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Quick Guide to Creating and Editing OpenOffice.org 3 Calc Documents

Section One: Overview of Calc

Starting Calc

To launch the Calc application within the Microsoft Windows operating system, follow these steps:

• Beginning at the desktop, click on the Start button located in the lower-left corner of the screen, and select Programs or All Program from the menu list that appears.
• Select the OpenOffice.org 3.0 application folder that appears, and select Calc from the applications options that appear.

To launch the Calc application within a Linux-based operating system, follow these steps:

• Beginning at the desktop, click on the Start button located in the lower-left corner of the screen, and select Office Productivity from the menu list that appears.
• Select the OpenOffice.org 3.0 Calc application icon from the list that appears, and the Calc application will launch and present a blank spreadsheet.

Displaying Toolbars

Calc contains many toolbars to assist in formatting and editing your spreadsheets. Sometimes you may need to view certain toolbars to assist you with creating your spreadsheets, while other toolbars may need to hidden from view to prevent from getting in your way and free up screen space for other tools. To view or hide a toolbar within Calc, follow these steps:

• Click the View menu and select Toolbars from the menu list. A list of available toolbars will appear.
• Select a toolbar to appear within Calc by simply clicking on the appropriate toolbar within the list. If a toolbar within the list has a checkmark beside it, this means that the toolbar is already visible within the Calc application.
• If you wish to hide a toolbar from view within Calc, simply click on it from the list. Toolbars listed that do not have a checkmark beside them indicates that the toolbar is hidden from view within Calc.

Formula Bar

If the Calc formula bar is not visible when you open a Calc document, you may make it so by going to the View menu and select Formula Bar from the menu that appears. A checkmark should appear next to the menu option when the formula bar is visible. If you wish to hide the formula bar from view within Calc, simply click on it from the list. When the menu option does not have a checkmark beside it, this indicates that the formula bar is hidden from view within Calc.

Status Bar

If the Calc status bar, located at the bottom of the Calc application window, is not visible when you open a Calc document, you may make it so by going to the View menu and select Status Bar from the menu that appears. A checkmark should appear next to the menu option when the status bar is visible. If you wish to hide the status bar from view within Calc, simply click on it from the list. When the menu option does not have a checkmark beside it, this indicates that the status bar is hidden from view within Calc.

Adjusting Page View

To adjust the view of the document you are working in, click on the View menu and select Zoom from the menu list. You may also select to Zoom by clicking on the magnifying glass icon within the Standard toolbar located just beneath the main application menu.

Value Highlighting

Whenever you create a formula for a cell to calculate, Calc can automatically highlight the value within the spreadsheet for easier viewing. To utilize this feature, go to the View menu and select Value Highlighting from the menu that appears. A checkmark should appear next to the menu option when value highlighting is enabled. If you wish to disable this feature within Calc, simply click on it from the list. When the menu option does not have a checkmark beside it, this indicates that value highlighting is disabled within Calc.

Using the Navigator

The Navigator allows a user to quickly view objects that are within a document. The Navigator displays “categories”, or the various contents within the Navigator window. Within each category contains the objects that are present in the document.

To view and utilize the Navigator while creating and editing Calc spreadsheets, follow these steps:

• To open the Navigator window, click on the Edit menu and select Navigator from the menu list. You may also view the Navigator window by pressing the F5 key at the top of your keyboard.
• If you see a “+” icon located next to a category within the Navigator, that indicates that there is at least one object within the document related to that particular category. Click the “+” sign to expand the list to view the objects related to the category. To quickly jump to the location in your document where the object is placed, double-click on the object listed in the Navigator window.

