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28<helpdocument version="1.0">
29<meta>
30<topic id="textscalcguidevalidityxml" indexer="include" status="PUBLISH">
31<title id="tit" xml-lang="en-US">Validity of Cell Contents</title>
32<filename>/text/scalc/guide/validity.xhp</filename>
33</topic>
34<history>
35<created date="2003-10-31T00:00:00">Sun Microsystems, Inc.</created>
36<lastedited date="2006-03-07T11:48:35">converted from old format - fpe</lastedited>
37</history>
38</meta>
39<body>
40<bookmark xml-lang="en-US" branch="index" id="bm_id3156442"><bookmark_value>values; limiting on input</bookmark_value>
41<bookmark_value>limits; specifying value limits on input</bookmark_value>
42<bookmark_value>permitted cell contents</bookmark_value>
43<bookmark_value>data validity</bookmark_value>
44<bookmark_value>validity</bookmark_value>
45<bookmark_value>cells; validity</bookmark_value>
46<bookmark_value>error messages; defining for incorrect input</bookmark_value>
47<bookmark_value>actions in case of incorrect input</bookmark_value>
48<bookmark_value>Help tips; defining text for cell input</bookmark_value>
49<bookmark_value>comments;help text for cells</bookmark_value>
50<bookmark_value>cells; defining input help</bookmark_value>
51<bookmark_value>macros; running when incorrect input</bookmark_value>
52<bookmark_value>data; validity check</bookmark_value>
53</bookmark><comment>mw changed "limit...;"</comment>
54<paragraph role="heading" id="hd_id3156442" xml-lang="en-US" level="1" l10n="U" oldref="22"><variable id="validity"><link href="text/scalc/guide/validity.xhp" name="Validity of Cell Contents">Validity of Cell Contents</link>
55</variable></paragraph>
56<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3156283" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="2">For each cell, you can define entries to be valid. Invalid entries to a cell will be rejected.</paragraph>
57<paragraph role="warning" id="par_id3145252" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="3">The validity rule is activated when a new value is entered. If an invalid value has already been inserted into the cell, or if you insert a value in the cell either with drag-and-drop or by copying and pasting, the validity rule will not take effect.</paragraph>
58<paragraph role="note" id="par_id5174718" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="NEW">You can choose <emph>Tools - Detective</emph> at any time and choose the command <link href="text/scalc/01/06030800.xhp" name="Mark Invalid Data"><emph>Mark Invalid Data</emph></link> to display which cells contain invalid values.</paragraph>
59<paragraph role="heading" id="hd_id3155603" xml-lang="en-US" level="2" l10n="U" oldref="5">Using Cell Contents Validity</paragraph>
60<list type="ordered">
61<listitem>
62<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3155959" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="6">Select the cells for which you want to define a new validity rule.</paragraph>
63</listitem>
64<listitem>
65<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3148837" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="8">Choose <item type="menuitem">Data - Validity</item>. </paragraph>
66</listitem>
67<listitem>
68<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3156020" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="9">On the <emph>Criteria</emph> tab page, enter the conditions for new values entered into cells. </paragraph>
69</listitem>
70<listitem>
71<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3159208" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="10">In the <emph>Allow</emph> field, select an option.</paragraph>
72</listitem>
73<listitem>
74<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3153011" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="11">If you select "Whole Numbers", values such as "12.5" are not allowed. Choosing "Date" allows date information both in the local date format as well as in the form of a <link href="text/sbasic/shared/03030101.xhp" name="serial date">serial date</link>. Similarly, the "Time" condition permits time values such as "12:00" or serial time numbers. "Text Length" stipulates that cells are allowed to contain text only.</paragraph>
75<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id9224829" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="NEW">Select "List" to enter a list of valid entries.</paragraph>
76</listitem>
77<listitem>
78<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3149317" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="13">Select the next condition under <emph>Data</emph>. According to what you choose, additional options will be selectable.</paragraph>
79</listitem>
80</list>
81<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3151389" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="15">After you have determined the conditions for cell validity, you can use the other two tab pages to create message boxes:</paragraph>
82<list type="unordered">
83<listitem>
84<paragraph role="listitem" id="par_id3159261" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="16">On the <emph>Input Help</emph> tab page, enter the title and the text of the tip, which will then be displayed if the cell is selected.</paragraph>
85</listitem>
86<listitem>
87<paragraph role="listitem" id="par_id3156396" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="17">On the <emph>Error Alert</emph> tab page, select the action to be carried out in the event of an error.</paragraph>
88<paragraph role="listitem" id="par_id3147416" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="18">If you select "Stop" as the action, invalid entries are not accepted, and the previous cell contents are retained.</paragraph>
89<paragraph role="listitem" id="par_id3150033" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="19">Select "Warning" or "Information" to display a dialog in which the entry can either be canceled or accepted.</paragraph>
90<paragraph role="listitem" id="par_id3149947" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="20">If you select "Macro", then by using the <emph>Browse</emph> button you can specify a macro to be run in the event of an error.</paragraph>
91</listitem>
92</list>
93<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3149011" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="35">To display the error message, select <emph>Show error message when invalid values are entered</emph>. </paragraph>
94<embed href="text/scalc/01/12120300.xhp#examplemakro"/>
95<paragraph role="note" id="par_id3148586" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="21">After changing the action for a cell on the <emph>Error Alert</emph> tab page and closing the dialog with OK, you must first select another cell before the change takes effect.</paragraph>
96<section id="relatedtopics">
97<paragraph role="paragraph" id="par_id3154805" xml-lang="en-US" l10n="U" oldref="30"><link href="text/scalc/01/12120000.xhp" name="Data - Validity">Data - Validity</link></paragraph>
98</section>
99</body>
100</helpdocument>
101