imo In a column formatted as text, a cell with 2x4-10’ Fir when dragged should not increment to 3x4-10’ Fir, but it does. Nor should 5/8" CDX increment to 6/8" CDX. No biggy cause there is ctrl-drag. But it shouldn’t in my newbie opinion.
Consider that one may wish to make a data series that combines both text and numbers; e.g. Chapter1, Chapter 2 etc. Your premise would make that more difficult to achieve than a simple drag operation.
@robleyd
Chapter 3 Part 1 increments the Part
Part 1 Chapter 3 increments the Chapter
Part 1 (Chapter 3) doesn’t increment at all
3/1 increments the divisor
3 / 1 increments the numerator
3/ 1 increments the divisor
3 /1 increments the numerator
Section 3/1 increments the divisor
3/1 Section increments the numerator
Section 3.14 increments the decimal portion
3.14 Section increments the integer portion
Jane 3.14 Joe doesn’t increment at all
Jane 3 Joe 4 increments the 4
3 1 increments the first digit
Lovely 3 1 increments the last digit
Lovely 3 1! doesn’t increment at all
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or
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Lumber 2x4-16’ doesn’t increment at all
Lumber 2x4 16’ doesn’t increment at all
Lumber 2x4 16 increments the length (16)
Lumber 2x4 16 Spruce doesn’t increment at all
2x4 increments the second digit
2x4 16’ increments the first digit
2x4 16 increments the length (16)
2x4-16’ increments the first digit
2x4-16 increments the length (16)
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not arguing, just putting out some examples
in other words: Calc prefer to increment the numerical expression at the end of the string, or increment the numerical expression on the start… fullstop!
to stop this behavior press the ctrl -key meanwhile dragging … solved!
The examples do not support your summary, imo. For example, why does 2x4 increment the 4, but 2x4 16’ increments the 2 ? and Lumber 2x4 16’ doesn’t increment at all ?
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Regardless …
because the first ends with some quotation … and the second additionally starts with Lumber
@karolus I guess we are asking/answering different questions.
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Personally, I don’t see anyway to improve calc’s incrementation feature other than turning it off for columns formatted as text, and/or switching drag and ctrl-drag. Still, those would just be incremental improvements. HaHa. Moreover, a large portion of the user base would have to adapt.
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Fortunately one can drag-over, ctrl-drag, ctrl-z, …
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One nice feature to add would be to allow dragging a selection on non-contiguous cells. Or maybe that is already feasible. As a newbie, I haven’t found a way.
I found some more interesting examples
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** 3 4 ** (space3space4space) doesn’t increment
** 3 ** (space3space) doesn’t increment
** 3** (space3) increments
3 4 increments the 3
3’ 4 increments the 4
3’ 4" increments the 3