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Subject: Interface META-Functions
Hello, one set of functions that is *missing* from every spreadsheet is a set of *meta-functions* that: - allow sending data and commands to an external application - and import the results back into the spreadsheet RATIONAL ========= Spreadsheets have rather limited functionality in many fields. They will never attain the capabilities of dedicated software, e.g. the statistical analysis framework implemented in spreadsheets is a real fiasco, beginning with data types and continuing with the implementation of the statistical functions and lack of newer statistical techniques. However, it is difficult to implement every function inside the spreadsheet application, especially as complex functions are not trivial to implement. This is even NOT necessary, because often advanced open source programs do exist which fill the gap. However, what is lacking is *a standardized way * to communicate to these external programs. IMPLEMENTATION =============== This are only some suggestions, what these funcitons would look like or should do. As this is new land and every program implemented a different set of rules, there will be some difficulties in the beginning. 1.) ITERATOR-functions to iterate through spreadsheet cells and read the data - send the data unidirectionally to the external application: various types - retrive information back: single value; array; data-matrix; complex object 2.) CONNECTIVITY-functions: establish connection; debugging; ... 3.) Special Cases Handling: e.g. *missing values* in statistical analysis WORK ALREADY DONE =================== Currently, there is a Google Summer of Code project that aims at integrating OOo Calc with R (http://cran.R-project.org). I have posted on the OOo buglist a similar feature request to integrate Calc with gawk/awk for text processing (see http://www.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=66816). There are many more useful programs around. A common connection interface and various functions to access these external programs in a standardized way would be welcomed. Sincerely, Leonard
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