Viewing and Editing the Styles and Formatting Organizer

The Styles and Formatting Organizer allows you to quickly select pre-defined formatting options to include in your documents simply by double-clicking on a style option listed within the Organizer. To view and edit the Openoffice.org Formatting Styles Organizer, follow these steps:

• To view the organizer, click the Format menu and select Styles and Formatting or simply press the F11 key at the top of your keyboard. A window will appear displaying by default the various paragraph styles available.
• When the Organizer window is open, you will notice a small palette within the window. You can view other formatting styles as well by clicking on the appropriate button. From left-to-right, the style options you may view include Cells and Page styles. In the popup menu located at the bottom of the Styles Organizer window, be sure the menu has the option All Styles selected to view all of your available options for each style.
• You can also create or modify formatting styles based upon existing styles by right-clicking on a style listed within the Organizer and select the appropriate command from the contextual menu that appears. You may also delete custom styles you created from the Organizer by right-clicking on it within the list.

How to Set OpenOffice.org to Automatically Open Microsoft Office Generated Files Using Windows

If you did not choose during the installation of OpenOffice.org to have the software automatically open Microsoft Office formatted documents, you may select to do so by following these steps:

• Close all OpenOffice.org applications and return to your desktop.
• Click on the Windows operating system Start button and select Control Panel from the list that appears. Then choose Add or Remove Programs from the submenu that appears, followed by the OpenOffice.org 3.0 list option, then click Install/Uninstall.
• In the window that appears, click the NEXT button, select the Modify option and click NEXT until the wizard prompts you to select the file types you wish OpenOffice.org to automatically open for you.
• Select or deselect the file types you wish OpenOffice.org to automatically open for you. Click NEXT until it prompts you to click Install to complete the setup. Clicking the Install button will make the necessary changes to automatically open the file types you selected. You should not need to have the installation CD inserted into your computer’s CD-ROM to complete this process.

Section Two: Calc Basics

Selecting a Worksheet

The worksheets are available for viewing at the bottom of the spreadsheet layout window, just above the Status Bar. To select a specific worksheet for viewing or editing, simply click the tab labeled with appropriate worksheet name with the left mouse button.

Creating a New Worksheet

When opening a new Calc spreadsheet, OpenOffice.org automatically displays three worksheets. These worksheets are labeled Sheet1, Sheet2 and Sheet3. However, additional worksheets can be created within the Calc spreadsheet document. To create a new worksheet within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Click the Insert menu and select Sheet from the menu list that appears.
• In the Position selection area, choose whether the new worksheet should be positioned before or after the current worksheet by selecting the appropriate radio button.
• In the Sheet selection area, select the number of worksheets to be added by using the selection field provided. If only one new worksheet is to be created, type the name the new worksheet should be labeled as using the Name text field provided.
• Click OK to complete the operation. The new worksheet should appear within the worksheet list located just above the Status Bar at the bottom of the spreadsheet window.

Renaming a Worksheet

To rename a worksheet from the default name to another, follow these steps:

• Select the worksheet that is to be renamed by clicking on the worksheet tab located just above the Status Bar.
• Click the Format menu, select Sheet from the menu options and select Rename from the submenu that appears.
• When the Rename Sheet window appears, type the name the worksheet should be renamed as.
• Click the OK to complete the operation.

Selecting a Cell

Spreadsheet document layouts are organized by columns (labeled alphabetically) and rows (labeled numerically). The intersection of a row and column within the spreadsheet creates a cell. Cells are identified by their column and row location within the spreadsheet. For example, cell A1 is located within the spreadsheet where column A intersects with row 1.

Before any formatting or calculations are performed within a spreadsheet, often you must first select the cells associated with the operation you are trying to perform. To select an individual cell, simply click on the cell location with the left mouse button. To select multiple cells, hold down the left mouse button while selecting the range of cells.

Entering Text and Numbers

To enter text and numbers within spreadsheet cells, simply select a cell and begin typing. The text and numbers will appear within the Formula Bar located just above the spreadsheet layout. Press the Enter key and the text and numbers are entered into the appropriate cell.

