Ticket Options

Question Details

TICKET ARCHIVE -> Calculator: Can I paste groups of numbers in?

RobinS - Jun 29, 2006 - 9:33 am

I have a bunch of figures in both Word documents and Excel documents. I was wondering if it might be possible to copy and paste those numbers into the Calculator to add them up. I use Tools Calculate in Word and its great. But this is for something different.

Thunderthud - Jun 29, 2006 - 5:26 pm

Try it.

RobinS - Jun 30, 2006 - 3:25 am

Well obviously I tried it......otherwise I wouldn't have asked the question.

And obviously it doesn't work. 10+10+10= when copied into the calculator bring up 101010. When I take out the = and add = in the calculator nothing happens.

Is this possible? It would be cool if the calculator could integrate with other programs and the simplest way of integration is copying and pasting numbers.

Thunderthud - Jun 30, 2006 - 1:11 pm

Sorry for sounding glib but you would be surprised how many times the simple things are overlooked.

Clearly, you found out that it doesn't work. You could try having Word or Excel export the data to, in Word's case, a text file or, in Excel's case, a comma delimited text document and then try to cut and paste from them using a simple text editing program like TextEdit.

You can also check to see what's on the clipboard after you cut by choosing Show Clipboard from the Finder's Edit menu (cut from within, say, Word then click on the desktop to get to the Finder and select Edit:Show Clipboard).

If the clipboard has what you want then the problem is with the calculator being able to import it properly (it may strip all but numbers for example). If the clipboard is incomplete then it's Word or Excel which is not exporting properly.

If it is the calculator's fault you might try other calculator programs. Check out what you can find at versiontracker.com or tucows.com.

RobinS - Jul 2, 2006 - 10:03 am

I really don't know why you responded to me if you have little or no knowledge as to the possible solution. If you did, you wouldn't have suggested to "Show Clipboard" because you would have known it copies flawlessly.

So the problem is with the Calculator. And since you didn't suggest a remedy for that scenario, please repool the question.

earthsaver - Jul 4, 2006 - 2:32 pm

I suggest trying a calculator that can handle the functionality you seek. Two possibilities come to mind. If you're seeking only one operation at a time, just use Google. If you want to be able to operate on one result to get another, and so forth, I recommend Calc Thingy.
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/12847

- Ben

RobinS - Jul 4, 2006 - 4:03 pm

One at a time should be fine. By Google, do you mean an online calculator? Like this? http://www.math.com/students/calcula...urce/basic.htm
I pasted in 10+10+10 and hit = and it spitted out 30. Seemed to work fine. That's funny.....I almost live my whole life online and never thought of using an online calculator.....lol.

earthsaver - Jul 4, 2006 - 4:11 pm

No, I mean Google. Just perform a search on whatever calculation or unit conversion you want and Google Calculator will appear at the top of your results, if there even are any regular results.

RobinS - Jul 4, 2006 - 4:24 pm

Thanks again. Got it straight now.

BTW, where in this big world are you? Must be western Europe by the time difference?

earthsaver - Jul 4, 2006 - 4:32 pm

Takoma Park, Maryland. By the way, if you want an easier way to search Google (or Amazon, or iTunes Music Store) from anywhere—and this would allow easier calculations if you have the string ready to copy/paste—I've had great convenience using SearchGoogle.service.
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/12304

I conveniently select text in any application and press Shift+Command+period and get Google results. Has similar shortcuts for the other two.

RobinS - Jul 4, 2006 - 5:26 pm

Now that's an amazingly ingenius little program. Sometimes the best things in life ARE free. Thanks again.