Description: Different behavior of versions 6.x to version 7.x for merged cells. Names are no longer displayed in the upper left corner. Alternative use of arrays leads to further problems. Steps to Reproduce: - use calc version 6.4.7.2 or earlier - connect A1 with B1 - give the connection from A1:B1 the name: "_merge6". - enter in cell D1: "=_merge6" + Enter - 0" will be output - enter "Text" in the connected cell - "Text" will be output in D1 - save calc file (example.ods) - open example.ods with version 7.x (7.5.4.2) - put cursor on merged cell A1:B1 - you will see in the upper left corner not the name of the merged cells ("_merge6") - now merge cells A4:B4 - assign names of merged cells ("_merge7") - type in D4 "=_merge7" + Enter - see error message #VALUE! - you can see names of connected cells A4:B4 = _merge7, top left! Hint: - Range is stored with LO 6.x as $A$1 for "_merge6". - Range is stored with LO 7.x as $A$4:$B$4 for "_merge7 See also here: https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/lo-7-x-calc-name-von-verbundenen-zellen-matrixformel-ggf-bug/93852/10 Actual Results: #VALUE! Expected Results: content of the variable Reproducible: Always User Profile Reset: Yes Additional Info: calc should still work as in version 6.x!
Created attachment 188851 [details] ods example
What's happening when the merged cell A4:B4 is active when assigning a name in the Name Box is that the name then references the cell range $Sheet1.$A$4:$B$4. That is correct. If such range reference (name or not) is used anywhere but in column A or B then there is no implicit intersection of the formula cell position and the range referenced, which leads to a #VALUE! error. That is also correct. The change to older versions was that the active cell cursor actually selects the merged cell range, not just the top left cell. Hence also for the selected A1:B1 range, which a previous version did not, and for that range is no name defined thus no name displayed. We could display an already existing top left cell name for such merged cell. We could but probably should not create a named single cell reference when a merged cell is active, as a selection of A4:B4 creating a name just for A4 would be unexpected. Defining a name for a single cell is still possible through the Name Manager. Bear in mind that hidden cells of a merged range still exist and could have content, and also could have other names defined.
(In reply to Eike Rathke from comment #2) ... > > The change to older versions was that the active cell cursor actually > selects the merged cell range, not just the top left cell. Hence also for > the selected A1:B1 range, which a previous version did not, and for that > range is no name defined thus no name displayed. > > We could display an already existing top left cell name for such merged cell. > > We could but probably should not create a named single cell reference when a > merged cell is active, as a selection of A4:B4 creating a name just for A4 > would be unexpected. Defining a name for a single cell is still possible > through the Name Manager. > > Bear in mind that hidden cells of a merged range still exist and could have > content, and also could have other names defined. Your explanations are understandable as far as they go. However, I can see neither a sense nor special advantages in it and would wish that it would work again like in the older version. If at least the problem with the neighboring cell would not be with an array this would be at least an alternative. (orange cell in the example) Excel and also other relevant tables do not work like LO 7.x - back to the roots please!