Re: [office-comment] ODFF: list of suggestions

[Eike Rathke <erack@sun.com>]

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Hi David,

On Wednesday, 2008-04-23 19:03:08 +0100, David King wrote:

> LEN
> LEN(A1) where A1 contains a number - it's not specified whether=20
> to return the count of the displayed digits or internal storage=20
> or what. Calc converts to a number with max decimals (not the=20
> default format), and counts that.=20

Done for draft11. This is common application behavior.


> PERMUT
> The formula uses P<sub>n,k</sub> which is not the common=20
> convention (actually incorrect I think).

Done for draft11. It is P(n,k) now.


> PERMUTATIONA=20
> The formula (not given) is simply n^k - is this function really=20
> needed or is it bloat? Excel doesn't have it I think?

Good for user convenience. It applies the constraints to n and k.
Formula added for draft11.


> LEFT,  RIGHT
> The 'see also' list should include MID

Done for draft11. Also LEN and cross references for LEN.


> PERCENTRANK=20
> "as a percentage of the data set" - this phrase is surely=20
> meaningless - needs a rigorous description.

Could you provide one?


> GROWTH
> misleading to call the parameter 'allowOffset' as this is not an=20
> offset but a multiplier.

Changed to allowConstant for draft11.


> HARMEAN=20
> there is no N in the formula

Clarified for draft11, N is the NumberSequence.


> CONVERT
> Care must be taken with prefixes for areas and volumes. 'km2'=20
> means '[kilometres] squared'  NOT '1000 [metres squared]' - this=20
> is potentially misleading, and the draft spec does not say

I think it is common understanding that the notation km2 ist to be read
as (km)**2 and not k(m**2), isn't it?


> LINEST=20
> needs a rewrite into clear English - it's actually wrong about=20
> multiple x values as well

Could you provide some text?


> MUNIT
> "Summary: Creates a unity matrix of a specified dimension N" -=20
> should read 'unit' not unity

Corrected for draft11. Also added the term "identity matrix" for
clarification.


> INDEX page 243
> *"this is essentially a 2D version of CHOOSE" - no it's not -=20
> CHOOSE cannot accept a range parameter.

Added ", which does not accept range parameters" for draft11. Better?

> *"which looks as if Row is taken as the column offset into the=20
> vector" - needs to be put more clearly.

Changed that to "which effectively makes Row act as the column offset
into the vector" for draft11. Better?

> *"If DataSource is a one-dimensional row vector" - this needs=20
> rewording to be clear about whether or not this applies to=20
> multiranges. Clearly not in this phrase, yet area number may=20
> still be specified?

Sure, must be 1 in that case. Added contraint
"1 <=3D AreaNumber <=3D number of references in DataSource if that is
a ReferenceList, else AreaNumber =3D 1" for draft11.


> STDEVA
> "Estimates the standard deviation" - no, it calculates the=20
> standard deviation. The standard deviation *is* an estimate (of=20
> spread).

Done for draft11.


> COUNTA, AVERAGEA, xxxA....
> Reword these xxxA functions with consistency eg treatment of text

May need to do that later.


> MATCH page 246
> *Doesn't specify that array must be single row or column
> *Constraints not specific enough - eg currently allows=20
> Matchtype=3D0.5

The current parameter definition says Integer MatchType, so no, it does
not.


> RANK  page 369
> *Typo: 'Order' has no ascending option (both are descending)

Done for draft11.

> *Should say that the number to be ranked must exist in numberlist=20
> (otherwise would be sensible too)

Added for draft11.


> FIND=20
> Needs examples with more than one character in 'find' parameter,=20
> to show how it matches.

Put on TODO list.


> SEARCH=20
> The examples should make it clear when regexp / wildcards are on.=20
> Also show example to match literal question mark / dot etc.?=20

Put on TODO list.


> SHEETS
> * =3DSHEETS([.B7]) does return 1 but I misunderstood - explain that=20
> B7 is on a single sheet? Contrast with sheet.b7:sheet3.c9?
> * "referenc" -> 'reference' (typo)

Done for draft11.


> FIXED
> "If the optional parameter OmitSeparators (which defaults to=20
> False) is True, then decimal separators are not included in the=20
> resulting string." Couldn't this be re-worded? - it's rather open=20
> to mistakes, and shouldn't it be 'thousands', not 'decimals'?

Yes, of course.

> My offering: "If the optional parameter OmitSeparators is True, then
> thousands separators are omitted from the resulting string. Thousands
> separators are included in the absence of this parameter."

Thanks, done for draft11. Used "group separator" though instead of
"thousands separator", as usage may vary between locales.


> Other issues:
>=20
> 'DateSequence' is undefined.

True. Put on the TODO list.


> 'NumberSequence' is not properly defined - it does not specify=20
> what happens in an array, nor what happens for a rectangular=20
> range (more than one row / column). There is no section actually=20
> defining it - merely a 'Conversion to...' section.

Hmm.. might need some work. Put on the TODO list.


> page 41
> * reword 1.2 and 1.3 - both are 'References'.=20
> * Actually the whole section could be better worded (what's a=20
> 'transpose approach'?)

For draft11 created 1.2.1 and 1.2.2 of 1.2 and 1.3 and copied
description of 1.2.1 to 1.2.1 and "transposed" wording ;-)

> *  =3DA1:C4 in a cell does not use intersection in 'non-array'=20
> mode. This could be better defined - it could be more clearly=20
> said that intersection is only defined for function arguments.

But that's not true. Also a plain =3DA1:C4 would indeed attempt an
implicit intersection if the formula is not in array mode, just that it
would return an error because the result of the intersection would not
be a single cell. Btw, I don't see any ocurrence of the example you
gave.


> page 42
> "=3DMID("abcd";{1;2};{1;2;3})	=3D> {"a";"bc";#N/A}"
> no - returns {..;..;#VALUE!}, because MID("abcd";#N/A;3) returns=20
> #VALUE!

Done for draft11.


> page 427
> "Year 1683"  ->1583 (typo)

Seems that was corrected earlier.


> page 428=20
> * "Number of either side" - > on either side (typo)
> * "=3D i =3D COMPLEX(1;0)" - should be COMPLEX(0;1)

Done for draft11.

Thanks
  Eike

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