A couple more Numbers questions

[2024]

Hi all. I'm back with a couple more noob questions about Numbers in Sonoma.

1. Is there any way to change the zoom level to a custom %? The presets don’t quite work for me. I can select 150% or 200%, but ideally I’d like 175%.
2. How do I change the color of text in one cell according to the presence/absence of text in another? Let’s say that cell B1 contains text in a blue font color. If I enter text into cell A1, I’d like that blue text in B1 to turn gray. I’ve read the help re Conditional Highlighting, but I can’t figure out if that will work — maybe it’s old age but I can’t seem to follow it. Is there a way to do this?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

1. If you're using a laptop (or have a trackpad) you can pinch to zoom to whatever level you want. (I have no idea how to do that with a mouse, maybe the scroll wheel?)

 

[GerritV]

1. 
   
2. How do I change the color of text in one cell according to the presence/absence of text in another? Let’s say that cell B1 contains text in a blue font color. If I enter text into cell A1, I’d like that blue text in B1 to turn gray. I’ve read the help re Conditional Highlighting, but I can’t figure out if that will work — maybe it’s old age but I can’t seem to follow it. Is there a way to do this?

AFAIK the conditional format of a cell can only be steered by its own content or state, not from another cell.
I found it a challenge anyway, and came up with a rather dirty workaround that may or may not work for you - all depending on the spreadsheet layout and usage.
Note in the screenshots below (sorry for the Dutch interface):

cell A1: some text
cell B1: intermediate cell with formula: IF() cell A1 contains a text, insert a space in cell B1
cell C1: some text
cell D1: join the results of B1 and C1 with formula: CONCATENATE()

Cell D1 has a conditional formatting that checks if the cell content begins with a space.
Columns B and C could be hidden - depending on the circumstances.


Quite a dirty workaround, isn't it? But I wanted to share it anyway. HTH

 

[2024]

1. If you're using a laptop (or have a trackpad) you can pinch to zoom to whatever level you want. (I have no idea how to do that with a mouse, maybe the scroll wheel?)

Thanks. I should have mentioned that I'm using a Magic Mouse. I tried the one-finger double-tap on the mouse, but that zooms the doc out to a weird number like 62%; doing it again zooms it to 94% but never to any higher percentage. I also tried holding down Command, Option, etc., while opening View > Zoom, but it offered no new options.

 

[2024]

AFAIK the conditional format of a cell can only be steered by its own content or state, not from another cell.
I found it a challenge anyway, and came up with a rather dirty workaround that may or may not work for you - all depending on the spreadsheet layout and usage.
Note in the screenshots below (sorry for the Dutch interface):

cell A1: some text
cell B1: intermediate cell with formula: IF() cell A1 contains a text, insert a space in cell B1
cell C1: some text
cell D1: join the results of B1 and C1 with formula: CONCATENATE()

Cell D1 has a conditional formatting that checks if the cell content begins with a space.
Columns B and C could be hidden - depending on the circumstances.


Quite a dirty workaround, isn't it? But I wanted to share it anyway. HTH

View attachment 2373236

Aha, that's an interesting idea, if it'll work in the files I want it to. I'll have to do some experimentation to see. Thanks for the scheme; I would not have thought of that.

 

[2024]

Is there any way to change the zoom level to a custom %? The presets don’t quite work for me. I can select 150% or 200%, but ideally I’d like 175%.

Just thought I'd update this in case it helps anyone else. I found that Zoom to Selection -- ⇧⌘O -- Worked a charm. I simply selected the right amount of cells in one row and applied this shortcut, and my zoom level is 175%, exactly what I wanted. At least, it's a decent workaround.

 

[2024]

AFAIK the conditional format of a cell can only be steered by its own content or state, not from another cell.
I found it a challenge anyway, and came up with a rather dirty workaround that may or may not work for you - all depending on the spreadsheet layout and usage.
Note in the screenshots below (sorry for the Dutch interface):

cell A1: some text
cell B1: intermediate cell with formula: IF() cell A1 contains a text, insert a space in cell B1
cell C1: some text
cell D1: join the results of B1 and C1 with formula: CONCATENATE()

Cell D1 has a conditional formatting that checks if the cell content begins with a space.
Columns B and C could be hidden - depending on the circumstances.


Quite a dirty workaround, isn't it? But I wanted to share it anyway. HTH

View attachment 2373236

I finally had time to get back to this. I keep getting an error -- see below. Sorry to drag this up again, but any idea what I might be doing wrong?

 

[GerritV]

I finally had time to get back to this. I keep getting an error -- see below. Sorry to drag this up again, but any idea what I might be doing wrong?

View attachment 2390117

For the syntax error: Could you perhaps try and replace the semicolons by commas?

Next, since cell A1 seems to be formatted as a date, you may get a second error message saying that you're comparing a date with a plain text. See my screenshot below - I suppose PLATTE.TEKST should be something like PLAIN.TEXT in the English version.

 

[2024]

For the syntax error: Could you perhaps try and replace the semicolons by commas?

Next, since cell A1 seems to be formatted as a date, you may get a second error message saying that you're comparing a date with a plain text. See my screenshot below - I suppose PLATTE.TEKST should be something like PLAIN.TEXT in the English version.View attachment 2390154

Yes, the semicolons seem to have been the problem. And I didn't get a second error after changing them to commas. The formula didn't seem to mind that the cell was formatted as a date.

It's odd that semicolons worked for you but not for me; I don't understand that. Then again, my formula skills even with the old Excel are very rusty.

Thank you!

 

[GerritV]

Yes, the semicolons seem to have been the problem. And I didn't get a second error after changing them to commas. The formula didn't seem to mind that the cell was formatted as a date.

It's odd that semicolons worked for you but not for me; I don't understand that. Then again, my formula skills even with the old Excel are very rusty.

Thank you!

You're welcome.
My apologies for the semicolon/comma confusion. It's caused by the fact that I'm on an AZERTY keyboard.
In case you haven't noticed yet: once you start typing a formula (=...), Numbers will suggest functions. If you click one of them, you'll get the correct syntax in the popup.

 

[Fishrrman]

Having used several spreadsheets over the years...
... I find Numbers frustrating in some ways.

Primary example:
Trying to edit the "formula line" like you see in the reply above this one.
Worst implementation I've EVER SEEN in any spreadsheet app.
EVER.
(but I still try to use it anyway)

 

[2024]

You're welcome.
My apologies for the semicolon/comma confusion. It's caused by the fact that I'm on an AZERTY keyboard.
In case you haven't noticed yet: once you start typing a formula (=...), Numbers will suggest functions. If you click one of them, you'll get the correct syntax in the popup.

View attachment 2391213

Ah, now I get it. I just copied the semicolons lol. Live and learn...

I see the suggested functions; thanks for pointing them out. I have more experimentation to do for sure.

 

[2024]

Having used several spreadsheets over the years...
... I find Numbers frustrating in some ways.

Primary example:
Trying to edit the "formula line" like you see in the reply above this one.
Worst implementation I've EVER SEEN in any spreadsheet app.
EVER.
(but I still try to use it anyway)

I've had some frustrations too, and I have a long way to go, but I'll keep climbing up that hill till I get where I want to go.