Bug 116773 - Power Detective Trace arrows embedded in exported Excel document
Summary: Power Detective Trace arrows embedded in exported Excel document
Status: RESOLVED NOTOURBUG
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Extensions (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
6.0.2.1 release
Hardware: x86-64 (AMD64) Windows (All)
: medium minor
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL: https://extensions.libreoffice.org/ex...
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2018-04-03 13:31 UTC by Colin
Modified: 2018-04-10 10:35 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
Junk spreadsheet demonstrating the embedded graphic elements (9.82 KB, application/zip)
2018-04-03 13:35 UTC, Colin
Details
ods version of the originally submitted Excel file (12.78 KB, application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet)
2018-04-04 19:52 UTC, Colin
Details

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Description Colin 2018-04-03 13:31:00 UTC
Description:
If a CALC document has active Power Detective traces and is saved as an Excel file then those trace indicators become embedded graphics in the saved file. Re-opening the file will not permit them to be "erased". However, the individual "anchored" graphics elements can be selected and manually deleted.

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Replicate some random cells by selecting anddragging numbers around
2.Create some random formulae with operations between these and target cell
3.Replicate the formulae by selecting and dragging them around
4.Repeat 2 and 3 to create a matrix with dependents and precedents
5.Select random groups of the result cells and generate traces in both directions
6.Save the sheet as an Exceol file while the Power Trace elements are still displayed
7.Exit LibreCalc
8.Open the saved document in LibreCalc
9.Observe that the links can no longer be erased
10.Select a link and Delete it

Actual Results:  
Trace elements become "permanent" graphics embedded in the sheet

Expected Results:
No trace elements OR the eraser to eraSE THEM


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: Yes



Additional Info:
Version: 6.0.2.1 (x64)
Build ID: f7f06a8f319e4b62f9bc5095aa112a65d2f3ac89
CPU threads: 4; OS: Windows 10.0; UI render: default; 
Locale: sv-SE (en_GB); Calc: group


User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:59.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/59.0
Comment 1 Colin 2018-04-03 13:35:26 UTC
Created attachment 141053 [details]
Junk spreadsheet demonstrating the embedded graphic elements
Comment 2 Buovjaga 2018-04-04 19:30:00 UTC
(In reply to Colin from comment #1)
> Created attachment 141053 [details]
> Junk spreadsheet demonstrating the embedded graphic elements

Could you attach an ODS file so people can test the saving as Excel format bit?
Comment 3 Colin 2018-04-04 19:51:27 UTC
Attaching an ods.
In the process I noticed another element of the error.
I simply downloaded the file I had uploaded and saved it as an ods
reopening it as an ods would not permit me to erase the trace
I then simply cut and pasted the "active" cells to sheet 2 and then deleted sheet 1.
It would then allow me to trace and erase on the copied cells
Comment 4 Colin 2018-04-04 19:52:53 UTC
Created attachment 141095 [details]
ods version of the originally submitted Excel file
Comment 5 Colin 2018-04-04 20:08:06 UTC
You will notice that my Locale is SV - Swedish but the Language is EN - English
The SV localised version changes comma array separators to semicolons as the Swedish currency separater is a comma.
This may or may not be significant but whoever opens the new file may need to be aware that if the symptoms do not exhibit for them, it may be linked to the locale setting.
I only mention it because sometimes I forget and utilise commas in the formulae and it wreaks havoc.
Comment 6 Buovjaga 2018-04-08 17:18:53 UTC
(In reply to Colin from comment #4)
> Created attachment 141095 [details]
> ods version of the originally submitted Excel file

I don't see any arrows in this.
Comment 7 Colin 2018-04-08 19:02:50 UTC
(In reply to Buovjaga from comment #6)
>
> > ods version of the originally submitted Excel file
> 
> I don't see any arrows in this.

Probably because I was asked to provide a copy of the originating .ods. I only identified that reloading the saved EXCEL file into Libre required the arrows to be manually removed. I sort of considered it was implied that Libre CALC was "discarding" the "Power Detective" status on save and exit so there was no issue from the trace arrows when reloading the original .ods document into Libre. Conversely, the Excel file, with everything actively displayed when it was saved, had everything --  weeeell, sort of embedded when it was reopened.

