CCNC/CCNC Module 4/Getting to know the application/Saving spreadsheets

Saving spreadsheets

So we have converted the template into a spreadsheet that contains actual data. Let's talk a bit about the essential features of the spreadsheet before we go any further. As we said earlier, the spreadsheet consists of rows and columns. The point at which a row intersects or cuts across a column is referred to as a cell. We will go into more detail about cells in Section 2. All data in the spreadsheet are contained in the cells and these data take the form of text, values or formulas. More on all three later. When you have entered data into your spreadsheet, you need to save it. If you dont, you will lose all that data, since you have been working on the template that is stored in RAM. As you know, RAM is volatile. If you switch off your computer, or if the power goes and the computer shuts down, you will lose everything. So you need to save your spreadsheet in a location where it will not get lost that easily. Below are instructions for saving your spreadsheet in different locations, under a different name and in different formats. (: I suspect that I have explained spreadsheets more than once. Someone needs to check for the repitition.)

Now do it

Save on the hard drive of your computer

• Click on File, then Click Save As. This will bring up the Save As dialogue.
• Locate the directory in which you wish to save the file
• Enter the name of the file in the File Name Window
• Click Save

SCREENSHOT

Save on a floppy disk or a memory stick

• Click on File, then Click Save AS
• Use the same procedure for saving on the hard disk

Save an existing file; save under another name

Sometimes we may want to have the same spreadsheet saved under a number of different names. Alternatively, we may want to save a spreadsheet before making changes. We would then have a copy of the new version as well as the version before changes were made. Suppose we have a spreadsheet loaded as shown below. In this case the spreadsheet already has the name demog.sxc.

SCREENSHOT

We can now save what is displayed on the screen in two ways:

1. As the existing file: After loading demog.sxc from the hard disk, we made some changes to it. Those changes exist only on the version on the screen and will not automatically be made to the file that is located on the hard disk. To replace the version on the hard disk with the contents as displayed on the screen.

• Click on File, then Save.

1. Under another name: Suppose we do not want to overwrite the contents on disk but would still like to save what is on the screen.

• Click on File, then Save as.

This will bring up the Save As dialogue. You use this in exactly the same way as you would if you were saving a completely new file.

(: I am hoping that terms like dialogue, dialogue window, and features such as the filename extension were dealt with in the wordprocessing module.)

Save in another file type Sometimes it is useful to convert the spreadsheet format into another format, for example, a text file that can be manipulated using a word processor. Alternatively, you may wish to save the spreadsheet in a format used by another spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel. To save a spreadsheet in a different format,

• Click on File, then Save as
• Click on the File Type Window. This will display a list of file types
• Use the vertical scroll bar to view all the file formats.

The following table lists some of the main file formats and a brief explanation of each.

File type	Extension	Explanation
OpenOffice.org Spreadsheet	sxc	This is the format of Calc itself
OpenOffice.org Spreadsheet template	stc	A template is an outline for new templates. This may include text, values and formulas that are automatically inserted when a new template is created using template. It could also include formatting of cells such as font type and colour.
dBase	dbf	This would save the spreadsheet in a format used by some database programs. These databases would then be able to access the data in the spreadsheet and work with it as if it had been created by a database.
Microsoft Excel	xls	Although Microsoft Excel is also a spreadsheet, it uses a different format. By saving the spreadsheet in the xls format, it could be opened directly by Microsoft Excel.
Web Pages	html	In order to read files, web browsers need to have them saved in a special format known as HTML or Hypertext Markup Language. Calc is able to save a spreadsheet in this format.
Text CSV	csv	This format is also called a comma delimited file. In this format, each row is converted into a paragraph. The columns of the spreadsheet are separated by commas. A word processor will read this file as an ordinary text file.
Data Interchange format	dif	A DIF is an industry standard for exchanging data between different types of application.
Portable Document Format	pdf	Pdf files are a common way of sending documents that you do not wish the receiver to be able to edit. These files can be read with Acrobat Reader. Unlike the previous formats that are created using the Save As ... function, pdf files are created using the Export as pdf ... option in the File menu.

(: Should all these file formats be included in the module?)

Save different Versions

On the file menu there is an option called Version that allows you to save different versions of the sp[readsheet in the same file. You are asked to give the version a name and this is recorded along with the date and time of the changes that were made. If you want to open another version of a file, simply click on File->Version and choose the Version you want to open.

(: This is a good place to introduce first Activity)