OpenOffice.org BASIC Guide - OpenOffice.org wiki

Cell = Sheet.getCellByPosition(0, 0)
Cell.String = "Test"
The Structure of Spreadsheets
In addition to numerical coordinates, each cell in a sheet has a name, for example, the top left cell (0,0) of a
spreadsheet is called A1. The letter A stands for the column and the number 1 for the row. It is important that the
name and position of a cell are not confused because row counting for names begins with 1 but the counting for
position begins with 0.
If the position of the cell is fixed, it is more clear to use the following code:
Dim Doc As Object
Dim Sheet As Object
Dim Cell As Object
Doc = ThisComponent
Sheet = Doc.Sheets(0)
Cell = Sheet.getCellRangeByName("A1")
Cell.String = "Test"
The above code also works with a named cell.
In OpenOffice.org, a table cell can be empty or contain text, numbers, or formulas. The cell type is not
determined by the content that is saved in the cell, but rather the object property which was used for its entry.
Numbers can be inserted and called up with the Value property, text with the String property, and formulas
with the Formula property.
Dim Doc As Object
Dim Sheet As Object
Dim Cell As Object
Doc = ThisComponent
Sheet = Doc.Sheets(0)
Cell = Sheet.getCellByPosition(0, 0)
Cell.Value = 100
Cell = Sheet.getCellByPosition(0, 1)
Cell.String = "Test"
Cell = Sheet.getCellByPosition(0, 2)
Cell.Formula = "=A1"
The example inserts one number, one text, and one formula in the fields A1 to A3.
Note – StarOffice 5 : The Value, String, and Formula properties supersede the old PutCell method of
StarOffice 5 for setting the values of a table cell.
OpenOffice.org treats cell content that is entered using the String property as text, even if the content is a
number. Numbers are left-aligned in the cell instead of right-aligned. You should also note the difference between
text and numbers when you use formulas:
Dim Doc As Object
Dim Sheet As Object
Dim Cell As Object
Doc = ThisComponent
Sheet = Doc.Sheets(0)
Cell = Sheet.getCellByPosition(0, 0)
Cell.Value = 100
Cell = Sheet.getCellByPosition(0, 1)
Cell.String = 1000
Cell = Sheet.getCellByPosition(0, 2)
Cell.Formula = "=A1+A2"
MsgBox Cell.Value
Although cell A1 contains the value 100 and cell A2 contains the value 1000, the A1+A2 formula returns the
value 100. This is because the contents of cell A2 were entered as a string and not as a number.
To check if the contents of a cell contains a number or a string, use the Type property:
Chapter 7 · Spreadsheet Documents 95