When I enter data in a cell, I often make spelling errors. If I arrow back, it goes to the previous cell. I have to remember to press F2 first, even though I am currently in the cell and typing text.
Is there some way to have F2 edit mode on by default when I am typing in a cell, so the back arrow works “normally” and arrows back in the text within the cell, instead of jumping to the previous cell, without having to remember to press F2 first?
We know … Double-klick is impossible 
I don’t know what you are doing, but Tables in Writer works that way.
Maybe you can start in Writer, then paste in Calc.
My apologies, you misunderstood my question. I have double-clicked on a new cell. The cursor focus is in the cell, and I am actually typing away. Despite what all my friends say, I am not perfect, and often make a spelling mistake. So I arrow back to correct the mistake, sometimes only a few characters. However, the cell then loses focus, and the cursor quite annoyingly moves to the previous cell. If I remember to press F2 first, then editing mode turns on, and the arrow works within the cell. I am wondering if there is a way to have this very convenient F2 edit mode on by default, so I don’t have to constantly remember to press it before using the arrows within a cell.
This opens the (empty) cell in edit mode, the same that pressing F2.
I miss-spoke, I have not double-clicked. I am simply entering data. A very common use case. So I enter data in a cell. Then I press return, and go down to the next cell. Start typing data in that cell. Etc. In this standard data entry use case, the cursor is in the cell as soon as I start typing, no double-click or mouse action required, and data is being entered. But F2 edit mode is not on. If I make a spelling or other entry mistake, and press back arrow to go back and correct it, the cursor moves to the previous cell.
The same thing happens if you are entering data horizontally. Type and enter data. Hit right arrow to go to the next cell to the right. Type, and focus immediately goes inside the cell and data is entered. But again if you make a mistake, and press back arrow to go back and correct, instead the cursor moves to previous cell.
Anyway, can you perhaps just answer my question, if you know the answer? Is there a way to have F2 edit mode on by default? If not, perhaps just say so?
For what I know, no.
But as I wrote before, you can work this way with Tables in Writer.
I seem to recall assigning a macro to F2 that went something like:
Sub InputLineEdit
oDispatch = CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.frame.DispatchHelper")
oDispatch.executeDispatch(StarDesktop.ActiveFrame, ".uno:FocusInputLine", "", 0, Array())
End Sub
As I recall, it didn’t really solve the annoying arrow behavior, but it made things just enough more convenient that it lessoned the pain. Unfortunately I am away from my machine for a few days.
Edit: Actually, it seems to solve the problem just trying quickly. I also put a dispatch to automatically select the entire array formula right before it. Once I get back to my machine I’ll replace this with my “production” code. Check back.
Hi Mariosv, this enables Enter to do the same thing as F2. If you are on a cell, rather than press F2, you can just press Enter to change focus inside the cell, and start editing. I’m not sure I see the advantage - either is a single key press, F2 or Enter.
But my question is different. You enter data in a cell. When finishing typing, you press Enter to go down to the next cell, or right arrow to go right to the next cell, and start typing to enter data in that cell. Perhaps the most standard, common data entry use case for a spreadsheet. When you do that, your focus in already in the cell. You make a typing mistake, and press left arrow to go back to correct it. Instead of going back a character, it exits focus on the cell, and goes to the previous cell.
This is the annoying behavior I am wondering if there is a default change for. If the focus is already inside the cell, one expects left arrow to go back one character. It is hard to remember to constantly press F2 first, since your brain is telling you the focus is already inside the cell, and so assumes edit mode must be on.