Used to using F9 to manually recalculate, I have a problem with Numbers. It will not do so, nor is there any reference to that function in the Help files that I can see. I did have minimal [and awkward] success found by hacking around: Go to a blank cell and press the Delete key! That is not acceptable, since I want to protect a sheet to protect any formulas; however, Numbers apparently allows protection as an all or nothing option. I need to have some cells available for user input, while disallowing input into protected cells that contain formulas. ...How?
David.
Hi David,
Apple hosts a pretty active discussions forum for each of their software components at http://discussions.apple.com
I came across this thread that might be applicable:
Apple.com > Support > Discussions > iWork '09 > Numbers '09 >Recalculate
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2086445&tstart=0
The iWork 09 (http://www.apple.com/support/iwork/) suite is a great rethink of what an office suite written from 'scratch' can be like. But the only component I've used extensively is Keynote (http://www.apple.com/support/keynote/) which I find easier to use than PowerPoint.
If you've got a lot of investment in specific functionality in Excel and Word, another option might be to bite the bullet and just run MS Office. Microsoft offers a free 30-day trial (http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/office2008/trial-download.mspx) of MS Office 2008 for Mac. I have even heard of some folks who go still further and run VMWare (http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/) or Parallels (http://www.parallels.com/) so they can run the identical PC version of Office 2007 that they run at their office PC on their home Mac -- but that sounds excessive to me.
Thank you. I did not intend to give the impression that I wanted to start a comparison between software, and in fact generally rigorously avoid doing so. I just wanted to know if I was missing something obvious [it happens] particularly in the use of Numbers. If not, I look for workarounds. I have already rewritten spreadsheets done first for Quattro Pro, then into Excel, then OpenOffice, and now look forward to redoing both spreadsheets and documents [none too large] in iWork; documents primarily because of graphics displacement ...the same problems I had with both WordPerfect and Word. With decades of experience with the PC, but never a pressing engagement, I find that redoing inevitably improves the document or file along the way. I was looking for some simple solution since it is convenient in those already done [that other software that I won't mention] to recalculate at the press of a button, but also disallow corruption of formulas by incorrect input. It's not worth investing in other software for such a reason as this. However, I do know that OpenOffice is available for the Mac, and their PC version is pretty awesome if not without its own difficulties at times, depending on the complexity or knowledge base of the user. I also own a PC laptop if I wish to keep that software going.
It's a matter of having a column of random numbers, and to be able to recalculate readily and at will, but have operations on those numbers, as formulas, safe from harm. So, the numbers change, and a new worksheet is generated for printout. A workaround solution is as simple as a first page with written instructions on what to do and what to avoid, and never re-saving over the original file. For example, I did one spreadsheet on the arithmetic operations on Fractions. Sounds simple, but it's involved when considering the formal written representation of mixed fractions and the effort to emulate those in both question and calculated result. I gave the sheets free, as they are just an exercise to keep the mind alive, and some teachers/parents/students can find them useful for practice problems.
P.S. I've been to the Apple forum, and was quite disappointed with the arrogance of one user/contributor in particular, and am way too old for that sort of thing.
David.