I have edited the settings in Math, but Calc continues to invariably add a close parenthesis to a cell’s formula, rendering the formula useless (error 501) … I cannot find anything online about this, except for the fix in Math settings (which, again, I have applied).
Can someone offer some insight?
Version information:
Version: 7.3.7.2 / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 30(Build:2)
CPU threads: 16; OS: Linux 6.2; UI render: default; VCL: gtk3
Locale: en-US (en_US.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Ubuntu package version: 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3
Calc: threaded
Which formula? Could you add it to your question? Thanks.
Sometimes it happens to me, when there is an error in my formula (especially those long formulas with functions within functions).
To append a closing parenthese if this results in a formula which parses and tokenizes without an error was always(?) a feature in Calc - and I don’t know a way to disable it. It isn’t anything to do with the Math module.
Thanks to you folks for the responses. in no particular order, I offer the following:
1 - The “Math fix” noted is detailed in the post linked below and in several other places. I agree that Math should be independent of Calc’s various functions, but considering possible interoperability and overlap as well as the number of times this specific “fix” had been offered up, I thought I’d give it a go. it is obviously a Math fix, but keeps popping up when searching for a fix specifically in Calc
2 - Obviously, I would have to agree with the “Error 501” analysis and I did search my cell’s formula for invalid characters, but found none aside from the involuntarily added close parenthesis.
3 - This issue keeps popping up seemingly at random in several cells, all having similar formulae. The latest culprit is a cell containing the following:
=CONCATENATE("A rough, uncut and unfinished rock with what looks like numerous well-defined layers of stone and metals. At ", U929, " inches across and weighing a surprising ", V929, " pounds (notably heavier than iron), it has an iron ring set in one side with an inner diameter of 1.5 inches. It is also surprisingly strong, resisting deformation, chipping and cracking of any kind under virtually any force | ")
The open parenthesis stays where it is and remains untouched, but upon pressing Return to move to the next cell, I’ll get the Error 501 message in that cell and find the added closed parenthesis. Oddly enough, I find sometimes that a) removing the formula and saving the spreadsheet, b) closing the application entirely, c) reopening it later and d) retyping the formula fresh, but exactly the same way (cut and paste works here as well) resolves the issue. I thought for a while that perhaps I was leaving an unnoticed typo in place, but again … I can save the formula in an unrelated text doc and cut/paste it later and the cell comes up fine without the added parenthesis.
I know I’m missing something here and it’s likely simple, but I cannot figure it out.
Running v7.2.5.2 on Windows 10, I cannot reproduce the “error provoking” behavior.
Math, in the default setup, does add a closing bracket character (parenthesis, curly brace, square bracket) spontaneously whenever I type an opening one. This happens while I type. Like you, I prefer a smooth typing flow for formula entry, so I disabled this. Easily done, as you also found out.
Calc does add a closing parenthesis at times, but only if it is required and it seems to be the only missing part. If Calc suggests more “fixing” than that, it will always ask for approval of the change. This “fix” does not occur while typing, but when I press enter to “commit” my formula. I tried this with a variety of functions and moderately complex formulas, including the one you posted, with typical typos inserted in different places. I still cannot repeat the error generating behavior you describe.
Does this automatic bracketing also happen in other software? I just wonder whether you might have some sort of helper app on “system level”, some keyboard attached autoinput/autocorrect (or “autocorrupt” as I like to call it) app, or accessibility functions enabled. I do not know of any specific tool which works like you describe, but in these days of variously flawed AI (Artificial Incompetence), anything can happen.
Next time, take a screenshot and share here.
In my example, I added a opening parenthesis near the end.
Look for the quotation marks:
Use (neutral) quotation marks (Unicode U+0022 ")
Don’t use left or right double quotation marks (Unicode U+201c “ and U+201d ”)
