AppleWorks divides long text entries into separate cells. Thus, AppleWorks users who change column widths must retype their multi-column labels.
ClarisWorks stores long labels in a single cell and displays the label across multiple cells if the adjacent cells are empty. That lets you change column widths and fonts without segmenting the label.
However, the differences between the two programs causes a problem when you import an AppleWorks spreadsheet into ClarisWorks. AppleWorks exports the text as a series of separate labels in adjacent cells (see Figure 1). Any changes you make to the format of those cells in ClarisWorks result in missing characters or extra spaces between columns.
If you only have a few long labels, you can re-type the multiple cell labels in ClarisWorks and then blank the remaining cells. However, that is time-consuming and can result in typing errors.
Here are two workarounds that can save you time and effort:
Strategy #1: Successive Cuts and Pastes
The first approach has you cut and paste the contents of each cell. Refer to Figure 1 as you do the following:
1. Click on Cell B1, the cell to the right of the first label cell.
2. Go to the Edit Menu and select "Cut" (or press Command-X) to cut the contents of the cell to the clipboard.
3. Click on the first label cell (that is, cell A1).
4. Go to the Data Entry Bar and click at the end of the text.
5. Paste the text from the clipboard by selecting "Paste" from the Edit Menu (or press Command-V). You screen should now look like the example in Figure 2.
6. Repeat steps #1-5 for cells C1 through E1.
Strategy #2: Deleting Tabs
In the second approach, you cut the contents of the range of cells, from A1 through E1, and edit them in the word processor. Follow these steps:
1. Click on cell A1 and drag the cursor to select the range of cells through E1.
2. Press Command-X to cut the contents of the range of cells to the clipboard.
3. Press Command-N to create a new file, and click on "OK" to create a "Word Processor" document.
4. Press Command-V to paste the contents of cells A1-E1 from the clipboard into the word processor file.
5. Press Command-F to call up the Find/Change Window.
6. With the cursor in the Find Box, press Command-Tab to enter a tab. ClarisWorks will display "\\t" in the Find Box (see Figure 3).
7. Press the Tab Key to go to the Change Box.
8. Press the Delete Key; nothing will appear in the Change Box.
9. Click on the Change All Button. ClarisWorks will delete all the tabs.
10. Click and drag across the reassembled text to select it, and press Command-X to cut it to the clipboard.
11. Go to the View Menu and select the spreadsheet document to return to it.
12. Click on cell A1 to select it. Then press Command-V to paste the contents of the clipboard into cell A1.
13. Repeat these steps for each multi-cell label. You can create a ClarisWorks macro that automates this process (see the sidebar).
Cell A1 now contains the entire text string. Adjusting the width of columns B through E or changing fonts will not inadvertently delete characters or insert blank space into the label.
Figure 1.
Figure 2.
Figure 3.