How do I disable column formatting?

Hi Mark,

"It would be so much easier if we could simply tell Numbers not to apply automatic cell formatting on import."

Yvan is correct is stating that "We," the users who populate this forum, "can't change this behaviour."

That;'s something that can only be done by Apple and its development teams. Requests for enhancements and chnges to the ways Numbers operates need to be made directly to Apple. The direct path is the Provide Numbers Feedback item in the Numbers menu in Numbers, or via the webpage linked in this message. Don't expect to see a result until at least the next full-version upgrade of Numbers.

Regards,

Barry

Well, auto-manipulating my data seems like the much harder feature to deliver. All I want it to do is leave my data alone. Which doesn't seem like an outlandish request. A checkbox on the import window would do.

Has anyone figure out how to avoid this? Absolutely maddening!! Leave my data alone!!!

The import tool is designed to apply the default format linked to each kind of data.

We can't change this behavior.

You may edit the date and time default format thru the System Preferences Pane named, in French : "Langue et texte" (the one with a blue flag with a circular map).

Click the tab named Formats.

Numbers defaults to the third Date format and to the active Time format.

You may edit these formats to match your wishes.

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) mardi 3 mai 2011 05:41:58

Please :

Search for questions similar to your own before submitting them to the community

To be the AW6 successor, iWork MUST integrate a TRUE DB, not a list organizer !

It is unfortunate that this import behavior cannot be changed. Here is another example of undesired results:

In our database we have a text field that contains two numerals with a solidus between them (e.g., "42/2") that represent the number of an item in a catalog. When we export records from the database to a .csv file and import that file into Numbers, the program performs the arithmetic operation "42 divided by 2" and the cell reads "21" in Numbers. Obviously this is not what we want, and the only way I have found to get around the problem is to do a search and replace in the .csv file and change the "/" to something unique that won't be interpreted as an arithmetic operator by Numbers, then do the import, then change the cell formatting from "Automatic" to "Text" and replace the unique character with the solidus in Numbers.

It would be so much easier if we could simply tell Numbers not to apply automatic cell formatting on import.

Hi patrick,

As mentioned upthread, you can format your data to display how you want it to. Numbers is about manipulating data. It tries to make it easy for the majority. You, being the unique individual that you are may not be served by Numbers.

"Use the tool that suits your needs"

quinn

You'd need to preprocess the CSV data so that field value starts with apostrophe (') in order for it to be treated as literal text.

CSV e.g.,

4/2,6/3 '4/2,'6/3

The first record will be interpreted as Numbers likes, but the second record should remain the original text (with leading apostrophe removed).

Tested with Numbers v2. Don't know about later versions, for I don't use them.

Regards,

H

Hi Patrick,

quinn's advice is spot on:

As mentioned upthread, you can format your data to display how you want it to. Numbers is about manipulating data. It tries to make it easy for the majority. You, being the unique individual that you are may not be served by Numbers.

"Use the tool that suits your needs"

Apple uses the 80/20 rule: You can please 80% of users all of of the time. The other 20% of users have special (advanced) needs that would require 80% of Apple's resources and 'blow out' each app to make it cumbersome for the main users.

Regards,

Ian.

why not just select the coumn affected and format it correctly???

That answer is neither helpful nor sensible.

Don't use the tool that suits your needs?

If there were more than 2 options, that might be sensible advice.