Sorting Data

To perform a basic data sort within a Calc worksheet, follow these steps:

• Select the column or row of cells that contain the data to be sorted.
• Click the Data menu and select Sort from the menu options that appear.
• If it is not already selected, click the Sort Criteria tab within the Sort window that appears.
• Select the criteria the data should be sorted as using the available popup menus and radio buttons.
• Click the Options tab at the top of the Sort menu and select any appropriate sort options (optional).
• Click the OK button to complete the operation.

Section Three: Formatting Text

Changing the Font Type

To change the font type of the text within the cells of your Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the text you wish to change the font position by clicking within the cell that contains the text you wish to format and selecting the appropriate text within the formula bar.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu list.
• If it is not already selected, click the Font tab within the window that appears. Select the Font within the window list. Click the OK button to complete the selection.

You may also change the font type by using the Font Name popup menu located within the Formatting toolbar.

Changing the Font Size

To change the font size of the text within the cells of your Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the text you wish to change the font position by clicking within the cell that contains the text you wish to format and selecting the appropriate text within the formula bar.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu list.
• If it is not already selected, click the Font tab within the window that appears. Select the font size within the window list. Click the OK button to complete the selection.

You may also change the font size by using the Font Size popup menu located within the Formatting toolbar.

Changing the Font Style (including Bold, Italicize, and Underline)

To change the font style of the text within the cells of your Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the text you wish to change the font position by clicking within the cell that contains the text you wish to format and selecting the appropriate text within the formula bar.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu list.
• If it is not already selected, click the Font tab within the window that appears. Select the font style within the window list. Click the OK button to complete the selection.

You may also change the font style by using the appropriate Font Style buttons located within the Formatting toolbar.

Changing the Font Color

To change the font color of the text the cells of your Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the text you wish to change the font position by clicking within the cell that contains the text you wish to format and selecting the appropriate text within the formula bar.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu list.
• Click the Font Effects tab within the window that appears. Select the font color within the Font color popup menu. Click the OK button to complete the selection.

You may also change the font color by using the Font Color popup menu located within the Formatting toolbar.

Changing Text Position

To change the font position of the text within the cells of your Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the text you wish to change the font position by clicking within the cell that contains the text you wish to format and selecting the appropriate text within the formula bar.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu list.
• Click the Font Position tab within the window that appears. Select the font position and scaling options within the window list. Click the OK button to complete the selection.

Section Four: Formatting Cells

Changing the Width of Columns

To change the width of a column within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the cells that are to be formatted.
• Click on the Format menu, select Columns from the menu that appears and select Width from the submenu that appears.
• In the Column Width window that appears, select the value within the window and enter in the new column width using either the numeric keypad on the computer keyboard or by clicking on the arrows to the right of the Width selection field.
• Click OK to complete the operation.

Changing the Height of Rows

To change the height of a row within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the cells that are to be formatted.
• Click on the Format menu, select Row from the menu that appears and select Height from the submenu that appears.
• In the Row Height window that appears, select the value within the window and enter in the new row height using either the numeric keypad on the computer keyboard or by clicking on the arrows to the right of the Height selection field.
• Click OK to complete the operation.

Cell Borders

To format borders for cells within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the cells that are to be formatted.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu that appears.
• When the Format Cells window appears, click on the Borders tab located at the top of the window.
• In the Line Arrangement selection area, select the border arrangement by clicking on one of the default arrangements provided. Border arrangements can also be customized by utilizing the User-Defined configuration area provided (optional).
• In the Line selection area, select the border thickness using the Styles selections and choose the border color using the Color popup menu.
• In the Spacing To Contents area, select the appropriate border spacing for each side of the selected cells (optional).
• Once all formatting selections have been made, click the OK button to complete the operation.

Cell Colors

To format cell colors within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the cells that are to be formatted.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu that appears.
• When the Format Cells window appears, click on the Background tab located at the top of the window.
• In the tab window that appears, click on the appropriate color from the selections provided.
• Click the OK button to complete the operation.

