What is the difference between two currency formats?

[AnitMadC]

In Format Number (found by clicking the Table menu, then Number Format) under the currency category there are two formats that are almost identical. The Format code box shows the difference between the two. Here is what is displayed in the Format code text box for each:

• [$$-409]#,##0;-[$$-409]#,##0
• [$$-409]* #,##0;-[$$-409]* #,##0

What is the difference between the two? What is the purpose of the asterisks?

[erAck]

The format with asterisk is only relevant in Calc spreadsheets, Writer tables don’t support it (yet?). In Calc the currency symbol ($) would be left aligned in a cell, the value right aligned. The asterisk means “fill between with the following character” (here space).