No more categories in numbers 3.0?

The messages are not always the same, and there could be new ones that I have not seen before...

This will handle that. It looks at the data table and extracts the distinct values. If there are new messages in there it will automatically sense that and expand the list to include them.

The categorization is tougher to handle. But if the number of, say, hostnames doesn't change that much, you can do something like this. You could do the same horizontally for date ranges. Again the source data was sorted ascending by column A.

This is a one-time setup and thereafter you're good to go with new datasets.

SG

I appreciate the effort, but I think it's sadly easier to go with excel's pivot tables.

There are many hostnames, which will all turn up intermittently.

If I had no alternative I would have to use a work around - but I do have the use of excel - even if I dont like it - and even though I dont think much of m$ generally, the pivot table gets the job done fast...

Its a long time now since the new numbers was introduced. I really would like to update. But without categories Numbers is not usefull anymore for me. This is bitter 😟 Just wanted to let Apple know.

Just wanted to let Apple know.

We're fellow users here. If you want to let Apple know, best use Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback in your menu.

SG

Did that, thanks for the advice.

In '09 I could create a spreadsheet in straight date order, print it, and then, with about 3 mouse-clicks, create a sheet categorized by a category column with subtotals by category. Took me about 20 seconds at most.

In the new Numbers, I cannot do that. And the example of how to do it given above is incomprehensible to me. I'm not a spreadsheet guru. I don't know what any of the mentioned functions mean (or how to find them, honestly). And the illustrated example explains absolutely nothing to me.

Apple gave us a wonderful, simple-to-use tool, and then removed it without warning. Yes, I still have Numbers '09, and I can export my table as an '09 document, then open it in the old program, and let it do its magic. But what used to take 15 or 20 seconds now takes well over a minute.

Please, Apple! Give us back the Categorize by column tool.

Hi Allen,

Entering just *one* formula in a table and copying it right and down into other cells doesn't really require being a "spreadsheet guru" does it? 🙂

Don't spreadsheets typically require the use of at least some formulas? The flexibility and power formulas provide is probably the main reason most people use spreadsheets in the first place.

If having removed that feature makes Numbers 3 more streamlined and faster and a better performer cross-platform, then for me it's a net plus, saving far more than 15 to 20 seconds here or there. So it may be a question of balancing the needs of users like me with your needs.

And of course you still can do what you want with categories on your Mac. Just use the old Numbers.

If you want to give feedback to Apple to express interest in their restoring the feature (assuming they can get it to work well cross-platform), you could consider going to Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback in your menu.

SG

Thank you for replying so quickly!

Entering just *one* formula in a table and copying it right and down into other cells doesn't really require being a "spreadsheet guru" does it?

My problem with your example is simple: I don't understand it. I don't understand the image of it you posted. I've been working with computers since 1967; I was a VAX systems manager and taught seminars on programming for efficiency on the VAX. I've used a Mac since 1986, I've programmed relational databases, I've written scores of Applescripts, so I am not a neophyte. But beyond very simple formulas (like =B2 + C3 - B3), and a SUM function at the bottom of a column, I've done zero programming in spreadsheets. I probably could use your example if I understood it, but I think you are presuming a level of spreadsheet knowledge I don't have. I'm not even sure what you mean by "copying it right and down"!

I tried to decipher what you suggested, but it sounded to me as though I was going to have to retype all my data in a second table. I'm probably misunderstanding. If you could explain a bit more, it might help. If you don't have time to instruct someone who, as to spreadsheets, is an *almost* ground zero beginner, I will understand.

There are multiple instances in these instructions that are Greek to me:

The proper method is to use the SUMIFS, the COUNTIFS and the AVERAGEIFS functions and others like them to build your pivot tables.

1. Create a new table to summarize your data.
2. Add a header column with the list of categories you want to summarize.
3. In the header row, add the cross referencing information you want to summarize with.
4. In the cells, place SUMIFS or similar functions to generate your data.
5. Make sure to check the "Preserve Collumn" option for each argument in the formula and the "Preserve Row" option where it references your header row.

You probably need to first spend a little time with Help > Numbers Help and Help > Formulas & Functions Help in your menu.

As you've seen the language of spreadsheet formulas is terse. The formula in my example above ....

=COUNTIFS('Data-1'::$A,$A2,'Data-1'::$B,B$1)

... means something like this in database terms. Query the values in column A of table 'Data-1' for matches on the value found in cell A2 (the first column) of this table and also query the values for values in column B of table 'Data-1' for matches on the value found in cell B1 (the first row) of this table. Then count the values in the filtered set. That's it.

The $ are simply reference "anchors" that allow you to take that one formula and copy it right and down in that table without losing the reference to the first column and the first row, thus making it easy to create a "cross tab" without entering a new formula in each cell.

Examination of the Formulas & Functions Help should help. This is pretty easy compared to a lot of things in relational databases.

SG