Adding a Drop Shadow to a Cell

To format drop shadows for cells within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the cells that are to be formatted.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu that appears.
• When the Format Cells window appears, click on the Borders tab located at the top of the window.
• In the Shadow Style selection area, select the shadow position by clicking on one of the selections provided.
• Select the distance the shadow extends from the cell by entering the appropriate measurements within the configuration box located to the right of the shadow position area (optional).
• Using the Color popup menu located within the Shadow Style selection area, select the shadow color. By default, the color will be gray.
• Once all drop shadow format selections have been made, click the OK button to complete the operation.

Number Formatting Within Cells

To change the number formatting for cells within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the cells that are to be formatted.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu that appears.
• When the Format Cells window appears, click on the Numbers tab located at the top of the window.
• In the Category selection area, select the type of numbers that are to be presented in the selected cells.
• Once a category has been selected, select a format type located within the Format selection area.
• Within the Language selection area, if the numbers to appear within the cells are to be formatted to a language other than the default language when OpenOffice.org was installed, select the language type using the popup menu provided (optional).
• In the Options selection area, select the decimal places, leading zeros, negative numbering format and thousands separator options provided where appropriate.
• Once all number formatting selections have been made, click the OK button to complete the operation.

Changing Text Alignment Within Cells

To change the text alignment within Calc spreadsheet cells, follow these steps:

• Select the cells that are to be formatted.
• Click on the Format menu and select Cells from the menu that appears.
• When the Format Cells window appears, click on the Alignment tab located at the top of the window.
• In the Text Alignment selection area, select the appropriate horizontal and/or vertical text alignment using the popup menus provided.
• If text within the selected cells needs to be rotated, use the options within the Text Orientation and Properties selection areas to do so (optional).
• Once all alignment selections have been made, click the OK button to complete the operation.

Text alignment within cells may also be performed utilizing the alignment buttons within the Formatting toolbar located above the Formula Bar.


Section Five: Formatting Spreadsheets

Selecting Page Size

To select the appropriate page size for a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Click on the Format menu and select Page from the menu that appears.
• When the Page Style window appears, click on the Page tab at the top of the window (if it isn’t already selected).
• Using the Format popup menu, select the predefined paper size you will print your document on. When you select an option, the width and height will automatically change to format itself to the predefined paper format. If you wish to select a custom paper size, utilize the Width and Height menus to enter the appropriate page size.
• In the Margins selection area, specify your page margins for your document by entering the appropriate measurements.
• In the Layout selection area, select the appropriate page layout, format and table alignment for the document.
• Once you have selected your page style formatting options, click the OK button to complete the selection.

Adjusting Page Margins

To adjust the page margins for a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Click on the Format menu and select Page from the menu that appears.
• When the Page Style window appears, click on the Page tab at the top of the window (if it isn’t already selected).
• In the Margins selection area, specify the page margins for the document by entering the appropriate measurements.
• Once you have selected your page style formatting options, click the OK button to complete the selection.

Using the Organizer to Format Pages

The Styles and Formatting Organizer allows you to quickly select pre-defined formatting options to include in your documents simply by double-clicking on a style option listed within the Organizer. To view and edit the Openoffice.org Formatting Styles Organizer, follow these steps:

• To view the organizer, click the Format menu and select Styles and Formatting or simply press the F11 key at the top of your keyboard. A palette will appear displaying by default the various cell styles available.
• When the Organizer palette is open, you will notice a small toolbar within the window. You can view other formatting styles as well by clicking on the appropriate button. Click on the Page Styles button (the second button in the upper-left corner of the organizer window) to view your page formatting options. Double-click on the appropriate style to make your format selection.
• You can also create or modify formatting styles based upon existing styles by right-clicking on a style listed within the Organizer and select the appropriate command from the contextual menu that appears. You may also delete custom styles you created from the Organizer by right-clicking on it within the list.

