Advanced Cells Formatting

Changing Columns Width and Rows Height

We will apply the techniques we learned about resizing columns and rows.

The techniques used to resize a column or a group of columns are also technically applicable to the rows, except that this time, you are working on the height and not the width.
 

Practical Learning: Control Columns Width and Rows Height

1. Open the DAWN Report2 workbook
2. Click sheet2.
3. Click row 2 to select it. Right-click row 2 and click Height...
4. Select the content of the Height spin button and type 0.35
    
   
5. Click OK.
6. Click cell B4.
7. Position the mouse on the separator of rows 3 and 4 until the mouse turns into a narrow line with vertical arrows .
8. Then click and drag down slowly.
    
   
9. A small yellow box allows you to evaluate the height. When you get to Height: 0.35 ", then release the mouse.
10. Select rows 6 and 7.
11. Right-click row 6 and click Height...
12. Select the content of the Height spin button. Type 0.25 and press Enter.
13. Select cells A3:D3.
14. On the main menu, click Format -> Merge Cells -> Define.
15. Select cells F3:I3.
16. On the main menu, click Format -> Merge Cells -> Define.
17. Position the mouse between columns A and B until the mouse turns into a short line with double horizontal arrows . Then double-click. That will resize column A to the cell that has the widest entry.
18. Double-click the line separator between column headers B and C.
19. Double-click the separator line between columns D and E.
20. Click column header E to select it. Right-click column E, click Column Width....
21. Replace the content of the Width spin button with 0.35 and press Enter. Notice that the column has been resized.
22. Click column F to select the whole column.
23. On the main menu, Format -> Column -> Optimal Width.
24. On the dialog box, click OK. Notice that the whole column has been resized to the widest entry
25. Click cell G8. On the main menu, click Format -> Column -> Optimal Width.
26. On the dialog box, click OK. Now the column has is resized to the width of cell G8.
27. Double-click the separator of columns H and I.
28. Press Ctrl Home to evaluate the result
29. To save the workbook, press Ctrl + S

Cells Content Alignment

We have already seen how StarCalc differentiates data you enter into cells. Sometimes its default configurations will not suit your particular scenario, you should be able to control how text is aligned in cells.

Since a cell is really a rectangular box, you can completely control how text is displayed inside of it: left, right, top, bottom. As we move on, we will see various situations of aligning cells content.

Practical Learning: Control Cells Alignment

1. Click Sheet3.
2. Click cell C2 to select it. Right-click cell C2 and click Format Cells...
3. From the Cell Attributes dialog box, click the Alignment property sheet.
4. In the Text Alignment section, lick the Vertical combo box and select Middle
    
   
5. Click OK, then press Enter.
6. You should now be in cell A3. On the main menu, click Format -> Cells...
7. Select Middle on the Vertical combo box. Click OK.
8. Click cell F3 to select it.
9. On the Object bar, click the Align Center Vertically button
10. Click row 6 to select it. Right-click row 6 and click Format Cells...
11. In the Vertical combo box, select Top and click OK.
12. Select cells C6, D5, D6, H6, I5, and I6
13. On the Object bar, click the Align Center Horizontally button .
14. Select cells A7:A16.
15. On the Object bar, click the Align Right button.
16. Select cell F7:F16 and on the Object bar, click the Align Center Horizontally button .
17. Save the workbook.

Format Cells Borders

A cell is really a small box in which you enter data. That box has borders and an inside. By default, cells in a worksheet are configured to display gray borders and you have the ability to change that color or to remove the borders completely.

A cell is made of four borders. You can configure each border independently of the other three, or you can format all of them at the same time.

There are two main features that allow you to change a cell's borders. You can use the Borders button on the Object bar, or you can work from the Cell Attributes dialog box. If you need more control over the overall display of a cell or a group of cells, use the Cell Attributes dialog box.

The Border tab of the Cells Format dialog allows you to control a cell or group of cells borders using one or various border styles.

To change a cell's background color, use one of the colors of the Background tab. It offers a list of colors you can use to configure a cell’s background by changing the Cell Shading.

