Query on Calc Pivot Tables

[Steve Fanning]

Hi Kohei,

Many thanks for responding to my query.

I’ve done some experimentation as you suggested and am still a little 
perplexed about the benefits to the user of this “Data” field. For what 
it’s worth, my experimentation was carried out using LO 6.4.3.2 running 
on Windows 10.

I discovered the following:

(1) At no time did I manage to generate a test case for which there was 
no “Data” entry visible in the Pivot Table Layout dialog, when the 
dialog was opened. (It is possible for you to apparently remove the 
“Data” field, but when you subsequently re-open the dialog it’s always 
automatically re-instated).
(2) You can drag the “Data” field between the Row Fields and Column 
Fields areas of the Pivot Table Layout dialog.
(3) Unlike with other data fields in the Row Fields and Column Fields 
areas, no dialog appears if you double-click on the “Data” field entry 
in the Pivot Table Layout dialog.
(4) In some circumstances (but not all), the existence of the “Data” 
field entry in either the Row Fields area or the Column Fields area will 
result in a “Data” field header appearing in the output pivot table (it 
looks like a button).
   - If the “Data” entry is the last entry in the list shown in the Pivot 
Table Layout dialog, then there is no visible impact on the output pivot 
table and no “Data” field header will appear.
   - If the “Data” entry is NOT the last entry in the list of entries 
shown in the Pivot Table Layout dialog, then a “Data” field header 
appears in the output pivot table.
   - If displayed, the “Data” field header will replace one of the other 
field headers, which will not longer be visible (and its built-in 
sorting and filtering options will obviously disappear too). It appears 
that the “Data” field header replaces the field header for the last 
entry in the list of entries shown in the Pivot Table Layout dialog.
(5) When a “Data” field header is visible in the output pivot table, it 
can be dragged between row and column positions. If you try to drag it 
out of the pivot table, a message appears saying “The data range can not 
be deleted”.
(6) Consider a scenario in which you have put multiple fields into the 
Row Fields area of the Pivot Table Layout dialog, along with the “Data” 
field in first position. This will cause all row data headers to be 
offset from their intended columns.

Can we suggest a user scenario when this behaviour might be useful?

Regards,

Steve


------ Original Message ------
From: "Kohei Yoshida" <kohei at libreoffice.org>
To: "Steve Fanning" <stevemfanning at yahoo.co.uk>
Cc: libreoffice at lists.freedesktop.org
Sent: 15/05/2020 00:07:49
Subject: Re: Query on Calc Pivot Tables

>On 09.05.2020 12:10, Steve Fanning wrote:
>
>>However Calc also (automatically) puts a field called “Data” in
>>the “Column Fields” area of the dialog. Please could somebody
>>explain what this “Data” field is for?
>
>My one-sentence explanation would be: this "Data" field controls the layout of the data fields when your pivot table contains two or more data field.
>
>Admittedly that sentence sounds awkward and confusing.  It's better that you see it in action than me trying to explain it in words.  Try creating a pivot table with two or more data fields, then your table will include this mysterious "Data" field header in the output.  Try dragging it to various places and see how that affects the layout of the table.  When you create a pivot table with only one data field (or no data fields at all), you won't see this "Data" field header.
>
>I hope this gives you some idea of what this "Data" field is.  I personally think this field needs a better name, but I'm not a UI guy and I have no idea what word would fit better than "Data".
>
>Kohei
>
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