OpenOffice/Calc 3/Working with and in cells/Selection in a worksheet

Selection, whether of cells, rows or columns, is a key operation when working with spreadsheets. Selection is the first action that you perform if you wish to do any of the other operations, such as delete, insert, copy or change font. Note that selecting is not an end in itself, rather it is a step towards performing the operation that you are really interested in.

Select a single cell
Although you have already tried this in the last section, to select a cell


 * Click on the desired cell. Note that the row number and column letter of the selected cell are highlighted.



Select a range of cells
We use the term 'range' to refer to a series of cells that you are interested in working on. The range may extend along a column or along a row. or more than one columns or rows. It may consist of cells that are adjacent or close to each other, or that are non-adjacent, that is separated and spread out over the worksheet.

Select a range of adjacent cells
You can do this in one of 3 ways.

Select a range of non-adjacent cells
When cells don't share a border, use the Ctrl key to select more than one.

Select a row, a range of adjacent rows, a range of non-adjacent rows
This follows the same pattern as the operations for the cells.

Select a single row

 * Click on the row number.

Select a range of adjacent rows

 * Click on the row number of the first row.
 * Hold down the Shift key and click on the row number of the final row.

Select a range of non-adjacent rows

 * Click the row number of the first row you wish to select.
 * Hold down the Ctrl key and click on the row numbers of the other rows you wish to select.

Select a column, a range of adjacent columns, a range of non-adjacent columns
The pattern is repeated.

Select a single column

 * Click on the column letter.

Select a range of adjacent columns

 * Click on the column letter of the first of the columns.
 * Hold down the Shift key and click on the column letter of the final column.

Select a range of non-adjacent columns

 * Click on the column letter of the first column you wish to select.
 * Hold down the Ctrl key and click on the column letters of the other columns you wish to select.

Selecting an entire worksheet
You can do this in one of three ways:


 * In the Menu bar, select Edit > Select All.
 * Use the key combinationCtrl+A.
 * Click the upper left square (between A and 1).