Need help with keyboard shortcut

[paulstrait]

I’m trying to do something in Calc but I can’t figure out the correct keyboard shortcuts. Let’s say I have 10,000 cells with numbers in them, and I want to calculate a sum in another cell. In Excel, I can click alt-= to get the sum() function, and then I can click on the top cell I want to sum and then click ctrl-shift-down to get the entire range pasted into the sum() function. I’d like to accomplish the same thing in Calc.

In Calc, the alt-= hotkey works to make a sum function, and the ctrl-shift-down hotkey works to highlight a column when I’m not inside the sum function, but it doesn’t work from inside the sum function. But there must be a way to do it without scrolling down 10,000 cells or knowing what the last cell is precisely, right?

[robleyd]

Cross posted on Reddit

If you cross post, as a courtesy please let us know that you have done so, otherwise it leads to several discussions and a waste of time because several identical answers may be posted by different users.

[LeroyG]

@paulstrait

the alt-= hotkey works to make a sum function

After that, have you tried to press F2 to enter in edit mode? This way you can use the position keys (Arrow Keys, Home, End, etc., with Ctrl and Shift) to select a range.

If do you invoque the SUM function via the Select Function button (Σ) near the input line, you must press F6 to jump from the input line to the cell, press F2 twice to enter in edit mode, then follow as described before.

---

EDIT:
Tested with:
Version: 7.6.2.1 (X86_64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 60(Build:1)
CPU threads: 4; OS: Linux 5.14; UI render: default; VCL: gtk3
Locale: es-MX (en_US.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded
and
Version 7.6.7.2 on Window 10.

[paulstrait]

That doesn’t seem to work for me. Typing =sum( and then arrowing over works, but if I create the function with alt=, pressing F2 doesn’t let me do it.

[LeroyG]

@paulstrait

pressing F2

If it’s a notebook, maybe you must press fn+F2.

[paulstrait]

Right, but that still doesn’t work. I can click on a cell after hitting f2, and it will highlight that cell in pink, but I cannot then use the ctrl-shift-down hotkey like I can if I just type =sum( and arrow over.

[LeroyG]

@paulstrait

that still doesn’t work

Test restarting in Safe Mode.

[paulstrait]

That doesn’t make any difference. Are you certain that this precise sequence of keystrokes and mouse clicks works for you? When I go into edit mode and hit the left arrow button, it moves the cursor within the current cell, instead of moving over to a different cell. And if I click on a different cell at that point, ctrl-shift-down does not do anything.

[paulstrait]

I’ve found if I hit f2 twice, and then click on the desired starting cell, that will work. I can’t do that if the starting cell is one of the ones automatically included by the alt-= and surrounded by a blue border, but otherwise that works.

[LeroyG]

@paulstrait

That doesn’t make any difference

Which LibreOffice version are you using?

@paulstrait

Are you certain

Yes.

@paulstrait

I hit f2 twice

For me, this leaves the cursor at the right of the cell content something like “=SUM()|”.

[fpy]

@paulstrait

what the last cell is precisely

does it really matter ?

just click on the column header, will give you A1:A1048576 :

otherwise, you can ctrl+shift+down, and copy the selected range from the name box :

then copy it, to paste it in your =SUM()