CCNC/CCNC Module 4/Formatting cells/Miscellaneous formatting techniques

Miscellaneous formatting techniques
Following are other techniques for changing the appearance of cells.

Apply text wrapping to contents within a cell
Suppose we have a column of cells that we wish to use to write notes. By default, if we write in a cell, the text will appear to spill over into the next cell. If we enter text in the next cell, part of our old text will cease to be visible.

SCREENSHOT HERE

The answer to this problem is to cause the text to wrap within the cell.


 * Select the range of cells in which you wish text to wrap.
 * Format->Cells
 * Select the Alignment tab.
 * Check the Automatic line break check box.

SCREENSHOT HERE


 * Click OK.

The effect is shown below.

SCREENSHOT HERE

Change the alignment of cell contents
If you type numbers in a cell you will notice that, by default, they are right aligned. In other words, the numbers are flush against the right hand borders of the cell. Text, on the other hand is left aligned. Changing these defaults is simply a matter of changing the alignment of a cell or range of cells.

Notice the alignment of the headings in the worksheet below:

SCREENSHOT HERE

The text in row 3 is left aligned, while the numbers in row 5 are right aligned. Suppose we wish to make the contents of B3:G3 right aligned.


 * Select the cells whose alignment you wish to change.
 * Format->Cells
 * Click the Alignment tab.
 * Change the Horizontal alignment to the desired option

SCREENSHOT HERE


 * Click OK.

SCREENSHOT HERE

Generally, the height of rows is such that the text in the cells appears to occupy the entire height of the row. It is possible to change the height of a row either by clicking and dragging the lower border of the row number or by selecting the row and using Format->Row->Height. In the next screen, the height of row 3 has been changed in this way.

SCREENSHOT HERE

In this worksheet, the vertical alignment of row 3, is Bottom. That is also the default setting. The vertical alignment of the entire row, a range of cells, or a single cell can be changed as follows:


 * Select the cells whose vertical alignment is to be changed.
 * Format->Cells
 * Click the Alignment tab.
 * Change the Vertical alignment to the desired option.

SCREENSHOT HERE


 * Click OK.

Centre a title over a cell range
Consider the following screen:

SCREENSHOT HERE

Suppose we wish to centre the heading Month across C2:H2.


 * Highlight the range of cells. In this case, it would be C2:H2.
 * Format->Merge cells->Define.
 * Click the Centre icon on the toolbar,.

SCREENSHOT HERE

Adjust cell content orientation
Normally when we type text in a cell, its orientation is from left to right. Calc allows us to change the orientation of text very simply.

Suppose we wish to add a slightly unusual effect to the following screen so that the headings slope from left to right.

SCREENSHOT HERE


 * Select the range of cells you wish to modify.
 * Format->Cells
 * Select the Alignment tab.

Notice that the Text direction is 0º. Next to the degrees box, there is a compass indicating the text direction visually.


 * Either enter the figure 315º or click on the 315º point on the compass.

SCREENSHOT HERE.


 * Click OK.

SCREENSHOT HERE.


 * Experiment with other orientations of text in cells.

Add border effects to a cell, cell range
The gridlines that you see on your screen indicate the edges of the cells. You can, if you wish, add borders to cells or ranges of cells.

Suppose, in the following screen, we wish to put a border around the range of cells C5:H9 as well as vertical lines between the columns.

SCREENSHOT HERE


 * Select the range of cells for which you wish to define the borders. In this case, it would be C5:H9.
 * Format->Cells
 * Select the Borders tab.
 * Select a Colour for the borders. In the example below, red has been selected.
 * Select a Style. In the example below, 2.5 pt has been selected.

The Line arrangement section allows you to select a predefined option in Default or to create your own custom arrangement under User-defined.


 * Click the Top, bottom, left, right and centre positions in the User-defined window.

''As you click on a position, it will add a line. You may remove a line you have added by clicking on it.''

SCREENSHOT


 * Click OK.

SCREENSHOT HERE