If you take the new file, select a few random locations or even all of the array and then request some power detective precedents and dependents then you will see the arrows.

If you save the document as an Excel file - give it any name you like - the saved version will have all the embedded arrows in it and then, when you reopen it in CALC, you will have to select each arrow individually to delete it.

Remiss of me, I failed to investigate whether the same effect is experienced for ALL Excel derivative saves - I only used 2007-13 XML (xlsx) because that's what I was targetting.

As the error report is about the extension "power Detective" it may also be prudent to install that before testing.
Sorry, My original "steps to produce" failed to specify that probable step 1 is instal power detective - with the remaining identified steps incremented by 1.
Comment 8 Buovjaga 2018-04-09 18:59:11 UTC
As Power Detective is a LibreOffice extension, why do you expect its data to be retained in XLSX format?
Comment 9 Colin 2018-04-09 19:46:22 UTC
(In reply to Buovjaga from comment #8)
> As Power Detective is a LibreOffice extension, why do you expect its data to
> be retained in XLSX format?

I'm sorry, I don't really understand the question.

Are you asking me if I expected LibreOffice to perform the export it claimed to be performing without leaving extraneous graphics in the file OR warning me that it was unlikely to be able to comply as anticipated? If so, then the answer is YES.

Are you asking me why I wanted to export it to the xlsx format? If so, then the answer is that LibreOffice is a free and open format product that we both enjoy using and neither of us has the right to dictate that the recipient of my spreadsheet MUST have LibreOffice.

Are you saying that you feel a little sheepish for not thinking of performing the simple task of removing the arrows in the erroneous file nor simply selecting some cells within the new file you requested and subsequently asking Power Detective to do it's thing? If so, then perhaps it was one of those days - we all have 'em.

Are you saying you don't consider it to be a worthy issue report? If so, then I apologise for wasting your time - I thought the foundation actually encouraged users to interact. My bad ;).
Comment 10 Buovjaga 2018-04-10 06:51:11 UTC
Ok, so now you decided to just start disrespecting me as a volunteer and implying I'm some sort of paid support. Classy.

Please contact the developer of the extension and ask them to do the modifications you want regarding XLSX files. After all, the developer has decided how the thing works. It might be that the developer says it is working as intended. In any case, not the problem of upstream LibreOffice.
Comment 11 Colin 2018-04-10 08:20:02 UTC
(In reply to Buovjaga from comment #10)
> Ok, so now you decided to just start disrespecting me as a volunteer and
> implying I'm some sort of paid support. Classy.
> 
> Please contact the developer of the extension and ask them to do the
> modifications you want regarding XLSX files. After all, the developer has
> decided how the thing works. It might be that the developer says it is
> working as intended. In any case, not the problem of upstream LibreOffice.

I tried to be polite when it was obvious you were not interested - in the forlorn hope you might remember we are all volunteers supposedly working for the common good. Not mentioning that you were disinterested at the very beginning instead of asking increasingly irrelevant questions in order to manufacture a reason for inactivity says more about you than anything else. Real Classy.
Honesty and integrity means owning it.
Comment 12 Colin 2018-04-10 08:31:14 UTC
Perhaps another review is in order as there seems to be some friction between the original reviewer and the author.
Comment 13 Buovjaga 2018-04-10 09:27:48 UTC
(In reply to Colin from comment #11)
> (In reply to Buovjaga from comment #10)
> > Ok, so now you decided to just start disrespecting me as a volunteer and
> > implying I'm some sort of paid support. Classy.
> > 
> > Please contact the developer of the extension and ask them to do the
> > modifications you want regarding XLSX files. After all, the developer has
> > decided how the thing works. It might be that the developer says it is
> > working as intended. In any case, not the problem of upstream LibreOffice.
> 
> I tried to be polite when it was obvious you were not interested - in the
> forlorn hope you might remember we are all volunteers supposedly working for
> the common good. Not mentioning that you were disinterested at the very
> beginning instead of asking increasingly irrelevant questions in order to
> manufacture a reason for inactivity says more about you than anything else.
> Real Classy.
> Honesty and integrity means owning it.