Section Six: Inserting Clip Art and Graphics

Supported Graphic File Types

OpenOffice.org supports a wide array of file types for graphics files to be imported into Calc. If you have a graphic file you wish to import into your document, chances are OpenOffice.org supports it. Supported graphic file types for importing into a Calc document include:

• Windows Bitmap (*.bmp)
• AutoCAD Interchange Format (*.dxf)
• Enhanced Metafile (*.emf)
• Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps)
• Graphics Interchange Format (*.gif)
• Joint Photographic Experts Group (*.jpg or *jpeg)
• OS/2 Metafile (*.met)
• Portable Bitmap (*.pbm)
• Kodak Photo CD (*.pcd)
• Macintosh Picture Format (*.pct or *.pict)
• Zsoft Paintbrush (*.pcx)
• Portable Graymap (*.pgm)
• Portable Network Graphic (*.png)
• Portable Pixelmap (*.ppm)
• Adobe Photoshop (*.psd)
• Sun Raster Image (*.ras)
• StarWriter Graphics Format (*.sgf)
• StarDraw 2.0 (*.sgv)
• StarView Metafile (*.svm)
• Truevision Targa (*.tga)
• Tagged Image File Format (*.tif or *.tiff)
• Windows Metafile (*.wmf)
• X Bitmap (*.xbm)
• X PixMap (*.xpm)

Inserting a Graphic or Clip Art

To insert a graphic or clip art image into your Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Click on the Insert menu, select the Picture menu option and select From File from the submenu that appears.
• Locate the file using the Insert Picture window that appears. Click once on the file displayed to select the appropriate image to insert.
• At the bottom of the Insert Picture window, OpenOffice.org gives you the option to link the file rather than embedding the image into the document. If you have an image that is being used in a number of places throughout the document, you can choose to link the image to reduce the file size of your document. If you ever move the image to another location, however, you will need to re-link the image for it to appear in the document. If you wish to link the image, click within the checkbox located next to the Link selection.
• Click OK to complete your selection.

Adjusting a Graphic Image Location

If you wish to adjust the location of your graphic image within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Click once within the graphic image with your left mouse button. Small boxes will appear around the edge of the image when it has been properly selected.
• Move your pointer within the graphic area. The pointer will transform into a black target icon. Holding down your left mouse button on the image, drag the image. Once you have the image in your desired location, release the mouse button.

Resizing a Graphic Image

If you wish to resize an image or graphic within your Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Click once within the graphic image with your left mouse button. Small boxes will appear around the edge of the image when it has been properly selected.
• To proportionally resize the graphic, place your pointer on one of the small boxes located one the corner of the image. Your pointer will transform into a black bar with arrows on each end of it. Hold down the left mouse button and begin to drag either outward or inward to make your graphic larger or smaller, respectively. When you have resized it to the desired width and height, release the left mouse button.

If you know the exact width and height you wish your graphic to be, you may also resize an image by right-clicking on the image and select Position And Size from the contextual menu that appears.


Section Seven: Creating Charts From Calc Spreadsheet Data

Adding a 3-D Pie Chart To A Spreadsheet

To create a 3-D pie chart within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the text and data that is to appear within the chart.
• Go to the Insert menu and select Chart from the menu options that appear.
• When the AutoFormat Chart window appears, the selection made in Step #1 should appear in the range field. If the selection is correct, click the NEXT button at the bottom of the window. If the selection is not correct, click the Shrink button located next to the range field to enter back into the worksheet and select the appropriate cells containing the data to appear within the chart.
• In the next window to appear, select the appropriate Chart Type. Use the scroll bar located on the right side of the window to view all of the available selections, including the 3-D pie chart. Also select the appropriate Data Series options using the radio buttons below the Chart Type selections, and click the checkbox Show Text Elements In Preview to view how the chart will be labeled. The click the NEXT button.
• In the Display selection area that appears in the next window, type a Chart Title within the text field provided. Make sure the checkboxes are selected for both the Chart Title and Legend.
• Click the CREATE button to complete the operation. The completed chart should appear within the worksheet.

