Series Fill

Question

I have over 250 dates (in date order) that I wish to insert into a column, using Excel I can use Edit>Fill>Series functions then enter the first date then the last then all the 250 dates are automatically entered for me. Is there any way of doing similar in Numbers as all I can find is under Insert > Fill but as far as I can see no way to enter a Series of either dates or numbers to avoid entering a long list of data in order?
Thanks

Answer 1

I thought that I was clear.
Enter a date in A1: 1/1/2009
Enter a date in A2: 4/1/2009
As I am French I uses the French format d/m/y
Select the two cells then fill down.
The result will be:
1 janv. 2009
4 janv. 2009
7 janv. 2009
10 janv. 2009
13 janv. 2009
16 janv. 2009
19 janv. 2009
22 janv. 2009
25 janv. 2009
28 janv. 2009
31 janv. 2009
3 févr. 2009
6 févr. 2009
9 févr. 2009
12 févr. 2009
15 févr. 2009
18 févr. 2009
21 févr. 2009
24 févr. 2009
27 févr. 2009
2 mars 2009
5 mars 2009
8 mars 2009
11 mars 2009
14 mars 2009
17 mars 2009
20 mars 2009
23 mars 2009
26 mars 2009
29 mars 2009
1 avr. 2009
4 avr. 2009
7 avr. 2009
10 avr. 2009
13 avr. 2009
16 avr. 2009
19 avr. 2009
22 avr. 2009
25 avr. 2009
28 avr. 2009
1 mai 2009
4 mai 2009
7 mai 2009
If you enter/select a single date, the result will be:
1 janv. 2009
2 janv. 2009
3 janv. 2009
4 janv. 2009
5 janv. 2009
6 janv. 2009
7 janv. 2009
8 janv. 2009
9 janv. 2009
10 janv. 2009
11 janv. 2009
12 janv. 2009
13 janv. 2009
14 janv. 2009
15 janv. 2009
16 janv. 2009
17 janv. 2009
18 janv. 2009
19 janv. 2009
20 janv. 2009
21 janv. 2009
22 janv. 2009
23 janv. 2009
24 janv. 2009
25 janv. 2009
26 janv. 2009
27 janv. 2009
28 janv. 2009
29 janv. 2009
30 janv. 2009
31 janv. 2009
1 févr. 2009
2 févr. 2009
3 févr. 2009
4 févr. 2009
5 févr. 2009
6 févr. 2009
7 févr. 2009
8 févr. 2009
9 févr. 2009
10 févr. 2009
11 févr. 2009
12 févr. 2009
I want for example to enter dates sequentially from 1750 to 1850 (one hundred year span) so in cell A1 I entered 1750 then in cell A2 I entered 1751 I then highlighted cells A1 to A100 (to cover the one hundred year span) then clicked Insert > Fill>Fill Down, all that happened was that all the one hundred cells (A:1 to A:100) became 1750 and not A1:1750, A2:1751, A3:1752, A4:1753, A5:1754.............A100:1850.
*1750 is not a date, it's a number !*
For numbers you must fill two cells, select these two cells then apply fill down.
All that is explained in plain English in the *Numbers User Guide* which every user may download thru the Help menu.
If you want something which mimics the XL feature, use this script:
--[SCRIPT fillXcells]
Enregistrer le script en tant que Script : fillXcells.scpt
déplacer le fichier créé dans le dossier
<VolumeDeDémarrage>:Users:<votreCompte>:Library:Scripts:Applications:Numbers:
Il vous faudra peut-être créer le dossier Numbers et peut-être même le dossier Applications.
Sélectionnez la cellule contenant le nombre de départ
menu Scripts > Numbers > fillXcells
vous demandera quel est le nombre de valeurs souhaitées
et remplira ces cellules avec des valeurs consécutives.
--=====
L'aide du Finder explique:
L'Utilitaire AppleScript permet d'activer le Menu des scripts :
Ouvrez l'Utilitaire AppleScript situé dans le dossier Applications/AppleScript.
Cochez la case "Afficher le menu des scripts dans la barre de menus".
+++++++
Save the script as a Script: fillXcells.scpt
Move the newly created file into the folder:
<startup Volume>:Users:<yourAccount>:Library:Scripts:Applications:Numbers:
Maybe you would have to create the folder Numbers and even the folder Applications by yourself.
Select the cell containing the starting number.
menu Scripts > Numbers > fillXcells
will ask you how many values are wanted
then it will fill these cells with consecutives values.
--=====
The Finder's Help explains:
To make the Script menu appear:
Open the AppleScript utility located in Applications/AppleScript.
Select the "Show Script Menu in menu bar" checkbox.
--=====
Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France)
2009/11/13
--=====
on run
if my parleAnglais() then
set prompt to "How many cells must be filled ?"
else
set prompt to "Nombre de cellules à remplir ?"
end if
set defaultvalue to 150
set nbValues to my askAnumber(prompt, defaultvalue, "i")
set {dName, sName, tName, rname, rowNum1, colNum1, rowNum2, colNum2} to my getSelParams()
tell application "Numbers" to tell document dName to tell sheet sName to tell table tName
set firstVal to value of cell rowNum1 of column colNum1
repeat with r from 1 to (nbValues - 1)
if (rowNum1 + r) > row count then add row below last row
