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Numbers problem with autofill

I'm trying repeat a cell entry in a horizontal direction, but no yellow dot appears on the SIDE border of the cell. I can repeat a cell entry vertically but not horizontally. Why ?

iMac 27", macOS 10.15

Posted on Nov 5, 2019 10:03 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 7, 2019 7:14 PM

alastair145 wrote:

the difference between header columns and other kinds of columns, also why some columns have a grey background and others a white background.


You'll note that a Header Row in Numbers are similar to Headers in Excel Tables (where you select a range of data and Insert > Table) and a Footer Row is similar to the Totals Row in an Excel table. They're highly useful. You can put a formula in the Footer Row that refers to its own column. For example, if you are doing a sum on column B all you have to do is =SUM(B) in a cell in the Footer Row. Similar, but even easier, than what you would do in an Excel Table.


A Header Column, on the other hand, does not seem to have a direct equivalent in Excel, except perhaps in the sense that you can Freeze Header Columns, which gives as similar effect to Window > Freeze Panes in Excel.


By default one Header Column is included when you click the new table icon in the Toolbar. By default that column is gray but it can be styled to look like any other column in your table. To see that just open the 'Charting Basics' template at File > New in your menu and look at the Fundraiser Results by Salesperson table. It doesn't seem so at first glance but that column A there is a Header Column.


Which brings us to a crucial point about Header Columns. If you are doing a category type chart such as a column chart or bar chart as in the template then you must have a Header Column. That's where a chart gets its labels.


If you are doing a scatter type, on the other hand, then you do not want to have a Header Column.


I have never heard of Header Columns in any way affecting the performance of Numbers or being notoriously slow or anything like that.


As you make the transition from Excel to Numbers I highly recommend spending some time with the templates. They provide excellent examples of how to use the table-centric design of Numbers.


SG







13 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 7, 2019 7:14 PM in response to alastair145

alastair145 wrote:

the difference between header columns and other kinds of columns, also why some columns have a grey background and others a white background.


You'll note that a Header Row in Numbers are similar to Headers in Excel Tables (where you select a range of data and Insert > Table) and a Footer Row is similar to the Totals Row in an Excel table. They're highly useful. You can put a formula in the Footer Row that refers to its own column. For example, if you are doing a sum on column B all you have to do is =SUM(B) in a cell in the Footer Row. Similar, but even easier, than what you would do in an Excel Table.


A Header Column, on the other hand, does not seem to have a direct equivalent in Excel, except perhaps in the sense that you can Freeze Header Columns, which gives as similar effect to Window > Freeze Panes in Excel.


By default one Header Column is included when you click the new table icon in the Toolbar. By default that column is gray but it can be styled to look like any other column in your table. To see that just open the 'Charting Basics' template at File > New in your menu and look at the Fundraiser Results by Salesperson table. It doesn't seem so at first glance but that column A there is a Header Column.


Which brings us to a crucial point about Header Columns. If you are doing a category type chart such as a column chart or bar chart as in the template then you must have a Header Column. That's where a chart gets its labels.


If you are doing a scatter type, on the other hand, then you do not want to have a Header Column.


I have never heard of Header Columns in any way affecting the performance of Numbers or being notoriously slow or anything like that.


As you make the transition from Excel to Numbers I highly recommend spending some time with the templates. They provide excellent examples of how to use the table-centric design of Numbers.


SG







Nov 7, 2019 8:29 AM in response to t quinn

Hello Mr. Quinn, thank you very much for solving the problem. I reset the problem column to 0 and am now able to drag cells to the right with the yellow dot, which now appears after hovering the cursor on the right border. I was until recently a Windows

and Excel user for 25 years, so I am very much a beginner with numbers. Thank you once again for your help. I will now try to find out the difference between header columns and other kinds of columns, also why some columns have a grey background and others a white background. Thanks also to all the others who tried to help.

Nov 7, 2019 9:58 AM in response to alastair145

Hi alastair,


Glad that took care of it for you. There are many members of this forum that have, like you, deep experience with Excel. You may find their insights useful in the transition. My understanding of the major differences is that Numbers is organized around the idea of multiple small tables on a sheet(canvas) vs Excel's sheet wide tables and a lack of Array functions in Numbers. You are bound to have a more nuanced apprication of the differences.


If you want to drive answers to the top of the thread, you can mark them "Solved" or "Helpful" and people with similar questions will see them first.


quinn

Nov 7, 2019 5:00 PM in response to alastair145

Grey is header, white is body. Main advantage of header columns is they can be set to remain on the screen when scrolling large tables. Their content can also be used to assign names to an array (Row or column) which can be used when writing cell references. Main disadvantage is they are notoriously slow, and a nightmare to edit on large sheets - primarily because Numbers has to check everything to make sure nothing breaks whenever you edit a header.

Numbers problem with autofill

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