Talk:Documentation/How Tos/Using Arrays

Inline arrays:

{=SUM(3;2;4)} returns 9

{=SQRT(16;4;25)} returns Err:508

{=SUM(8|18*2)} returns #NAME?

{=SQRT(8|18*2)} returns #NAME?

The curly braces land in different places, and most don't work. This is with StarOffice 8 update 5 (which is certainly pre-2.4). So at least some work before 2.4.

--Hgreenhough 11:40, 18 March 2008 (CET)

Aha! Glad to see you here :)

The problem with 2.3 and before is that spaces and negative numbers cause errors - so I thought it better simply to advise 2.4 and up - it's almost upon us. I've used spaces extensively to make the examples clearer. Perhaps it should say that more clearly?

With your examples: "{=SUM(3;2;4)} " Actually it's not an inline array. It's just =SUM(3;2;4) but in an array formula. Nothing special happens.

"{=SQRT(16;4;25)}" nor is that ;) - should be {=SQRT({16;4;25})} {16;4;25} is the inline array

same with the others ...

With this HowTo I'm not convinced I've got the approach as clear as it could be. Arrays are such inelegant things, that fall apart if you try to be too clever. I keep coming back to the explanation to see what could be done. Happy to hear your experience coming to it afresh.... :)

--drking 18:30, 20 March 2008 (GMT)

Thanks for the clarifications. I had removed the spaces, and tried typing the inner curly braces.

So you do actually type some of the curly braces, but only those around the array component of an inline array. Your revised article is now clearer, but maybe still not quite there. It isn't an easy one to word and structure, I can see. I can't think of a quick fix that would have worked for me.

Unfortunately I'm not likely to be using a 2.4 based version for a long time, so I'm going to be of very limited help to you here, sorry.

--Hgreenhough 10:21, 25 March 2008 (CET)