To specify format of displaying data in table cells the user should select the set of cells he is interested in at first and then perform the menu command Format+Cells. The page “Format” of the property sheet “Properties of cells” is shown at figure 48-10.
Figure 48-10. Property sheet “Properties of cells”, page “Format”
If one cell is selected or if the same type of data and format was specified for all selected cells before, this type and format are displayed in the appropriate fields when opening the property sheet.
In the drop-down list Type the user can choose any admissible ObjectLand data type or the mixed type allowing for representation of data of any type.
The list Template contains all available formatting strings for values of the present type. This list includes both standard formatting strings always determined in ObjectLand and strings added by the user.
The list Sample of formatted value always presents an example showing how the value in a cell will look like when some formatting string is chosen.
The user can select required format from the list of formatting strings or from the list of formatting samples, the result will be always the same.
If the user doesn't find the necessary format among the ones available in the system, he can add any number of his own formatting strings. The string being added is entered into the input field at the bottom of the property sheet. When specifying the formatting string one should follow description of formatting rules for the present type. These rules are presented in the previous subsection.
After completing to enter the formatting string, the button Add should be pushed.
It is possible to delete any formatting string added by the user having chosen it in the list and pushing the button Delete. Standard formatting strings cannot be deleted.
Also, the user can change the formatting string added before. To do this it is required to select this line in the list, edit it in the input field and then push the button Change. Standard formatting strings cannot be changed.
One can select text indication which will be displayed in cells containing an empty value from the field with a drop-down list Presentation of empty value. The user also has a possibility to enter non-standard presentation of an empty value from the keyboard for selected cells.
Representation of an empty value does not depend on the type of data set for a cell.
Chosen formatting of cells becomes effective after pushing the button OK.
If the user is not going to create a new formatting string, but wants just to determine the type of data and select the format in the available list, he can use the menu command Format+Template or the button 
of the formatting toolbar. In both cases a nested menu containing a list of data types including a mixed type will be displayed.
When selecting any of the menu items one more menu containing all available formatting strings for values of the present type will be displayed, standard strings defined in ObjectLand and the ones added by the user.
The string “@” is the first in the list of formatting strings for any type of data. It denotes default format, that is, standard representation of data for this type. For cells of mixed type default format is the only format if the user didn't add additional formatting strings.
 |  |
