A noob needs some guidance [to clearly display the strings of text in the cell that i select]

[Sullivannn]

So I’ve set up a calc sheet to display a grid of cells with strings of text in them. It’s a lot of text and looks messy when visible so I’ve done the trick of formating the cell with ;;; to hide it, but I don’t wanna have to look up at the tiny bar every time i want to see what’s in the cell. I want a cell separate from my grid to be able to clearly display the strings of text in the cell that i select. This way I can have the grid be small and then a bigger cell next to it that can clearly show these strings but only for one cell at a time.

I’ve tried with GPT/Gemini for an hour but they just keep giving me macros that don’t work. I’ve been on forums and Libre support page. I’ve also checked LibreMacro extension through their list on github but didn’t find anything there that seemed to solve my issue.

I hope my ask is understandable and not to abstract. Sorry if this is easy and I’m missing something. I’m a real beginner when it comes to calc/excel so I’m seeking the wisdom of the pros.

Any tips appreciated!

[JohnSUN]

Welcome @Sullivannn !
I don’t think you’ve chosen the best solution for your problem. Yes, you can display the value of the currently active cell in another cell. But it’s complicated and not very convenient – ​​if the display cell moves off the edge of the screen, you’ll no longer see it. How about adding a COMMENT to your “invisible” cells, cells with the ;;; format code? Then, simply hovering your mouse over the “supposedly empty cell” will display a pop-up window displaying the cell’s contents. If this approach suits you, you might want to consider a macro that will add comments to your cells.

[Zizi64]

Here are two macros subroutines (embedded in the attached Calc document) for showing the textual cell content in a messaga bow ot is an another cell:
Show the long text content of a cell.ods (24.5 KB)

[Zizi64]

@Sullivannn

I’ve tried with GPT/Gemini for an hour but they just keep giving me macros that don’t work.

Never trust in the AI-s. YOU MUST study and learn the macro programming of the LO Calc - if you want to use the macros efficiently.

[JohnSUN]

@Zizi64

@Sullivannn

I’ve tried with GPT/Gemini for an hour but they just keep giving me macros that don’t work.

Never trust in the AI-s

…at least until you learn how to use it. Gemini is just a tool like as Calc—to get the right result, you need to ask the right question: in Calc, it needs to be a correctly written formula; for AI, it needs to be a well-written prompt. I don’t know how you asked your questions in Gemini. Try starting a new chat with this sentence:

You’re an expert at writing LibreOffice Calc macros in BASIC and are fluent in the API functions. Now you’ll write a simple and robust macro that will add a comment containing the text from each currently selected cell in a spreadsheet (possibly from multiple unrelated cell ranges). The cell contents are currently hidden using the format code ;;;, so oCell.getString() always returns an empty string. Explain how the macro works in detail.

[Zizi64]

@Sullivannn

so I’ve done the trick of formating the cell with ;;; to hide it,

Please upload your .ods type sample file here.
.
.
…Try to use the .Formula or the .FormulaLocal property instead of the .String property of the cells in the macros.
And use one of the excellent objecz inspection tools for the macro programming: MRI or XrayTool.

[Zizi64]

Here is my modified macro for the cell hidden contents (formatted by format code “;;;”.)
Show the long text content of a cell 2.ods (22.9 KB)

[fpy]

@Zizi64

Never trust in the AI-s

indeed.
it often reveals the poorly structured indexed material available for Calc and LO in general;
and unfortunately hallucinates still often with anwers coming from the overhelming XL sphere.

and it doesn’t open .ods example

@Zizi64

[Show the long text content of a cell.ods attachment] (24.5 KB)

 

[Zizi64]

See my modified (and grammatically fixed) sample file.
Show the long text content of a cell 3.ods (22.9 KB)

[fpy]

@Zizi64

See

[Zizi64]

@Zizi64

See

O.P.:
“So I’ve set up a calc sheet to display a grid of cells with strings of text in them”

[Villeroy]

An arithmetic calculator app is not qualified for tasks like this. There are so many note taking apps out there. If it needs to be LibreOffice:
Long_Text.odb (15.7 KB)

[sokol92]

@Sullivannn

I want a cell separate from my grid to be able to clearly display the strings of text in the cell that i select.

The easiest solution is to increase the height of the formula bar.

[schiavinatto]

Sub InvisibleContentForAnnotation()

    Dim oDoc As Object, oSheet As Object
    Dim oCell As Object
    Dim sTexto As String
    Dim nFormato As Long
    Dim iLinha As Long, iColuna As Long

    oDoc = ThisComponent
    oSheet = oDoc.CurrentController.ActiveSheet

    For iLinha = 0 To 7        ' A1:F8
        For iColuna = 0 To 5

            oCell = oSheet.getCellByPosition(iColuna, iLinha)

            ' Save current format
            nFormato = oCell.NumberFormat

            ' Remove the ;;; (General format)
            oCell.NumberFormat = 0
            oDoc.calculateAll()

            ' Read the result now visible.
            sTexto = oCell.getString()
            If sTexto = "" Then
                sTexto = CStr(oCell.getValue())
            End If

            ' Restores original format
            oCell.NumberFormat = nFormato

            ' Create annotation
            If Trim(sTexto) <> "" Then
                oSheet.getAnnotations().insertNew(oCell.CellAddress, sTexto)
            End If

        Next iColuna
    Next iLinha

    MsgBox "Invisible content copied to Notes", 64, "Concluído"

End Sub

[Lupp]

There is another example:
disask_130397_VerySpecial.ods (19.1 KB).
It also uses macros ...
Just look and judge.