Wow, now you are WAY out of line. You are basically just coming up with ways to insult me. I was never disinterested or asking "increasingly irrelevant questions". In comment 8 I forgot that you wanted the elements to be removed. The fact remains that the decision regarding the elements rests upon the developer of the extension, not LibreOffice.
Comment 14 Colin 2018-04-10 09:36:09 UTC
(In reply to Buovjaga from comment #13)

> 
> Wow, now you are WAY out of line. You are basically just coming up with ways
> to insult me. I was never disinterested or asking "increasingly irrelevant
> questions". In comment 8 I forgot that you wanted the elements to be
> removed. The fact remains that the decision regarding the elements rests
> upon the developer of the extension, not LibreOffice.

Which part of "LibreOfficeCalc doesn't save it properly" don't you understand?
Comment 15 Samuel Mehrbrodt (allotropia) 2018-04-10 09:59:56 UTC
So this is obviously not our bug.

That extension adds random graphics to the sheet.
How should LibreOffice know which graphics to remove and which not when saving? Of course it will save all graphics that are in the sheet.

The extension needs to remove them before saving if they should not be saved with the sheet.

Please report this issue to the extension developer.
Comment 16 Colin 2018-04-10 10:30:56 UTC
(In reply to Samuel Mehrbrodt (CIB) from comment #15)
> So this is obviously not our bug.
> 
> That extension adds random graphics to the sheet.
> How should LibreOffice know which graphics to remove and which not when
> saving? Of course it will save all graphics that are in the sheet.
> 
> The extension needs to remove them before saving if they should not be saved
> with the sheet.
> 
> Please report this issue to the extension developer.

If LibreOffice doesn't know which elements created by a third party extension should or should not be saved then surely the best and most consistent course of action is to not save any elements from any third party extensions when exporting. After all, If I'm exporting to another format it might reasonably be assumed  I would be aware of whether support exists in the target format for the sheet I just created OR I was exporting it to ascertain whether it would fly. I only discovered it by accident because I actually forgot to erase the trace and exported the file from within sheet eight of a nineteen sheet document and the page one trace elements were not visible. The document was intended for a user on Excel so the results could be viewed - not the steps taken to ensure the flow was correct.

How would the extension know that LibreOffice is saving?

Would you really want any third party extension to interfere with the LibreOffice save or export routines?

Are we to dictate that users should not make mistakes or if they do, not report unexopected results?

Trust me, I searched very carefully for some form of extension error reporting and all I found was a reporting procedure listing extensions as a topic, there is no indication that it's not for third party extensions.

If a reporting facility for third party developers exists in the LibreOffice bug extemination department then perhaps the provision of a link would help.
Comment 17 Samuel Mehrbrodt (allotropia) 2018-04-10 10:35:37 UTC
(In reply to Colin from comment #16)

> If LibreOffice doesn't know which elements created by a third party
> extension should or should not be saved then surely the best and most
> consistent course of action is to not save any elements from any third party
> extensions when exporting.

That makes no sense. Graphics can be added via the API and we won't discard them. That is how LO is designed.

> 
> How would the extension know that LibreOffice is saving?
> 
> Would you really want any third party extension to interfere with the
> LibreOffice save or export routines?

Yes. There are hooks for that. Please read the API documentation for more information.

> 
> Are we to dictate that users should not make mistakes or if they do, not
> report unexopected results?
> 
> Trust me, I searched very carefully for some form of extension error
> reporting and all I found was a reporting procedure listing extensions as a
> topic, there is no indication that it's not for third party extensions.
> 
> If a reporting facility for third party developers exists in the LibreOffice
> bug extemination department then perhaps the provision of a link would help.

We don't offer bug trackers for third party developers. You need to find a way to contact the extension author or fix the issue yourself. After all, the extension is just a zip file with the Macro code inside.

Please stop changing the status of this bug report.