Linking Numbers and Pages?

Question

Level 1

9 points

Linking Numbers and Pages?

In reading other topics, I see some have stated that Numbers is a Database with page layout features. Really? I'm lost.

When I copy and Paste to Pages, I retain the gridlines and titles. I would love to drop those and make the new Pages doc perform like aWord Processing doc, unlinked hopefully.

When I try to Export from Numbers, I only get Excel, PDF, or CSV as choices.

Can you export directly to Pages and link or unlink the two of them?

Am I missing something here?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Apr 13, 2011 9:19 AM

Reply

Answer 1

brwnsfan Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2011 9:22 AM in response to brwnsfan

Go to Appleworks 6 to Numbers 9, New Layout Command Topic in this section to see my Bento work around. lots of clicks, but I imagine anything gets easier after you do it a few times.

Reply

Answer 2

Apr 13, 2011 9:48 AM in response to brwnsfan

Copying a Table in Numbers doing a Paste Values it into Pages would seem to me to be an easy way to make the trip. Then in Pages you can Format > Table > Convert Table to Text.

I'd rather do that than fiddle with Exporting and Importing. Not knowing more about your database I can't offer more at this time.

There is no automatic way to link the Numbers source with the Pages result for future updates.

Jerry

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 13, 2011 9:59 AM in response to brwnsfan

If I understand your post correctly, Numbers' user guide provides an answer to your question about how to link data that you created in Numbers and want to include in a Pages document.

p.140
*Sharing Charts with Pages and Keynote Documents*
You can copy a chart and paste it into a Keynote presentation or a Pages document. After it’s pasted, the chart is linked to the Numbers version. If the Numbers table data depicted in the chart changes, you can refresh the chart in Keynote or Pages.
*To link a Numbers chart to a copy of it in Keynote or Pages:*
Save your spreadsheet, select and copy the chart, and then paste it into a Keynote presentation or a Pages document.
*To update a linked chart in Keynote or Pages:*
Make sure that the Numbers spreadsheet containing the updated chart is saved. In Keynote or Pages, select the chart and click the Refresh button.
*To unlink a chart from its Numbers version:*
In Keynote or Pages, select the chart and click Unlink.

p. 240
*Sharing Charts, Data, and Tables with other iWork Applications*
You can copy a chart and paste it into a Keynote presentation or a Pages document. After it’s pasted, the chart is linked to the Numbers version. If the Numbers table data depicted in the chart changes, save the changed Numbers spreadsheet and then refresh the chart in Keynote or Pages. See “Sharing Charts with Pages and Keynote Documents” on page 140 for more information.

Reply

Answer 4

brwnsfan Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2011 10:16 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

+Copying a Table in Numbers doing a Paste Values it into Pages would seem to me to be an easy way to make the trip. Then in Pages you can Format > Table > Convert Table to Text.+

Ok. I tried to Paste several fields into Pages ( so I would create a new document or Layout) after copying it from Numbers. The "Paste Values" command isn't there in Pages.

What am I missing?

Reply

Answer 5

Apr 13, 2011 11:25 AM in response to brwnsfan

brwnsfan wrote:
The "Paste Values" command isn't there in Pages.

What am I missing?

Right you are!

That was probably unnecessary anyway, but if you do have formulas that you want to flatten to data, you could do that before taking it to Pages.

(One of my pet peeves is the lack of consistency in some of the elements of iWork and despite being aware, I forget.)

So, given that you're not missing anything, what is it that you would like to do from here?

Jerry

Reply

Answer 6

brwnsfan Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2011 11:39 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

I am trying to replicate the "New Layout" command in Appleworks and have multiple Layouts in the same database.

I have a Database of 10 fields set up for each project my company does. I then take the New Layout command and select a Columnar Report. I select from 1 to 9 of the 10 fields and it comes up not as a database, but in columns. No grid lines or Table lines, still in Appleworks. I can resize the columns so they fit on the sheet and handle it almost like a word processing document. Sometimes, if I want to unlink it so I can make changes, I would copy it to a blank.doc in Office.