Adding A Bar Graph To A Spreadsheet

To create a bar graph within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the text and data that is to appear within the chart.
• Go to the Insert menu and select Chart from the menu options that appear.
• When the AutoFormat Chart window appears, the selection made in Step #1 should appear in the range field. If the selection is correct, click the NEXT button at the bottom of the window. If the selection is not correct, click the Shrink button located next to the range field to enter back into the worksheet and select the appropriate cells containing the data to appear within the chart.
• In the next window to appear, select the appropriate Chart Type. Use the scroll bar located on the right side of the window to view all of the available selections, including the bar graph. Also select the appropriate Data Series options using the radio buttons below the Chart Type selections, and click the checkbox Show Text Elements In Preview to view how the chart will be labeled. The click the NEXT button.
• In the Display selection area that appears in the next window, type a Chart Title within the text field provided. Make sure the checkboxes are selected for both the Chart Title and Legend.
• Click the CREATE button to complete the operation. The completed chart should appear within the worksheet.

Adding a Line Graph To A Spreadsheet

To create a line graph within a Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the text and data that is to appear within the chart.
• Go to the Insert menu and select Chart from the menu options that appear.
• When the AutoFormat Chart window appears, the selection made in Step #1 should appear in the range field. If the selection is correct, click the NEXT button at the bottom of the window. If the selection is not correct, click the Shrink button located next to the range field to enter back into the worksheet and select the appropriate cells containing the data to appear within the chart.
• In the next window to appear, select the appropriate Chart Type. Use the scroll bar located on the right side of the window to view all of the available selections, including the line graph. Also select the appropriate Data Series options using the radio buttons below the Chart Type selections, and click the checkbox Show Text Elements In Preview to view how the chart will be labeled. The click the NEXT button.
• In the Display selection area that appears in the next window, type a Chart Title within the text field provided. Make sure the checkboxes are selected for both the Chart Title and Legend.
• Click the CREATE button to complete the operation. The completed chart should appear within the worksheet.

Section Eight: Formulas and Performing Calculations

Entering Formulas

Formulas can be created by typing the formula within the cell that will contain the final value, or by typing the formula within the field provided within the Formula Bar located just above the spreadsheet area. Formulas usually begin with an equal (=) sign and selected cells and cell ranges are contained within parentheses. Formulas can be created to perform a wide array of calculations, including adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, averaging and much more.

Using The SUM Function

The SUM function within Calc allows you to add the numbers contained within multiple cells selected throughout a worksheet. You can also select a range of cells to allow the SUM function to total the values contained within the range. The following are examples of formulas containing the SUM function:

=sum(A1…A4) This formula calculates the total for cell range A1 through A4.
=sum(A1+B2) This formula calculates the total for cells A1 and B2

Using The AVG (Average) Function

The AVG function within Calc allows you to average values contained within multiple cells selected throughout a worksheet. You can also select a range of cells to allow the AVG function to calculate the average among the values contained within the range. The following are examples of formulas containing the AVG function:

=avg(A1…A4) This formula calculates the average for the values contained within cell range A1 through A4.
=avg(A1+B2) This formula calculates the average for the values contained within cells A1 and B2

Using The MAX (Maximum) Function

The MAX function within Calc allows you to extract the maximum value contained within multiple cells selected throughout a worksheet. You can also select a range of cells to allow the MAX function to extract the maximum value contained within the range. The following are examples of formulas containing the MAX function:

=max(A1…A4) This formula displays the largest value contained within cell range A1 through A4.
=max(A1+B2) This formula displays the largest value contained within cells A1 and B2

Using The MIN (Minimum) Function

The MIN function within Calc allows you to extract the minimum value contained within multiple cells selected throughout a worksheet. You can also select a range of cells to allow the MIN function to extract the minimum value contained within the range. The following are examples of formulas containing the MIN function:

=min(A1…A4) This formula displays the smallest value contained within cell range A1 through A4.
=min(A1+B2) This formula displays the smallest value contained within cells A1 and B2

Calculating Values Among Multiple Worksheets

Not only can you calculate values within an individual worksheet, but you can also calculate values contained within multiple worksheets as well. To calculate values within multiple worksheets, simply select the appropriate cell within another worksheet to present it within the formula you create.

