Working With Columns and Rows

Working With Columns and Rows

This section contains basic shortcuts for selecting cells , and for resizing, selecting, hiding, inserting, and deleting rows and columns.

Selecting Entire Rows, Columns, and Spreadsheets

You can select entire rows and columns, or the entire spreadsheet (see Figure 19-7) to format, cut, copy, paste, or delete the contents of cells.

Figure 19-7. Selecting an entire row, column, and spreadsheet

You can also press Ctrl+A to select all cells in a spreadsheet.

Selecting Non-Adjacent Cells

Calc lets you select cells that aren't right next to each other for formatting or deleting the contents of cells (see Figure 19-8). You can't copy, cut, or paste selected non-adjacent cells.

1. Shift+click the first cells you want to select.

2. Release the Shift key, hold down the Ctrl key, and click the cells you want to select.

   While you're holding down the Ctrl key, you can also hold down the Shift key to select a range of cells.

Figure 19-8. Selecting non-adjacent cells

Resizing Rows

1. Move the mouse pointer over the bottom border of the gray box containing the row number. The pointer changes shape.

   

2. Drag to the new size, or double-click the line below the row to set the row height to fit the row height to the tallest piece of data.

If you drag to a new height, keep an eye on the tooltip while you're dragging. It displays the height of the row.

You can also control the height of rows more precisely by selecting the row(s), right-clicking, choosing Height, and entering an exact width.

Resizing Columns

1. Move the mouse pointer over the right border of the gray box containing the column letter. The pointer changes shape.

   

2. Drag to the new size, or double-click the line to the right of the column to set the column to fit the widest piece of data.

If you drag to a new width, keep an eye on the tooltip while you're dragging. It displays the width of the column.

You can control the widths of columns more precisely by selecting the column(s), right-clicking, choosing Column Width, and entering an exact width. You can also resize multiple columns at the same time.

Hiding Rows and Columns

One of the main reasons to hide rows or columns is if they contain information that is used to aid in calculations, but that you don't want to display in the spreadsheet.

As an alternative to hiding rows and columns, consider putting different types of data on separate sheets. See Break It Up on page 586.

Hidden columns and rows don't print.

1. Select the entire row or column you want to hide. (See Selecting Entire Rows, Columns, and Spreadsheets on page 535.)

2. Right-click the gray box of the selected row or column and choose Hide.

Showing Hidden Rows and Columns

1. Select the entire rows or columns on both sides of the hidden row(s) or column(s).

2. Right-click the gray box of the selected row or column and choose Show.

Inserting Rows and Columns

When you insert columns or rows, Calc automatically adjusts all cell references in the spreadsheet so that your calculations don't get goofed up.

1. Select an entire row or column. (See Selecting Entire Rows, Columns, and Spreadsheets on page 535.)

   Rows are inserted above the selected row; columns are inserted to the left of the selected column.

2. Right-click the gray box of the selected row or column and choose Insert Rows or Insert Columns, depending on which is selected.

You can insert multiple rows or columns. The number of rows or columns inserted is exactly the number you selected.

Deleting Rows and Columns

When you delete columns or rows, Calc automatically adjusts all cell references in the spreadsheet so that your calculations don't get goofed up. However, any information contained in the deleted rows or columns is also deleted.

1. Select the entire rows or columns you want to delete. (See Selecting Entire Rows, Columns, and Spreadsheets on page 535.)

2. Right-click the gray box of the selected row(s) or column(s) and choose Delete Rows or Delete Columns, depending on which are selected.