Test Driving Linux

Calc

Calc is the spreadsheet program in OpenOffice.org. In its basic features and functions, Calc is comparable to Microsoft Excel, so if you're familiar with recent versions of Excel you'll feel quite at home in Calc. However, just as in Writer, you may sometimes have trouble locating a familiar old command in Calc. You may also occasionally have a problem importing an Excel file, although most Excel files should open fine in Calc.

If you are an advanced spreadsheet user, you will be disappointed to learn that Calc cannot run Microsoft Office-originated Visual Basic macros. (There are workarounds, but these are beyond the scope of this book.) More than the other programs in OpenOffice.org, Calc calls for adjustments from Microsoft Office users. However, if you are a basic- or intermediate-level MS Excel user, Calc will probably meet your needs.

To launch Calc, click K Menu→ Use office tools→ Create a spreadsheet. Like Writer, the program may take quite some time to start up.

Open and Save Files

First things first. To open a file in Calc, select File→ Open, choose the desired file in the dialog window, and click the Open button. You can also press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-O.

To save the currently opened file to its current folder location, simply select File→ Save or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-S. If you want to put a file into a new folder (as you need to do when saving a file for the first time), select File→ Save As.... Choose the folder location, enter a filename in the ...