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Concert Device Config ODS Export function and Sorting

Just spent some time exporting a couple of dimmer rack configs to ODS files to make some naming changes and create some panel schedules for a job, and noticed an feature that I have a problem with.

When exporting a dimmer rack layout to an ODS file to edit it's circuit name, module type, etc, the columns for numerically identified items (lug, circuit, dmx A, dmx B, etc.) all have an apostrophe at the beginning of the number.  In the OpenCalc program of Open office, this makes those columns not affected by formulas, as well as left justifying them in the column boxes for easy reading.  It also makes them not sortable by numerical order.  For example-  My racks in the config are phase balanced.  I was trying to sort first by Circuit number, so I could rename a couple of circuits by finding their circuit number, then print out a panel schedule by circuit number.  Then I wanted to re-sort the file by Lug Number, so I could print out a panel schedule how the rack is laid out in phase balanced fashion.  What I found was I had to re-enter all the numbers in the Lug and Circuit columns to remove the apostrophe at the beginning so I wouldn't end up with a sort of Lug or Circuit number order of 1,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,2,20,21 etc.

Can Concert in a future version either remove the apostrophe from the Lug and Circuit number columns or make it an option that we can select in the Preferences display?  It would make manipulation of the spreadsheet file by using standard sort options much easier.

Thanks.

 

  • I just had this problem with a Light Designer export. Here's the work-around I used:

    1. Copy the column to sort by into a user data column and name it something like "sort by DMX".

    2. Follow these steps from this thread:

    1. Highlight all of the cells and use Format -> Cells to change the cell format to an appropriate number format.

    2. With all of the cells still selected, go to the menu Edit -> Find & Replace

    3. In the Search For box enter .* (period asterisk)

    4. In the Replace with box enter &

    5. Select More Options and check Current Selection Only and Regular Expressions

    6. Click Replace All

    The .* "means zero or more of any character" and & means "whatever was found". These are regular expressions which are explained in the help section

    3. You shouldn't have to, but you can set the cell format for the "sort by" column to a number format for good measure. 

    Now you can sort by the field you chose without overwriting the values manually, and it should work through import/export cycles. 

  • Just changing the format of the cells to Text will remove the ' and it will still be importable.

    Not sure if the sorting still works as i don't use it.

    Tom

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