This way I can create a report for salespeople or customers to see that will have just the fields they need. They can now open it too as it is in Word. I can't seem to do this in Numbers.

See my other topic "Appleworks 6 to Numbers9" for a discussion I had yesterday with other people. I found a possible solution in Bento, not satisfactory, but it might work if that's the best I can do.

Reply

Answer 7

Apr 13, 2011 11:46 AM in response to brwnsfan

Bear with me. I'm still trying to find the high-friction points.

It sounds as though one problem is that you want tabular data, and Convert Table to Text will give you that in Pages. But, it also sounds as though a Table would suffice if you could turn off all the lines. This would make a nice, easy to copy, object. Am I correct?

Jerry

Reply

Answer 8

brwnsfan Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2011 12:03 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Yes, I'm not familiar with Numbers but will try to fumble my way through that.

Will I be able to display some of but not all of the fields in this fashion?

Reply

Answer 9

brwnsfan Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2011 12:08 PM in response to brwnsfan

Allrighty,

I pasted 3 of the 10 fields into Pages but can't find a Convert Table to Text command. That would be too easy, wouldn't it?

Reply

Answer 10

Apr 13, 2011 12:18 PM in response to brwnsfan

What I think you will find is that if you hide some fields in Numbers and then Copy the entire Table, followed by a Paste in Pages, the hidden fields will remain hidden, but you will have limited editing options - won't be able to convert to text, won't be able to un-hide, etc.

If you prepare a table in Numbers with just the columns you want, copy that and paste into Pages, you can then convert to text, or not, and, I think, it will behave as a table that was native to Pages in the first place.

Jerry

Message was edited by: Jerrold Green1

Reply

Answer 11

brwnsfan Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2011 12:26 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Once the Table is in Pages, how do I convert it to Text?

Reply

Answer 12

Apr 13, 2011 12:33 PM in response to brwnsfan

The Table must be an Inline Object. Select the table, then Format > Table > Convert Table to Text.

What you will get will be essentially a TSV text block representing your table.

Jerry

Reply

Answer 13

brwnsfan Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2011 12:40 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

This appears to be very close to what I need.

I then have to use the space bar to "line up" the info in rows. Maybe setting tabs would work better?

Thanks so much, I will mark this a solved as I think it is the best method I have heard so far.

Reply

Answer 14

Apr 13, 2011 12:47 PM in response to brwnsfan

brwnsfan wrote:
I then have to use the space bar to "line up" the info in rows. Maybe setting tabs would work better?

Definitely, set ruler tabs, don't add spaces to the text. Converting Table to Text gives you Tabs, don't waste them.

Your data must be a bit unusual, perhaps some long text fields, or you would already see good alignment. It may be that you need wider TAB-STOP spacing than the default. Either edit the stops in the Ruler, or use the Text Inspector, Tabs tab, Tab Stops. Click the + sign to add a tab in that dialog.

Jerry

Reply

Answer 15

brwnsfan Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 14, 2011 9:01 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Went to the Apple Store yesterday, met with a specialist. Here's what we came up with.

Copy a file from Appleworks to Bento or Numbers (fewer compatibilty errors than directly copying from Appleworks) then select 3 or 4 of the 10 fields in Bento.

Open a blank WP in Pages and select Table. Select the first empty white cell, Paste data into the empty form. It will automatically open as many columns & rows as you need.

Open the Inspector and select Table Tools. Name Headers. Position Data in the fields if you wish by choosing Format--Text. Select Cell Borders--None. Click around or on the outside of the Tables and the lines are hidden.

Now it prints with named columns, looking like a WP doc. I can save it as a PDF to email to non-Apple customers.

My only concern is that the entire database, all 10 fields, is in Bento or Numbers and my files/reports I created are in Pages. Hopefully as they are upgraded, they stay compatible. I think I should import to and create new databases in Bento, it's more capable than Numbers is.

Reply