[Libreoffice-bugs] [Bug 127210] New: DDE function breaks if Item/range parameter is from another cell

[bugzilla-daemon at bugs.documentfoundation.org]

https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=127210

            Bug ID: 127210
           Summary: DDE function breaks if Item/range parameter is from
                    another cell
           Product: LibreOffice
           Version: 6.3.0.4 release
          Hardware: x86-64 (AMD64)
                OS: Windows (All)
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
          Severity: normal
          Priority: medium
         Component: Calc
          Assignee: libreoffice-bugs at lists.freedesktop.org
          Reporter: bht237 at gmail.com

Description:
Please use the attached test case spreadsheet file BadComplexTOS.xls

Calc is losing DDE function cell entries. The bad formulas were initially fully
functional.
This happens after the spreadsheet is closed after saving it, and then
re-opened.
All cells previously containing good DDE links now contain the following
formula:

=NA()

The original content was like:

=DDE("TOS","Last",A2)

where A2 is a cell in the same row that contains the Item/range parameter
value, in this case a stock symbol.

If I restore the formula, then it may work again, but in the practical case
with about 50 DDE links I get an error in the status bar: "Error: Value not
available"

An obvious anomaly with this failing test case is the fact that on opening the
spreadsheet file, the following prompt at the top of the sheet is MISSING:

"Automatic update of external links has been disabled. [Enable Content] [X]"

I expect this to be presented when the spreadsheet file contains DDL links.
This is of course logical after the links have been replaced with =NA() entries
so the links are gone, but I have also seen this when the links were not yet
replaced with =NA() entries. In that case, it could be that the failure to
detect a DDE function if the parameter refers to another cell entry is part of
the problem.

DDE using the same formula with the Item/range parameter value hard-coded works
from another spreadsheet.

If I create a new sheet in the erroneous document, then the formula also
breaks. This indicates that the file is broken not only the sheet.

I save the file with option "Use Excel 97-2003 Format" but I don't think that
this matters.

I verified that Calc has no problem with the same DDE function using a
hard-coded parameter value. Please see the attached test case file
GoodSimpleTOS.xls.

I also verified that Calc has no problem generally to take the Item/range
parameter value from another cell. Please see the attached test case
GoodComplexFile.ods to check this.

It might be complex to reproduce this problem because I can also produce
positive results with GoodComplexFile.ods. However, the bad case is
reproducible and persistent at my end, and I cannot find a work-around
solution. It would be great to have this resolved because DDE is such a
powerful and useful function.


Steps to Reproduce:
Please refer to description.

Actual Results:
Please refer to description.

Expected Results:
Please refer to description.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No



Additional Info:

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