"0"D"."E"0"F"0"G"00"L" for cells.

To be entered and that it will be usable in making cell entries.  For example, 

Entered   Displayed/Saved       Reloaded

0         0A0B0C0D.E0F0G00L     0A0B0C0.0000DEFGL
-3.14159  -0A0B0C3D.E1F4G16L    -0A0B0C3.1416DEFGL
99999     99A9B9C9D.E0F0G00L    99A9B9C9.0000DEFGL

And, when the file is saved as an .ods, the sheet remains displaying the above
Displayed/Saved forms.

However, the saved .ods has changed styles that satisfy the ODF rules and the
reloading is as described by Falcon and shown as the Reloaded forms.

Finally, if the document is saved as an Excel 97/.../XP .xls file, the expected
formatting is seen when opening that file in Microsoft Office Excel 2016 *and*
back in AOO 4.1.2 Calc.  

OBSERVATION #1: This provision in OpenOffice Calc (and there are a few others)
is only implemented correctly in saving and opening in .xls format.  When the
feature is used and the document is saved as an ODF Spreadsheet .ods file,
there is silent transformation without any indication to the user and the saved
file has a corruption of what the user saw as successful.

OBSERVATION #2: There is a policy issue here with regard to interoperability
via the OpenDocument format.  We are in the peculiar position that, if this
behavior were to be sustained, we need to warn users that saving as .ods may
not preserve all features used in the user's document.

OBSERVATION #3: On opening the .xls version in Excel 2016 and doing a new Save
As ... into .ods format from Excel 2016, there is the usual compatibility
warning and, after the save, the document is still shown in Excel with the
feature working.  On opening of that Excel-created .ods in AOO 4.1.2 Calc, the
result is the same as the Calc Reloaded case, above.  In that case, the Excel
warning about possible loss of features is accurate, even though it is a
rubber-stamp message.

CONCLUSION: Giving preference to .xls fidelity and silently failing on saves to
ODF formats is a nasty problem.  The preference may satisfy a majority of users
who only look for Office-format interoperability.  Nevertheless the silent
failing in production of the preferred/default OpenDocument format files is
awful.  

DIFFICULTY: This takes a clarification of policy (perhaps the easiest step) and
some remedy in the software.  It may involve half measures and there is no
outlook on how long it can be before there is any remedy.

-- 
You are receiving this mail because:
You are the assignee for the issue.

Reply via email to