[Idea] Calc: Floating spreadsheets part

[Lachu]

Idea is about allowing to create spreadsheet (not full document, but single page), with will be connected with one (will be like part of another spreadsheet) and be floating/moveable. Why? Sometimes, I need to do fast and (maybe) temporary calculations, such like costs for last two months. Normally, I will put into page cell, which will summarize cost for single year. But… maybe I will need to fast calculate cost of part of year? So I will open float page, move it around parent page and type (in one cell) =SUM(!SPREADSHEET_PARENT.A1:!SPREADSHEET_PARENT.A2). I can save this page in next steep as separate spreadsheet or document (without foreign formulas - it will be calculated and results will be put into cells).

What do you think?

[joshua4]

Have you considered:

1. Use Window>New Window to get a new window.
2. WIthin the new window create a Scratch sheet in your spreadsheet document (that is, add that as a new sheet in your workbook).
3. Use your OS’s method to size the new window to a nice floating size for your display.
4. Move the new window so you can see the cells you want to interact with on the big, original sheet now “below” the floating new window.
5. Type =SUM( or whatever into a cell in the new floating window.
6. Take your mouse and select the cells you want summed (etc.) in the original sheet in the big window.
7. Press Alt+Tab to redisplay and return to the new window. *
8. Type ) then Enter to finish the formula.

• You can also fix the new window to be always on top in Windows or Ubuntu. To do that, have the focus on the new (float) window then:
  In Windows: Use PowerToys with Always on Top enabled. Activate AoT by default with Ctrl+Win+T (which is a toggle).
  In Ubuntu: Press Alt+Space then select Always on Top.

[Villeroy]

Many years ago, there used to be a camera tool in MS Excel. It was a shape like a picture linked to a cell range, refreshed with the depicted cells. Very practical indeed.

[Lachu]

Yes, but I also need to save floating spreadsheet with normal spreadsheet. Floating spreadsheet could be very helpful, because you can move it in main spreadsheet.

[joshua4]

The suggestion to use a separate tab as your floating sheet then use a secondary floating window to view that tab does let you save the floating spreadsheet with the main spreadsheet…it’s just a tab (sheet) within the spreadsheet doc.

I’d be curious to hear what you have to say if you give it a try. I really do not see what would be missing. If you wanted a fixed rather than floating section in a given sheet for temporary usage, you could also set up an array formula range that simply equaled some range in the floating sheet.

FloatExample.ods (13.0 KB)