Finding text within large range of data

[hendis]

Hi. Writing because I need some hand-holding. Thanks to one and all for reading or helping.

I have a large range of raw data that I get from a colleague. (Hundreds of rows by 25 columns.) I need to find all rows that have the characters “ACH” in column D (excepting quote marks and with blank spaces before and after). From all my reading, I am leaning towards “filtering” the data. Problem is, I need it to be automatic, with no user intervention. I also need to get the entire row - all 25 columns. Finally, I need to put the filtered/selected rows into an unused area of my sheet. Something like my filtered selected rows would be in cells A1:Y500, and the raw data would be in cells A1000:Y3000.

Can Libre Office do something like this?

[Lupp]

Did you (OQer) consider to use the FILTER() function available since LibO 24.8 Calc?

[fpy]

@hendis

automatic

Applying AutoFilter

@hendis

Finally

to do what ?

@hendis

of my sheet.

use other columns, and/or another Sheet

[Wanderer]

@hendis

Can Libre Office do something like this?

The complete Suite, including Base and Python macros?
Yes. But I guess this is not what you meant.
.

@hendis

, I am leaning towards “filtering” the data.

You are right here. I use advanced filters for a similiar case, but I filter for more than one search-string. Therefore I need a column of search strings. Filters can also output to other destinations. So I use one sheet for data, on the second I have my selections/filter column and output goes to the third sheet, when I use Refresh from the menu in my first sheet. (You need to be in your source/data range to use refresh).
.

@hendis

Problem is, I need it to be automatic, with no user intervention

??
Obviously somebody must import your data.
Somebody needs to enter the filter criteria.
If your filter never changes, this can stay prepared,
but your request make sense only, if data or filter is changed sometimes. If all is static the filter is not automatic, but done by the person who prepares the sheets.
.
Please clarify this.
.
IMHO your request may be a simple grep-style problem on the command-line or solved by a fully automatic “text-table” (csv-file) in Base with a single query `SELECT FROM table WHERE col4 LIKE " ACH ".
The result can be dragged to a spreadsheet and saved. Opening the Sheet and selecting refresh, would update the “filter” from the csv-file, if this was changed.