Difference between revisions of "Documentation/How Tos/Calc: N function"
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| − | <tt>'''N()'''</tt> in Calc will convert text to a number, but in Excel | + | <tt>'''N()'''</tt> in Calc will sometimes convert text to a number, but in Excel will always return text as <tt>'''0'''</tt>. In Calc <tt>'''N("4")'''</tt> returns <tt>'''0'''</tt> in OOo3 but <tt>'''4'''</tt> in OOo2. Issue [http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=113739 113739] describes some further inconsistencies in the handling of text. In fact, the ODFF standard deliberately does not specify a behaviour. It may be better to use <tt>'''VALUE()'''</tt> to convert from text to number. |
{{Documentation/SeeAlso| | {{Documentation/SeeAlso| | ||
Revision as of 14:33, 9 August 2010
N
Returns the numeric value.
Syntax:
N(value)
- returns the numeric value of value if possible. It returns the logical values TRUE and FALSE as 1 and 0 respectively.
- N() is not intended to convert text to a number - use the VALUE() function instead.
Example:
N(123)
- returns 123, because 123 is (already) a number.
N(TRUE)
- returns 1.
N(A3)
- where A3 contains FALSE, returns 0.
Issues:
N() in Calc will sometimes convert text to a number, but in Excel will always return text as 0. In Calc N("4") returns 0 in OOo3 but 4 in OOo2. Issue 113739 describes some further inconsistencies in the handling of text. In fact, the ODFF standard deliberately does not specify a behaviour. It may be better to use VALUE() to convert from text to number.
