User-Defined Functions

You can apply user-defined functions in LibreOffice Calc in the following ways:

Defining A Function Using LibreOffice Basic

  1. Choose Tools - Macros - Organize Macros - LibreOffice Basic.

  2. Click the Edit button. You will now see the Basic IDE.

  3. Enter the function code. In this example, we define a VOL(a; b; c) function that calculates the volume of a rectangular solid with side lengths a, b and c:

    Function VOL(a, b, c)
    VOL = a*b*c
    End Function

  4. Close the Basic-IDE window.

    Your function is automatically saved in the default module and is now available. If you apply the function in a Calc document that is to be used on another computer, you can copy the function to the Calc document as described in the next section.

Copying a Function To a Document

In stage 2 of "Defining A Function Using LibreOffice Basic", in the Macro dialog you clicked on Edit . As the default, in the Macro from field the My Macros - Standard - Module1 module is selected. The Standard library resides locally in your user directory.

If you want to copy the user-defined function to a Calc document:

  1. Choose Tools - Macros - Organize Macros - LibreOffice Basic .

  2. In the Macro from field select My Macros - Standard - Module1 and click Edit.

  3. In the Basic-IDE, select the source of your user-defined function and copy it to the clipboard.

  4. Close the Basic-IDE.

  5. Choose Tools - Macros - Organize Macros - LibreOffice Basic .

  6. In the Macro from field select (Name of the Calc document) - Standard - Module1. Click Edit.

  7. Paste the clipboard contents in the Basic-IDE of the document.

Applying a User-defined Function in LibreOffice Calc

Once you have defined the function VOL(a; b; c) in the Basic-IDE, you can apply it the same way as the built-in functions of LibreOffice Calc.

  1. Open a Calc document and enter numbers for the function parameters a, b, and c in cells A1, B1, and C1.

  2. Set the cursor in another cell and enter the following:

    =VOL(A1;B1;C1)

  3. The function is evaluated and you will see the result in the selected cell.