Description: The help file here https://help.libreoffice.org/6.1/en-US/text/scalc/01/05120000.html?DbPAR=CALC#bm_id3153189 has this to say about the "Formula is" option: "If you select *Formula is* as a reference, enter a cell reference. If the cell reference is a value other than zero, the condition matches." The reality is (I guess) that you can enter any formula, and if it evaluates to a value other than 0, the condition matches. Now, since a cell reference is also a (very simple formula), you can use the functionality as described, but this is missing the major parts of the functionality. Apart from this, there should also be information about how relative cell references in the formula are resolved when the condition is applied to a range of cells (I have not been able to find this info anywhere). Also missing is information about how overlapping conditional formatting is handled. Steps to Reproduce: 1. Open the help for "Conditional Formatting", look at the "Formula is" line Actual Results: A sentence which describes a very limited part of the functionality. Expected Results: Precise information about how formulas in conditional formatting work. Reproducible: Always User Profile Reset: No Additional Info:
Can you provide a proposal of how exactly you would correct and add to the text? Removing meta bug "HelpGaps" as this is not about a new feature.
(In reply to Buovjaga from comment #1) > Can you provide a proposal of how exactly you would correct and add to the > text? > > Removing meta bug "HelpGaps" as this is not about a new feature. As a very minimum, I would change it to "If you select *Formula is* as the condition type, enter a formula. If the formula evaluates to a value other than zero, the condition matches." Then - possibly with a different wording: "The formula will be evaluated as if it was entered in the cell, and can use both absolute and relative references. If defining a condition for a range of cells, relative reference should be given relative to the topmost cell in the leftmost column of the range." This is based on my limited understanding of what the program actually does. The label "Formula is" should probably be changed to just "Formula".
There is Conditional Formatting Guide https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/images/d/d1/LibreOffice_Calc._Conditional_formatting_guide_EN.pdf Part 6.3 is about Formula is condition: In this category you enter a formula in special field. By using formulas you can realize any condition from “Cell value is” category and any from your own condition. The style is applied to the cell if value in cell corresponds to the result of the formula. You can use all functions in your formula, that are present in Calc. For example, for cell range (А1:А10) you can use this formula: А1=340, or А1<100, or А1<>”USA”, or А1=”Contract is in work”. In this case cell A1 and next cells from range will be checked by the corresponding result of the formula. This category is one that allows to apply conditional formatting to cell or cell range not matching with cell or cell range in condition. In this case you should use the sign $ in cell address in the formula. In spreadsheets, sign $ allows to fix cell or column number (or both) when you copy the formula in to another cells. Let’s see several examples: Task: it is needed to highlight cell range B1:G1 by green color, if value in cell А1 equal to 100 (that is it needs to highlight row from the right of the checked cell). Solution: enter a formula as $А1=100 and cell range as B1:G1. If you don’t write $ sign in the formula, then Calc will not highlight all B1:G1 range by green color, but will highlight only cell B1. Task: it is needed to highlight cell range A2:A10 by green color, if value in cell А1 equal to 100 (that is it needs to highlight column below of the checked cell). Solution: enter a formula as A$1=100 and cell range as А2:А10. If you don’t write sign $ in formula, then Calc will not highlight all range А2:А10 by green color, but will highlights only cell A2. Notice where the $ sign is in each case. For cell range as B2:F20 in this case you should use the sign $ in formula as $A$1. So we just can add that info to our Help
Olivier Hallot committed a patch related to this issue. It has been pushed to "master": https://git.libreoffice.org/help/commit/aefcd8e0945387c36ae5a80b6815763cae2a3022 tdf#119421 Refactor conditional formatting Help pages
Olivier Hallot committed a patch related to this issue. It has been pushed to "master": https://git.libreoffice.org/help/commit/7c924256f4ea9c328d7b384b2cff31829399decd tdf119421 - More on conditional formatting/Icon sets
Olivier Hallot committed a patch related to this issue. It has been pushed to "master": https://git.libreoffice.org/help/commit/bd2deec2da512a3630cdadfd81cb553fb158b14a tdf#119421 Add details on conditional formatting data bars
Olivier Hallot committed a patch related to this issue. It has been pushed to "master": https://git.libreoffice.org/help/commit/9abe3f66a8951fef89d79b5125931773778cda22 tdf#119421 Enchancements to Conditional Format pages
Olivier Hallot committed a patch related to this issue. It has been pushed to "master": https://git.libreoffice.org/help/commit/4b86dd440667832cd5510a1bd31ff35514532d06 tdf#119421 Add sample files for conditional formatting