Practical Learning: Adjusting Cells Borders

1. Click Sheet4.
2. Click cell A3 to give it focus.
3. On the Object bar, click the Borders button .
4. Click the Bottom Border (2nd column, 2nd row)
    
   
5. Click cell F3 and, on the Object bar, click the Borders button . Select the bottom border
6. Select cells A6:D6.
7. On the Object bar, click the Borders button and select the button with the bottom borders
8. Select cells A17:I17.
9. Right-click on the selected cells and click Format Cells...
10. From the Cell Attributes box, click the Borders property sheet.
11. From the Line section, in the Style list box, click the 6th line 1.10pt
12. Click the Color combo box and select Red 3.
13. Under Line Arrangement, in the big rectangle click on the bottom of the 4 squares
     
    
14. Click OK.
15. Select cells A2:I2.
16. On the main menu, click Format -> Cells...
17. From the Line list, click the 3rd line 250pt
18. Click the Color combo box and select Sea Blue
19. Under Line Arrangement, click the top section of the squares.
20. In the same section, click the bottom section of the squares
21. Still in the Cell Attributes box, click the Background property sheet. In the color list, click the Blue 8 (8th column, 5th row in the list).
22. Click the Fonts property sheet and change the color to Blue and the size to 18
23. Click OK.
24. While the cells are still selected, on the main menu, click Format -> Merge Cells -> Define and click No. On the Object bar, click the Center button
25. Press Ctrl + Home to see the result
26. Save the workbook.

Cells Backgrounds and Special Borders

We have already seen a cell's borders being changed. Added to that, we will continue with the employment application we started working on, this time we will make it look more professional. We might even end up using it as a template.
 

Practical Learning: Cells Background And Special Borders

1. Open the GSC Employment Application2 workbook.
2. Click the Sheet1 tab if necessary.
   Click column A to select it. Right-click column A and click Column Width...
3. Type 0.20 and click OK.
4. Select cells B6:H6.
5. On the Object bar, click the Background Color button. From the list of colors, click Black.
6. Select cells B23:H23 and repeat the last action.
7. Select cells B50:H50 and repeat the last action.
8. Select cells B67:H67 and repeat the last action.
9. Now we will resize the last group of cells to make them look like horizontal lines.
   Click row 67 to select it.
10. Right-click row 67 and click Height...
11. Type 0.025 and click OK. Now row 68 looks so small it is hardly visible.
12. Click row 50 and repeat the last action.
13. Click row 23 and repeat the last action.
14. Click row 6 and repeat the last action.
15. Select cells B20:H20.
16. On the Object bar, click the Borders button.
17. From the list of border, click All Borders (last column, last row).
18. Click cell C8 to give it focus.
19. Now, we will provide recognizable cells where the user, or an applicant, will type week times available. This will apply to the cells under the weekdays.
    On the Object bar, click the Borders button.
20. From the list of borders, click Bottom Border.
21. Click cell E8 and repeat the last action..
22. Select cells G8:H8 and repeat the last action. The border formatting is an action that can also be repeated.
23. Click cell B5 to give it focus.
24. On the Object bar, click the arrow of the Font combo box and select Times New Roman. Click the arrow of the Font Size and select 14. Click the Bold button.
25. Click cell F5 and apply the font Times New Roman, font size = 14, and Bold style to it
26. Click cell D8 to give it focus.
27. On the Object bar, click Align Right.
28. Click cell F15 and apply the right alignment to its content
29. Select cells B32:B44
30. On the Object bar, click the Align Center Horizontally button.
31. Select cells B54:B60 and repeat the last action..
32. Now we will use the Cell Attributes box to manipulate cells border and background.
    Select cells C2:G2.
33. On the main menu, click Format -> Cells...
34. From the Cell Attributes box, click the Background property sheet.
35. From the list of colors, click Gray-40% (last column, 2nd row).
36. From the Cell Attributes box, click the Borders property sheet.
37. From the list of lines, click the 3rd line 250 pt. Click the Color combo box. Select Gray. Under Line Arrangement, click the top border, then click left border.
38. Once again, click the Color combo box, and select Gray-80% (last column, 1st row). In the Presets section, click Bottom Border, then click Right Border.
39. From the Cell Attributes box, click the Font property sheet. Change the font to Garamond, Style = Bold, Size = 18. Click the Color combo box and select White.
40. From the Cell Attributes box, click the Alignment property sheet.
41. In the Text Alignment section, click the Horizontal combo box and select Center. Set the Vertical combo box to Center.
42. From the Text Control section, click Merge Cells to check its check mark.
43. Click OK.
44. Save your workbook.
45. Click Sheet2.