Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Full Text Issue Listing |
Summary: | Rand() Function and Data Tables (Multiple Operations) | ||||||||
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Product: | Calc | Reporter: | jpdaley <jpdaley> | ||||||
Component: | editing | Assignee: | AOO issues mailing list <issues> | ||||||
Status: | CONFIRMED --- | QA Contact: | |||||||
Severity: | Trivial | ||||||||
Priority: | P3 | CC: | ace_dent, issues | ||||||
Version: | OOo 2.2 | ||||||||
Target Milestone: | --- | ||||||||
Hardware: | All | ||||||||
OS: | All | ||||||||
Issue Type: | ENHANCEMENT | Latest Confirmation in: | --- | ||||||
Developer Difficulty: | --- | ||||||||
Attachments: |
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Description
jpdaley
2007-06-07 05:49:01 UTC
Created attachment 45704 [details]
Example of Problem
Is this a duplicate of Issue 67135 ? IMO, I can see that this current behaviour may be through design. If I were to hold a random number in A1, then want to use that number in two different equations (B1 & B2), I would want to use the same rand number not a volatile value. If I wanted different rand numbers for B1 & B2, I would include a 'rand()' in each of those equations... but I might be missing the point... This may very well be the same root problem as described in Issue 67135 but I am not possitive. They both appear to be related to the volatility of the Rand() function. It is not behaving as truely volatile. As far as design, I can only say that Excel works the way I describe as "expected" and this feature is used extensively in financial and engineering modeling involving uncertain inputs. If I have several variables all that have some random distribution, and I have an output that is a function of those inputs, I want to be able to simulate what the distribution of those outputs would be. You do this by creating a data table of the output. You can then measure the statistics on the output data table. If the Rand() function is not working as expected however, and you only get one value in the data table, you cannot determine what distribution the output will have. I will attach a financial spreadsheet created in Excel that does what I am describing. Although I know we may not be trying to copy excel directly in OpenOffice, I think that the way Excel functions on this point is more valuable. Created attachment 45731 [details]
Financial Spreadsheet from Excel Displaying Expected Behavior. Data Table is in B32 through D281
Hi Eike, is it a double to Issue 67135 ? If so, please close as such. Frank Not a duplicate of issue 67135. I see the difference between how Calc and Excel behave in the multiple.operations case, I wouldn't call the Excel behavior being expected though. It is rather obscure and I second the opinion of ace_dent in #desc3 and if not in {TABLE()} Excel does it differently, two formulas using the same cell containing RAND() do produce identical values. Anyway, if people rely on that we may as well adapt Calc's behavior. Propably not doable in time frame for 3.0, retargeting to 3.x Reset assigne to the default "issues@openoffice.apache.org". |