Bug 33962 - Add feature that replaces numbers and dates, formatted as text, with real numbers (formerly: Add CT2N Extension)
Summary: Add feature that replaces numbers and dates, formatted as text, with real num...
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Calc (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
Inherited From OOo
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
: 62145 65312 67342 83077 91399 99374 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks: Number-Format
  Show dependency treegraph
 
Reported: 2011-02-06 03:31 UTC by Yakov
Modified: 2017-09-24 18:58 UTC (History)
15 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
System Independent Extension (44.69 KB, application/vnd.openofficeorg.extension)
2011-06-18 13:36 UTC, Rainer Bielefeld Retired
Details

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description Yakov 2011-02-06 03:31:10 UTC
Please, add CT2N Extension (Convert text to numbers) to LibreOffice installation.
http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/project/CT2N
Comment 1 Rainer Bielefeld Retired 2011-06-18 13:36:57 UTC
Created attachment 48145 [details]
System Independent Extension
Comment 2 Björn Michaelsen 2011-12-23 11:50:35 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 3 Yakov 2012-01-02 02:40:08 UTC
Please, add CT2N Extension (Convert text to numbers) to LibreOffice
installation.
http://extensions.libreoffice.org/extension-center/ct2n-convert-text-to-number-and-dates
This extension (or functions of this extension) is not present  in the 3.5.0 beta1 or beta2
prereleases.
Comment 4 Tomaz Vajngerl 2013-10-23 12:29:38 UTC
*** Bug 67342 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 5 Tomaz Vajngerl 2013-10-23 12:30:58 UTC
*** Bug 65312 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 6 Joel Madero 2013-10-23 13:25:26 UTC
Tomaz - for me the extension is broken, can you confirm this? Debating if I should open a new bug - on 4.0.5 I get an error on installation, on 4.1.2 it installs but won't do anything.
Comment 7 Tomaz Vajngerl 2013-10-23 16:19:46 UTC
It installs on LO daily but it does not work - nothing gets converted.

Anyway.. my intention is to implement the same thing as CT2N extension does directly into Calc as this should be fairly easy to do.

Regards, Tomaž
Comment 8 Eike Rathke 2013-10-31 20:44:18 UTC
@Cor:
CT2N is accused to be not working on master ;-)
Comment 9 Cor Nouws 2013-10-31 21:41:18 UTC
I see it does not start from the toolbar.
Alt-F11 .. MyMacros > CT2N > MainCode > StartHere does work ..

Hmm..
Comment 10 Cor Nouws 2013-10-31 21:42:36 UTC
Hi Tomaz,

(In reply to comment #7)

> Anyway.. my intention is to implement the same thing as CT2N extension does
> directly into Calc as this should be fairly easy to do.

Prolly ;)
I have some additional suggestions from users, that I did not yet came up too. So pls contact me if you are that far.
Comment 11 Ady 2013-11-11 08:35:01 UTC
Having "Data -> Text to Columns..." already in Calc, I wonder if there is something / anything _additional_ that the CT2N extension can do.

While importing from a csv / text file, we can also select columns and set a format.

Perhaps it would be better to improve those 2 features (or are those 2 actually the same feature?) with more options / controls for different number formats, instead of investing time in an alternative extension that might not bring anything really new?
Comment 12 Eike Rathke 2013-11-11 12:17:49 UTC
Ady, CT2N allows to find cell content that looks like a number or date but was entered as text and therefor is not considered as number in calculations and offers to convert such content to numeric cell content. While TextToColumn can be used to convert text to numbers, finding such values and offering a proper conversion in a way convenient to the user is what is needed.
Comment 13 Cor Nouws 2013-11-13 21:09:03 UTC
(In reply to comment #9)
> I see it does not start from the toolbar.
> Alt-F11 .. MyMacros > CT2N > MainCode > StartHere does work ..
> 
> Hmm..

Confirm the behaviour in 4.2.0.alpha1.

Probably an implementation of the toolbar that is not OK and breaks now.
(LibreLex doesn't have the problem - need to look into it.)
Comment 14 Cor Nouws 2013-11-13 21:11:38 UTC
(In reply to comment #10)

> Prolly ;)
> I have some additional suggestions from users, that I did not yet came up
> too. So pls contact me if you are that far.

Also: there is no real change for me to do the implementation somewhere the next years. So great if you or someone else picks this up !
Comment 15 Joel Madero 2013-12-28 18:39:20 UTC
*** Bug 62145 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 16 Joel Madero 2014-09-04 08:00:57 UTC
*** Bug 83077 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 17 Cor Nouws 2015-05-19 22:12:20 UTC
*** Bug 91399 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 18 Joel Madero 2016-04-18 20:47:41 UTC
*** Bug 99374 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 19 Dominik Lenné 2016-04-18 21:35:52 UTC
As one can see from all these dupes coming up, it seems to be something wished by the public and an important improvement.

The problem is a showstopper for the non-computer-savvy and is still quite annoying for the geeks.

For this issue, it is not at all important if ct2n is working or not.

A different - and maybe even more elegant - way to achieve the same goal would be to modify the import functionality. I could detect columns, the content of which is put between quotation marks and ask the user, if they should be removed during import. This could even be the default setting, with no disadvantages coming to my mind. Thus, the whole problem would be avoided in the first place.
Comment 20 Dominik Lenné 2016-04-18 21:44:26 UTC
Addendum: 

I mean of course the quotation marks be removed, not the columns.

Best would be to spread the word to somebody, who knows the import functionality well and for whom it would be a comparatively small effort to implement such an "ignore quotes" pathway.
Comment 21 Joel Madero 2016-04-18 22:12:27 UTC
Note we don't have "show stoppers" - we have an open source (and free) product that users "take it as they get it." If it's a show stopper, no one will be offended if those users use another product that fit their needs better.

There are no paid developers under TDF, no one gives orders, it doesn't really matter how many users want an enhancement. 

The only way this gets done is if a volunteer finds it interesting enough to implement - I suspect this will take a long long time (and likely will never be done)
Comment 22 Dominik Lenné 2016-04-18 23:40:23 UTC
I did not intend to offend anybody and am sorry if what i wrote came across like an offense. Maybe as a non english speaker i was not so aware of the strong negative connotations of the word "showstopper". 

I am well aware of this old question "Am i entitled to this or that improvement in a software or not.", and clearly the answer is "not", as i did not pay for it (even if i actually donated a small amount of money).

OTOH i can imagine, that some developers might be interested in feedback, to just learn, what feature or problem is important to the users out there, who are no geeks.

And yes, as i happened to stumble over this issue, i egoistically find arguments why exactly this issue is important. I am honestly convinced that it would be an improvement for a lot of people. If those arguments trigger a discussion - the better.
Comment 23 Joel Madero 2016-04-18 23:50:18 UTC
No need to apologize! My bad - I just want to keep expectations real :) We love user feedback but sometimes users have false expectations of what is to come so I just like to clarify.

No offense taken/meant and I'm happy to see users requesting this (I'd love the feature too! I wish I had the skills and/or time to implement).

FWIW I poked the creator of the extension some time ago and he wasn't able to add it directly to the code so....that channel is out