Auto-fill lists

Question

I'm trying to achieve a similar functionality that can be found in the Home Inventory template in iWork '09. If you open that template, you'll see that changing the category moves the items around to be filed under the different category headings. I would like some help trying to figure out how to do this. However, I'd like the information to be copied from another sheet.
Sheet 1 - 2 columns: item, category
Sheet 2 - Multiple headings as different rows, similar to Home Improvement template, with items listed under each
Adding an item on sheet 1 creates the new row on sheet 2. Changing a category on sheet 1 moves the item around on sheet 2.
I hope this makes sense. Any tutorial would be nice. I'd rather learn than be given a step-by-step, but my searches aren't returning anything close to what I'm looking for.
Thanks.

Answer 1

charlieholder wrote:
Sheet 1 - 2 columns: item, category
Sheet 2 - Multiple headings as different rows, similar to Home Improvement template, with items listed under each
Adding an item on sheet 1 creates the new row on sheet 2. Changing a category on sheet 1 moves the item around on sheet 2.
Hi Charlie,
Let's start by using vocabulary specific to Numbers.
a Sheet is the base which may contain one or more tables, charts and/or other objects
a Table is an array of cells, placed on a Sheet.
1. Adding an item to Table 1 won't create a new row on Table 2, but the data can be copied to an existing row on Table 2. Table 2 can be placed on Sheet 1, Sheet 2, or any other Sheet in the document (and may be moved from one Sheet to another within the document).
2. Changing the data in a cell on Table 1 will change the copy of that information on Table 2.
Categories are groupings of the data based on specific criteria. They are specific to a single table, and the data used to sort and categorize the table must be contained on that table.
With that in mind, for Table 1, I would use a "Standard" table (One header row, one header column), two columns by as many rows as you need.
Table 2 (also a "Standard" table) needs at least two rows, and at least as many rows as Table 1. To begin with, I would put it onto the same Sheet as Table 1, so that you can work with and see both at the same time.
The easiest way to construct the simple version of the formula to copy values from one Table (Table 1) to another (Table 2) is to use a combination of keyboard and mouse.
Click on A2 of Table 2.
Type an equals sign (=)
Click on A2 of Table 1
Press return or tab, or click the "Accept" button.
If Table 1::A2 contains data, the data will now appear in Table 2::A2.
If Table 1::A2 is empty, that will be interpreted as a zero, and 0 will appear in Table 2::A2.
A column full of zeroes is probably not what you want to see for empty lines on Table 1, so a cosmetic addition to the formula is in order.
Current formula: =Table 1::A2
Revised formula: =IF(LEN(Table 1 :: A2)>0,Table 1::A2,"")
LEN() is a text function that counts the characters in a text string (and interprets a number as text for this purpose). If there's any data in the target cell, LEN() will be greater than zero, and the formula will show that data. Otherwise the formula returns the empty string, and the cell appears 'empty'.
Enter or edit the formula, then select Table 2::A2 again if necessary.
Grab the small circular control at the lower right of the selected cell and drag it right to copy the cell into B2. (As A is an Header column, you may have to Copy the cell, then Paste it in B2).
Reselect both cells if necessary, then grab the control again and drag it down to the *last row of Table 2.*
  • Filling to the last row makes every non-header cell in the column contain the same formula, a necessary condition for added rows to be automatically filled with the formula as they are added.
Setting categories:
Click on Table 2 to select it.
Click the Reorganize button.
In the bottom section use the popup menu to select column B
Leave the new popup that appear set to 'unique values'
Check the checkbox to "Insert Categories from the following'
New categories will be added for each new value entered in column B of Table 1.
New items will be placed in the correct (existing or new) category on Table 2 when their categories are entered on Table 1.
CAUTION:
As noted earlier, Table 2 must contain at least as many rows as Table 1. NOTE that this does NOT include the inserted Category rows in Table 2 (nor those in Table 1 if there are categories inserted there).
Rows may be added to Table 2 by selecting any cell, then dragging the Row handle at the bottom left of the table downward. remember that formulas will be autofilled to added rows only if ALL cells in that column (except header row cells) contain the same formula. Category row cells contain no formulas, and will break the autofill. *Before adding rows, go to the Reorganize dialogue and uncheck the insert Categories button.*
Regards,
Barry