New “Paste Special” for unformatted text in Calc

OpenOffice Later (version after 2.0)

Task ID(s)

Write spec, review strings, implement new clipboard format, review/testing of feature

Category	Specification Affects

<Other>

Abstract

Currently when inserting plain (unformatted) text from clipboard into Calc that has a leading quote (like “This is text”) the text will automatically be interpreted. As a result the leading quote will be taken as a regular expression and will be dumped. Furthermore if there is a trailing quote within the clipboard text it will also be dismissed and all text after this quote will be dumped!

To avoid such strange behaviour an additional “artificial” clipboard format will be introduced and the original “Unformatted text” clipboard format will be changed to transfer every character (incl. possible regular expressions).

The new clipboard format will be called “Text CSV” (according to its parent filter).

Feature Team

Specification Owner	Falko Tesch	Falko@sun.com
Marketing Contact	n/a	n/a
User Experience Contact	Falko Tesch	
Development Contact	Niklas Nebel	niklas.nebel@sun.com
Quality Assurance Contact	Oliver Crämer	oliver.craemer@sun.com
Documentation Contact	Frank Peters	frank.e.peters@sun.com

Document History

Version	Author	Comment
Draft 29.04.2003	Falko Tesch	
Final 02.05.2003	Falko Tesch	Based on reviewer's - LHO- input
Specification Review	Lutz Hoeger	
...		
UI String Review 9 Oct 2003	Elizabeth Matthis	Only corrected number error in second set of strings. Otherwise all three were okay.
Final	see date above	

Contents

References	3

1	Motivation	3

2	Goals	3

2.1	How does this feature meet the requirements	3

2.2	How does this feature improve the program architecture	4

3	Dependancies	4

3.1	Technical Dependancies/Requirements	4

4	Detailed Specification	4

4.1	Error Conditions	6

5	Future Tasks	6

6	Notes	6

Glossary

Term	Description
ASCII	American Standard Code for Information Interchange
CSV	Comma Separated Value (an pure ASCII formatted table type)
BIFFn	MS Excel file format description

References

This specification results from task 108962

Motivation

With our current implementation in OpenOffice.org Calc we not only confuse the user who copies and pastes plain or unformatted text into a Calc spreadsheet by altering the copied content, we also behave different to MS Excel and Lotus 1-2-3, our main competitors.

Apart from this the clipboard format name “Unformatted text” clearly states no altering of formatting. Instead we (under certain circumstances) do so. Sometimes even in a drastic manner (cutting off text).

Goals

Therefore the goal must be to

a) reverse the existing functionality to what it states and

b) add a benefit function to that incorporates existing functionality (and above) to the user

How does this feature meet the requirements

Instead of trying to interpret plain ACSII text as we do it now we offer the user additional value and at the same time preserve existing functionality plus enhancing it.

Furthermore an expectation conform default is chosen.

How does this feature improve the program architecture

n/a

Dependancies

Technical Dependancies/Requirements

None

Detailed Specification

Add a new clipboard format to the “Edit - Paste special” list.

A new clipboard format has to be added - “Text CSV”. This format is a re-use of the already existing “Text - CSV” import filter of Calc.

It will occur in the “Paste special” list and will be available for all clipboard formats.

Note: This new entry is, unlike all other clipboard formats, not a format type that is fed through clipboard but an “artificial” one (see also Figure 1).

Example: One copies cell data from MS Excel to OpenOffice.org Calc. The default format for exchange with Calc (“Edit - Paste”) will be “Biff8” a special MS interchange format for spreadsheets.

Extra Task: In order to be more human readable in our UI we must change “Biff8 (Microsoft Excel...)” and “Biff5 (Microsoft...)” to “Microsoft Excel 97/200/XP (Biff8)” and “Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 (Biff5)”

If the user chose “Edit - Paste special” a list of possible alternative formats (9) will be presented. All these formats alternatives are stored within the extended clipboard information (Windows only?).

Now OpenOffice.org Calc will add per default another format to it: “Text CSV”

Figure 1 Additional "Paste special" filter entry

Action if new clipboard format is chosen

If the new clipboard format “Text CSV” is activated the same filter as used in “File - Open - File Type: Text CSV” is invoked.

The content of the clipboard will be pasted into the (already existing) “Text Import” filter dialogue (see Figure 2). The user then can choose from various text formatting.

All defaults for initial setting of this dialogue should be re-used from the existing behaviour/defaults of the file import.

All further feature behaviour is analogue to the existing of the “Text CSV” import including the help.

Figure 2 Text Import dialogue

Change the behaviour of the existing “Unformatted text” filter

The new behaviour for inserting “Unformatted text” will not use any regular expression but copy all characters 1:1 into the cells. Only ordinary control characters such as 'TAB' or 'LF' will be used for next cell ('TAB') or new line/row ('LF').

Item	English	German	Comments
Dialog-List	Text CSV...	Text CSV...	Entry in the “Selections” list box of “Edit - Paste special” dialogue Note: Translate this string according to the already existing filter name.
Dialog-List	Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP (Biff8)	Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP (Biff8)	Entry in the “Selections” list box of “Edit - Paste special” dialogue Note: Not a new entry but a change in exting one (formerly “Biff8 (Microsoft...)”
Dialog-List	Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 (Biff5)	Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 (Biff5)	Entry in the “Selections” list box of “Edit - Paste special” dialogue Note: Not a new entry but a change in exting one (formerly “Biff5 (Microsoft...)”
Caption	Text Import	Text Import	

Order

This new entry should display always below “Unformatted text”.

Key Board Shortcuts

Not applicable

Error Conditions

If there are any errors same action as with all other selected clipboard format filters will be taken.

Future Tasks

None

Notes

n/a

<Required - Specification Title>

Page

Http://specs.openoffice.org/calc/ease-of-use/Paste_special_for_unformatted_text_in_Calc.sxw

Falko Tesch

2003-04-25T13:29:31