set value of cell (rowNum1 + r) of column colNum1 to (firstVal + r) as text
end repeat
set firstCell to (get name of cell rowNum1 of column colNum1)
set lastCell to (get name of cell (rowNum1 + nbValues - 1) of column colNum1)
set selection range to range (firstCell & ":" & lastCell)
end tell
end run
--=====
on getSelParams()
local r_Name, t_Name, s_Name, d_Name, col_Num1, row_Num1, col_Num2, row_Num2
set {d_Name, s_Name, t_Name, r_Name} to my getSelection()
if r_Name is missing value then
if my parleAnglais() then
error "No selected cells"
else
error "Il n'y a pas de cellule sélectionnée !"
end if
end if
set two_Names to my decoupe(r_Name, ":")
set {row_Num1, col_Num1} to my decipher(item 1 of two_Names, d_Name, s_Name, t_Name)
if item 2 of two_Names = item 1 of two_Names then
set {row_Num2, col_Num2} to {row_Num1, col_Num1}
else
set {row_Num2, col_Num2} to my decipher(item 2 of two_Names, d_Name, s_Name, t_Name)
end if
return {d_Name, s_Name, t_Name, r_Name, row_Num1, col_Num1, row_Num2, col_Num2}
end getSelParams
--=====
set {rowNumber, columnNumber} to my decipher(cellRef,docName,sheetName,tableName)
apply to named row or named column !
on decipher(n, d, s, t)
tell application "Numbers" to tell document d to tell sheet s to tell table t to return {address of row of cell n, address of column of cell n}
end decipher
--=====
set { d_Name, s_Name, t_Name, r_Name} to my getSelection()
on getSelection()
local _, theRange, theTable, theSheet, theDoc, errMsg, errNum
tell application "Numbers" to tell document 1
repeat with i from 1 to the count of sheets
tell sheet i
set x to the count of tables
if x > 0 then
repeat with y from 1 to x
try
(selection range of table y) as text
on error errMsg number errNum
set {_, theRange, _, theTable, _, theSheet, _, theDoc} to my decoupe(errMsg, quote)
return {theDoc, theSheet, theTable, theRange}
end try
end repeat -- y
end if -- x>0
end tell -- sheet
end repeat -- i
end tell -- document
return {missing value, missing value, missing value, missing value}
end getSelection
--=====
on decoupe(t, d)
local l
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to d
set l to text items of t
set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ""
return l
end decoupe
--=====
on parleAnglais()
local z
try
tell application "Numbers" to set z to localized string "Cancel"
on error
set z to "Cancel"
end try
return (z is not "Annuler")
end parleAnglais
--=====
Asks for an entry and checks that it is an integer number
set myInteger to my askAnumber(Prompt, DefaultValue, "i")
Asks for an entry and checks that it is a floating number
set myFloating to my askAnumber(Prompt, DefaultValue, "f")
on askAnumber(lPrompt, lDefault, ForI)
local lPrompt, lDefault, n
tell application (path to frontmost application as string)
if ForI is "f" then
set n to text returned of (display dialog lPrompt & " (" & (1.2 as text) & ")" default answer lDefault as text)
try
set n to n as number (* try to convert the value as an number *)
return n
on error
if my parleAnglais() then
display alert "The value needs to be a floating number." & return & "Please try again."
else
display alert "La valeur saisie doit être un nombre décimal." & return & "Veuillez recommencer."
end if
end try
else
set n to text returned of (display dialog lPrompt default answer lDefault as text)
try
set n to n as integer (* try to convert the value as an integer *)
return n
on error
if my parleAnglais() then
display alert "The value needs to be an integer." & return & "Please try again."
else
display alert "La valeur saisie doit être un nombre entier." & return & "Veuillez recommencer."
end if
end try -- 1st attempt
end if -- ForI…
end tell -- application
Here if the first entry was not of the wanted class
second attempt *)
tell application (path to frontmost application as string)
if ForI is "f" then
set n to text returned of (display dialog lPrompt & " (" & (1.2 as text) & ")" default answer lDefault as text)
try
set n to n as number (* try to convert the value as an number *)
return n
on error
end try
else
set n to text returned of (display dialog lPrompt default answer lDefault as text)
try
set n to n as integer (* try to convert the value as an integer *)
return n
on error
end try -- 1st attempt
end if -- ForI…
end tell -- application
if my parleAnglais() then
error "The value you entered was not numerical !" & return & "Goodbye !"
else
error "La valeur saisie n’est pas numérique !" & return & "Au revoir !"
end if
end askAnumber
--=====
--[/SCRIPT]
Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) vendredi 13 novembre 2009 18:55:36