Bug 86139 - EDITING: Cannot insert/delete rows in a matrix of cells (or right above it)
Summary: EDITING: Cannot insert/delete rows in a matrix of cells (or right above it)
Status: RESOLVED NOTABUG
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Calc (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
4.3.2.2 release
Hardware: x86-64 (AMD64) Windows (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
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Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2014-11-11 09:04 UTC by Olivier DESCOUT
Modified: 2016-05-28 14:47 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

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Description Olivier DESCOUT 2014-11-11 09:04:12 UTC
(Issue also exists in LibO 4.3.3.2)

Problem description: 
Once you have created one or several matrices of cells in a spreadsheet, you cannot add or delete rows anywhere between the first and the last row of any of the matrices. You cannot even insert several rows at once right above a cell matrix (as soon as the selection before the insertion makes you select some rows of the matrix).

To perform the row insertion/deletion, you have to select every matrix of cells, delete their contents (especially the matrix formulas), do the insertion/deletion, and recreate the matrices from scratch (assuming you copied the matrix formulas somewhere else before deleting them).
When the spreadsheet contains a matrix of several hundreds cells (or worse, several such matrices), this is quite painful and user-unfriendly.

How to reproduce the issue, starting with an empty spreadsheet:
- Check step: select rows 2 to 4 and right-click on the row number column: "Insert Rows Above" and "Deleted Selected Rows" are part of the pop-up menu items. This is OK.
- Check step: select rows 3 to 6 and right-click on the row number column: "Insert Rows Above" and "Deleted Selected Rows" are part of the pop-up menu items. This is OK.
- Now, select cells B4 to B8.
- Type "=1+1" then Ctrl+Shift+Enter. Note that from now on, when current cell is B4, B5, B6, B7 or B8, formula in formula bar is shown within curly brackets ("{=1+1}").
- Select rows 3 to 6 and right-click on the row number column: no more "Insert Rows Above" and "Deleted Selected Rows" in the pop-up menu. This is not OK.
- Select rows 2 to 4 and right-click on the row number column: no more "Deleted Selected Rows" in the pop-up menu. No more "Insert Rows Above" either, despite the fact inserted rows would be outside the cell matrix anyway. This is not OK.

Note that changing the setting "Tools > Options > LibreOffice Calc > General > Extend references when columns/rows are added" does not change anything here.

Expected result:
Row insertion/deletion should be possible within or right above a matrix of cells.
Note that Microsoft Excel allows inserting/deleting rows in cell matrices, and it properly extends formulas within them.
Comment 1 Buovjaga 2014-11-16 19:18:36 UTC
Confirmed, waiting for more savvy folks to comment. Changed severity to normal, check this flowchart: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/images/0/06/Prioritizing_Bugs_Flowchart.jpg

Win 7 64-bit Version: 4.4.0.0.alpha2+
Build ID: b021b5983c62e266b82d9f0c5c6d8d8900553827
TinderBox: Win-x86@39, Branch:master, Time: 2014-11-12_01:10:08
Comment 2 raal 2015-02-23 20:20:07 UTC
(In reply to Olivier DESCOUT from comment #0)
> Note that Microsoft Excel allows inserting/deleting rows in cell matrices,
> and it properly extends formulas within them.

Excel 2010 doesnt allow insert/delete row into matrix. error message: You cannot change part of an array.
https://support.office.com/en-za/article/Guidelines-and-examples-of-array-formulas-7d94a64e-3ff3-4686-9372-ecfd5caa57c7
Comment 3 seb 2015-10-01 16:51:06 UTC
Although the ability to extend an array or matrix is a design decision, this bug breaks the ability to insert multiple rows at a time right above a matrix.

I use it like this: when I would like to add say 5 new rows to a spreadsheet, I select 5 rows right under where I want them, then I click "Insert rows above". When the selection overlaps with an array, I cannot use this anymore, so I have to create rows one by one. Furthermore, it seems impossible to insert a row above an array/matrix if the array sits on the first row of the spreadsheet.

Those may be two separate issues:

- Inserting rows or columns inside a matrix
- Inserting rows right above a matrix / inserting columns to the left of a matrix
Comment 4 m_a_riosv 2016-05-28 14:47:32 UTC
They way to insert rows/columns inside a matrix, it's insert the rows/columns in the range referenced by the matrix.

To insert a row above the first row of the matrix go to a cell in the same row out of the matrix and insert the row.

A last option it's cut the matrix, insert the rows an past the matrix on their position.

I think we can close as not a bug, if you are not agree please reopen it.