Re: gnumeric XML doesn't show result of formula

[Allin Cottrell <cottrell wfu edu>]

On Sun, 3 Feb 2008, John Machin wrote:

(about printing the evaluated result of a formula into 
a spreadsheet file, as well as the formula itself)

> The object of the exercise is to be able to extract data from whatever 
> spreadsheet format is presented:
> * without requiring the originator to save it as a particular format
> * without requiring the extractor to open it and save it as another format
> * without requiring the presence of Gnumeric/OOo Calc/Excel on the 
> extracting machine.

I think this is reasonable.  A case in point that I know of is the 
econometrics program, gretl.  gretl can read a variety of formats 
including gnumeric XML, but it can't do anything with gnumeric 
files that use formulas: it's easy to read XML with libxml2, but 
not so easy to replicate gnumeric's calculation apparatus.

Gnumeric is out of line with other spreadsheet programs in this 
respect.  (In most respects gnumeric is better than the others, 
but not this one.)

Allin Cottrell

--
Allin Cottrell
Department of Economics
Wake Forest University, NC