How to share an operable file such as a spreadsheet? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: basinstreetdesign
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2021, 11:49:16 pm
content: How can I create a spreadsheet file and then publish it so that it can be downloaded and used in the same way I would use it on my own machine. That means, so that any one who happens across it can download it, enter new numbers into it and see updated results. So far I have found no way to do this. Putting the original file into a file-sharing site such as sabrecathost.com won't do it. GOOGLE SHEETS won't do it.I'm at a loss.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2021, 12:21:12 am
content: I tested it in this thread but I deleted the posts. What happened was if I clicked on the open office spreadsheet attachment and selected "open" it opened in read-only mode. But if I selected "save" and then went on my HD to open the file it was editable.

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2021, 01:22:22 am
content: When you click in your browser to launch it downloads to a temporary directory. Libreoffice opens them read only so you don't modify a tempfile that is going to be deleted.Either any standard spreadsheet or Google sheets should work for this purpose.

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2021, 01:26:43 am
content: For Google sheets what you do is share so "anyone with the link can view" then people can view the spreadsheet in read only mode. From there they can make a copy of their own which they can edit. They can only do that if they have a Google account, anyone with OpenOffice / libreoffice can copy a regular spreadsheet. Google sheets will also let you export to xls and download.

author: basinstreetdesign
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2021, 01:17:32 am
content: Quote from: ejeffrey on November 07, 2021, 01:26:43 amNo what I want to do is make an existing spreadsheetpublishedto anyone who wants to use it. Google SHEETS will allow you to create a sheet from blank or to paste in thenumericalcontents of one you have. But it will not paste in theFORMULAS.When I try to paste in some spreadsheet area from LibreOffice, for instance, only the current cellvaluesare shown in the Google Sheet, or recovered by anyone else, not theformulas. So the recipient cannot exercise the sheet to try new calculations. This is what I want to do. Am I missing something?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2021, 02:41:14 am
content: Quote from: basinstreetdesign on November 08, 2021, 01:17:32 amI think you must be missing something, as you should be able to share a document on Google Docs so that others can download and use that document.For example, as was done at the top of this thread:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hear-kitty-kitty-kitty-nope-not-that-kind-of-cat/

author: basinstreetdesign
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2021, 03:10:17 am
content: Quote from: IanB on November 08, 2021, 02:41:14 amWhen I try that file I get a copy that is VIEW ONLY. To edit it I must ask the owner for access. The sheet that I get has no equal signs (=). It cannot be recalculated. No option is in the menus to convert it to usable status.

author: bw2341
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2021, 03:26:28 am
content: Try uploading the saved LibreOffice file (.obs file extension?) to Google Sheets. Click the folder icon in Sheets and click the Upload tab.I haven't tried it, but I think it is unreasonable for a regular web browser that's displaying Google Sheets to be able to understand how to paste formulas from LibreOffice.Cut and paste when staying inside LibreOffice should keep the formulas and even fix the cell references. I'm not sure if even Microsoft Office can support pasting the formulas in a selection from Excel to an outside application.I'm pretty sure that it won't work in Linux and LibreOffice.

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2021, 03:56:18 am
content: Works for me. As reply #2 explained, depending on your browser, the downloaded spreadsheet may open in View Only mode, in which case you simply do a Save As and then you have a modifiable copy. Bottom line is if the recipient has a copy, they can do whatever they like with it once the file permissions are writable.

author: AaronD
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2021, 03:59:41 am
content: According to the wording of the original post, I think you want to upload it to Google DRIVE, NOT Google DOCS. (Sheets is part of Docs)Google Docs is for collaborative work on the same file, which would modify what someone else sees later. That's probably something else you don't want.Google Drive is for bulk storage that does not change, or changes only by bulk replacement. Then you can set it to be accessed anonymously by a long random link that you can then share as desired. They click that link, then download, and they have an independent bit-for-bit copy of what you uploaded...including whatever security the file itself might have baked into it, so check that too.

author: bw2341
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2021, 04:04:37 am
content: My impression is that the OP is selecting and copying (via CTRL-C) a worksheet from within LibreOffice and trying to paste into a blank sheet in Google Sheets inside a web browser window.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2021, 04:30:14 am
content: Quote from: basinstreetdesign on November 08, 2021, 03:10:17 amI just tried it on that example. I used the File > Download menu option to download a copy to my computer. Once I had a local copy I was able to edit it.The other option available is to use File > Make A Copy. This will create a copy of the document belonging to you, which you can then work with.Can you clarify what you want to accomplish? Is it not this?If you allow people to edit the original copy, then the original copy will be modified by anyone who edits it, and will not remain in its original form. You could do this, but I do not think that is what you want?

author: basinstreetdesign
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2021, 02:39:26 am
content: Quote from: AaronD on November 08, 2021, 03:59:41 amThank you Aaron. Yes this is EXACTLY what I want to do, wisely or unwisely. I can share a spreadsheet with anyone and they can use it to solve their own problem by inputting new data or changing any part of it.I did not need to sign up or create any account or agree to any $$ payouts/mo or any such crap. Even if I have a Google account by default (I don't care) it will do what I want.It is done like this:To share a file/spreadsheet:0- Go to Google.com and thence to Drive under the little matrix symbol at right.1- Use "New" to add the file to my "drive" in Google2- double-click on it when it shows that the file is there. - It will open in Drive athttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/... (or whatever)3- use menu command File/Share/Share with others4- click "Get Link" and choose option "Anyone with Link"5- choose option "Editor" at right of dialog window. This allows the file (ss) to operate so that others can make changes to their copy of the file.6- click on the link and use CTRL-C to pick up the link7- Give this link to anyone you want.They can use the file/ss. But can they alter the original on Google Drive? We will see. Again this doesn't matter to me so much as my own personal copy on my machine stays safe.

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2021, 06:25:35 am
content: Quote from: basinstreetdesign on November 08, 2021, 03:10:17 amThe option is "make a copy." This will make a copy of the spreadsheet owned and editable by the person making the copy. It will preserve all formulas present in the original and allow them to be recalculated. This definitely works. If it is not working for you it probably means you aren't signed in to a google account or the document you are trying to copy actually has no formulas.