Bug 99374 - Fields in csv-imported files cannot simply be given other format because of apostrophe added
Summary: Fields in csv-imported files cannot simply be given other format because of a...
Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 33962
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Calc (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
5.1.1.3 release
Hardware: All Windows (All)
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2016-04-18 14:00 UTC by Dominik Lenné
Modified: 2016-04-18 20:47 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
CSV table with bank account data (stripped from personal information). (309 bytes, text/plain)
2016-04-18 16:53 UTC, Dominik Lenné
Details

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description Dominik Lenné 2016-04-18 14:00:37 UTC
action:
-------

open csv file with fields in the format "......";
select field, apply any field format to it (like text, date, number)

expected result:
----------------

field appears in the applied format

observed result:
----------------

field does not change its appearance, because an apostrophe ' is added as a prefix. If this is deleted manually, the field shows its expected appearance.
Comment 1 raal 2016-04-18 15:39:43 UTC
Hello,

Thank you for filing the bug. Please send us a sample document, as this makes it easier for us to verify the bug. 
I have set the bug's status to 'NEEDINFO', so please do change it back to 'UNCONFIRMED' once you have attached a document.
(Please note that the attachment will be public, remove any sensitive information before attaching it.)
How can I eliminate confidential data from a sample document?
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/QA/FAQ#How_can_I_eliminate_confidential_data_from_a_sample_document.3F
Thank you
Comment 2 Dominik Lenné 2016-04-18 16:53:30 UTC
Created attachment 124468 [details]
CSV table with bank account data (stripped from personal information).
Comment 3 Joel Madero 2016-04-18 18:34:19 UTC
This isn't a bug - the formatting of the fields comes in as text. You can use an addon to fix this:

http://extensions.libreoffice.org/extension-center/ct2n-convert-text-to-number-and-dates

You can google "number formatted as text" and you'll get a ton of explanations as to why this happens.
Comment 4 Dominik Lenné 2016-04-18 20:19:02 UTC
Thanks for clarification.
I learn that it's called a feature.
I would call it nevertheless a problem puzzling a lot of people, forcing them to do lengthy researches and procedures to do a thing, that could as well be done simple, if only included into the core functionality. 
An unsurmountable problem for the non-computer-savvy.
I'll try to make a feature request out of it.
Comment 5 Joel Madero 2016-04-18 20:47:41 UTC
Then it's a dupe. Also NEW is never correct for the reporter (UNCONFIRMED is the right move). But here this can be a dupe:

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 33962 ***