Using The Function Wizard

The Calc spreadsheet application contains a comprehensive Function Wizard that can assist a user in creating a formula by using a graphic interface to point-and-click their way through the process. The Function Wizard displays over 300 functions that a user can select to perform a calculation. To start the Function Wizard, click on the Insert menu and choose Function from the menu options that appear. You may also hold down the CONTROL (CTRL) key and press F2 to start the Function Wizard, or press the Function button located within the Function Bar.


Section Nine: Saving a Document

Supported File Types for Saving

OpenOffice.org can open and save documents formatted in a wide array of file types. Although it might not be their primary office suite, many users have found OpenOffice.org to be a useful tool for opening and saving files not supported through their primary applications. Calc supports the following file formats:

• Data Interchange Format (*.dif)
• dBase (*.dbf)
• Hypertext Markup Language Documents (*.htm or *.html)
• OpenOffice.org 2.0 Native OpenDocument Spreadsheet (*.ods)
• OpenOffice.org 2.0 Native OpenDocument Spreadsheet Template (*.ots)
• OpenOffice.org 1.0 Spreadsheet Document (*.sxc)
• Microsoft Excel 5.0/95/97/2000/XP/2007 Documents (*.xls, *.xlsx)
• Microsoft Excel 2003 XML Documents (*.xml)
• Pocket Excel Documents (*.pxl)
• Portable Document Format Documents (*.pdf)
• StarCalc 3.0/4.0/5.0 Text Documents (*.sdc)
• StarCalc 3.0/4.0/5.0 Text Templates (*.vor)
• SYLK (*.slk)
• Text CSV (*.csv)

Saving a File as a Native Calc Document

To save a document in the native Calc 3.0 OpenDocument format, follow these steps:

• Click on the File menu and choose Save As from the menu list.
• A window will appear and prompt you to choose a location to save your document. Choose the location you want to save a document to in the Save In popup field.
• In the field File Name, type the name you would like to save the file as.
• In the Save As Type popup menu, select the OpenDocument Spreadsheet (.ods) file format.
• Click the button SAVE to complete the operation.

Saving a File as a Microsoft Excel Document

To save a spreadsheet in the Microsoft Excel format, follow these steps:

• Click on the File menu and choose Save As from the menu list.
• A window will appear and prompt you to choose a location to save your document. Choose the location you want to save a document to in the Save In popup field.
• In the field File Name, type the name you would like to save the file as.
• In the Save As Type popup menu, select the appropriate Microsoft Excel (*.xls) file format.
• Click the button SAVE to complete the operation.

Exporting a File as a Portable Document Format (PDF) Document

One of the many useful features OpenOffice.org has built-in to the office suite is the ability to export documents as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file. To save a spreadsheet as a read-only PDF file, follow these steps:

• Click on the File menu and choose Export As PDF from the menu list.
• A window will appear and prompt you to choose a location to save your document. Choose the location you want to save a document to in the Save In popup field.
• In the field File Name, type the name you would like to save the file as.
• In the File Format popup menu, make sure Portable Document Format (PDF) is selected.
• Click the button SAVE to complete the operation.

(NOTE: OpenOffice.org documents saved as a PDF file is a convenient way to share read-only documents to other users that have a PDF reader application installed on their computer. However, OpenOffice.org cannot edit a document that has been saved as a PDF file. To save a document for editing at a later date, save the document in its Native OpenDocument file format.)

Exporting a File as a Web Page (HTML) Document

To save a document in the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format, follow these steps:

• Click on the File menu and choose Save As from the menu list.
• A window will appear and prompt you to choose a location to save your document. Choose the location you want to save a document to in the Save In popup field.
• In the field File Name, type the name you would like to save the file as.
• In the Save As Type popup menu, select the HTML (*.htm or *.html) file format.
• Click the button SAVE to complete the operation.

