<html><head><title>Validity of Cell Contents</title><meta name="filename" content="text/scalc/guide/validity"/><help:css-file-link xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><!--The CSS style header method for setting styles--><style type="text/css">
table.Tabelle5{
}
span.Tabelle5A{
width:1.005cm;}
span.Tabelle5B{
width:16.995cm;}
table.Tabelle1{
}
span.Tabelle1A{
width:1.005cm;}
span.Tabelle1B{
width:16.995cm;}
td.Tabelle1A1{
}
td.Tabelle1B1{
}
table.Tabelle3{
}
span.Tabelle3A{
width:1.499cm;}
span.Tabelle3B{
width:16.499cm;}
table.Tabelle4{
}
span.Tabelle4A{
width:1.501cm;}
span.Tabelle4B{
width:16.499cm;}
tr.Tabelle41{
}
td.Tabelle4A1{
}
p.P1{
}
p.P2{
}
span.T1{
font-weight:bold;}
span.fr1{
}
span.fr2{
}
span.fr3{
}
</style></head><body>
<p class="P1"/>
<p class="Head1"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="22" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="values; limiting on input" tag="kw68144_1" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="limiting values; specifying on input" tag="kw68144_13" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="permitted cell contents; checking" tag="kw68144_12" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="cells; checking cells for validity" tag="kw68144_11" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="checking; for validity" tag="kw68144_10" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="validity; cell contents" tag="kw68144_9" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="cells; validity" tag="kw68144_8" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="error messages; defining for incorrect input" tag="kw68144_7" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="actions; defining for incorrect input" tag="kw68144_6" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="help tips; defining text for cell input" tag="kw68144_5" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="notes; help text for cells" tag="kw68144_4" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="cells; defining input help" tag="kw68144_3" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:key-word value="macros; running when incorrect input" tag="kw68144_2" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/><help:to-be-embedded Eid="validity" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:link Id="68144">Validity of Cell Contents</help:link></help:to-be-embedded></p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="2" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>For each cell, you can define in advance what type of contents is valid for that cell. This allows you to guide users through data entry in <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> Calc by restricting cells to receive specific values and ranges.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="3" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>The validity rule is activated when a new value is entered. If an invalid value has already been inserted into the cell, or if you insert a value in the cell either with drag-and-drop or by copying and pasting, the validity rule will not take effect. You can choose <span class="T1">Tools - Detective</span> at any time and choose the command <help:link Id="66908" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><span class="T1">Mark Invalid Data</span></help:link> to display which cells contain invalid values.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="4" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Additional details about <help:link Id="66827" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">data validity</help:link> can be found in the <help:productname xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">%PRODUCTNAME</help:productname> Help.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="6" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Select the cells for which you want to define a new validity rule. You can select multiple cells by clicking on all the cells while holding down the <help:switch select="System" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"><help:case select="MAC">Command</help:case><help:default>Ctrl</help:default></help:switch> key.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="7" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>The validity rule is a component of the cell format. To copy the validity rule to other cells, choose <span class="T1">Edit - Copy</span> and <span class="T1">Edit - Paste Special</span>, and select "Formats."</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="9" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>On the <span class="T1">Criteria</span> tab page, enter the conditions for new values entered into cells. Values you have already entered will not be affected.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="10" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>In the <span class="T1">Allow</span> field, "All Values" is selected by default. To place a condition on a cell entry, choose from one of the other options listed.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="11" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>This choice already sets the first condition. If you choose "Whole Numbers", values such as "12.5" are not allowed, even if they satisfy the other conditions. Choosing "Date" allows date information both in the local date format as well as in the form of a <help:link Id="66424" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help">serial date</help:link>. Similarly, the "Time" condition permits time values such as "12:00" or serial time numbers. "Text Length" stipulates that cells are allowed to contain text only.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="13" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>After you have set the first condition under <span class="T1">Allow</span>, select the next condition under <span class="T1">Data</span>. According to what you choose, additional text fields (<span class="T1">Value</span>, <span class="T1">Minimum </span>and <span class="T1">Maximum</span>) may appear to further refine the condition.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="14" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>A few possible conditions resulting from this register could be as follows: "Integer greater than 1", "Decimal between 10 and 12.5", "Date earlier than or equal to 1/1/2000", "Time not equal to 00:00", "Text with a length of more than 2 characters".</p>
</span></td></tr></table>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="15" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>After you have determined the conditions for cell validity, you can use the other two tabs in the dialog to create input help and error/invalid entry messages:</p>
<ul class="L1">
<li class="">
<p class="P2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="16" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>On the <span class="T1">Input Help</span> tab page, enter the title and the text of the tip, which will then be displayed if the cell is selected.</p>
</li>
<li class="">
<p class="P2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="17" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>On the <span class="T1">Error Alert</span> tab page, select the action to be carried out in the event of an error.</p>
<p class="P2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="18" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>If you select "Stop" as the action, invalid entries are not accepted, and the previous cell contents are retained.</p>
<p class="P2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="19" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>Select "Warning" or "Information" to display a dialog in which the entry can either be canceled (the cell value will be retained) or accepted (even if the new value violates the validity rule).</p>
<p class="P2"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="20" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>If you select "Macro", then by using the <span class="T1">Browse</span> button you can specify a macro to be run in the event of an error.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="35" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>To display the error message, mark the <span class="T1">Show error message when invalid values are entered</span>. If the option is unmarked, no error message will be displayed, even with an invalid entry.</p>
<p class="Paragraph"><help:paragraphinfo state="U" number="21" xmlns:help="http://openoffice.org/2000/help"/>After changing the action for a cell on the <span class="T1">Error Alert</span> tab page and closing the dialog with OK, you must first select another cell before the change takes effect.</p>