Section Ten: Printing A Document

Using Cut, Copy and Paste

Using Cut, Copy and Paste is one of the most fundamental operations you will perform to correct document errors. You may also use these commands to transfer text or graphics from one document into another. If you are unfamiliar with using these operations, use these steps to assist in determining which to use when correcting document errors:

• Select the text you want to cut or copy by clicking on the appropriate cell and selecting the text within the Formula Bar.
• To eliminate text to reinsert in another location in the document, click the Edit menu and choose the Cut menu option.
• To duplicate text in another part of the document, click the Edit menu and choose the Copy menu option.
• Click on the cell you want the text to appear.
• In the Edit menu, choose the Paste menu option.

Deleting Text

To permanently delete text from your Calc spreadsheet document, follow these steps:

• Select the cell that contains the text you want to permanently delete.
• Press the Delete key on your keyboard to permanently remove the text from the selected cell.

Using Undo

If you make the mistake of deleting something you didn’t wish to do or make a formatting error, immediately go to the Edit menu and choose Undo from the menu list that appears to go back to the document’s previous state before the error was made. You can continue to select the Undo menu command multiple times to continue to go back to each previous step.

Using Spellcheck

To use the OpenOffice.org spell check feature, follow these steps:

• To spell check a specific word or sentence within a cell, select the text you wish to spell check by clicking on the appropriate cell and selecting the text within the Formula Bar.
• Go to the Tools menu and select Spellcheck from the menu that appears. You may also press the F7 key on your keyboard to begin checking for spelling errors.
• If any potential spelling errors appear, OpenOffice.org will indicate the potential error and give you a list of possible suggestions to correct the spelling.
• If you see a spelling suggestion that would correct the error, select it from the Suggestions list and click the CHANGE button.
• If you believe that the word in question is spelled correctly, you can click the IGNORE ONCE button to proceed to the next potential spelling error. If the word in question is spelled correctly and you use it often when creating documents, you may click the ADD button to add it to the Spellcheck dictionary.
• When you have completed checking for potential spelling errors, click the CLOSE button to exit and return to the document.

Using AutoCorrect

AutoCorrect is enabled by default. However, AutoCorrect can be enabled or disabled at any time. To enable or disable a specific AutoCorrect feature, go to the Tools menu and select AutoCorrect from the menu that appears. Once the AutoCorrect window appears, click on the tab related to the specific feature you wish to enable or disable and select the appropriate options.


Section Eleven: Beyond The Basics

Importing Calc Spreadsheets into Writer Documents

Importing a Calc spreadsheet as an OLE Object into a Writer document not only allows you to place the spreadsheet contents within a text document, but also allows you to edit the spreadsheet directly within the text document as well. To import a Calc spreadsheet as an OLE object, follow these steps:

• Open both the Writer document you wish to import a spreadsheet into and the Calc spreadsheet you will be exporting data from.
• Within the Calc spreadsheet, select the spreadsheet area to want to place within the Writer document.
• Place your pointer within the selected area of the Calc Spreadsheet, hold down the left mouse button and drag the selected spreadsheet area into the Writer text document. Once the cursor appears at the location you wish to place the spreadsheet, release the mouse button. The spreadsheet in now inserted as an OLE object into the Writer document.
• To edit the Calc spreadsheet directly within the Writer document, double-click the spreadsheet. If you need to have the menu commands available to edit the spreadsheet, right-click on the spreadsheet and choose Edit from the contextual menu that appears.

About Macros

OpenOffice.org cannot execute the same macro code that Microsoft Office utilizes. This is because OpenOffice.org uses Basic code for its macros, while Microsoft Office uses Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) for its macros. While OpenOffice.org Basic and VBA share many similarities, objects and methods within each scripting language are different. In addition to Basic, OpenOffice.org also supports JavaScript and BeanShell for scripting macros.

To utilize the macros created in one application within another, you must edit the macros. OpenOffice.org can load macros that are contained within Microsoft Office documents. You can then view and edit the macro code within the OpenOffice.org Basic editor.