Numbers Learning Curve and Data Loss

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Numbers Learning Curve and Data Loss

Postby RexinMinn » Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:35 pm

OK, making the leap to Numbers, and finding there is a definite learning curve despite the fact that I've been playing around with it for some time now. Here's the latest adventure that has my sense of self worth in a state of disrepair: Using a large database (again, the pre-1960 ballplayer batting statistics, very straightforward), it was time to do a few simple sorts. So I thought, why not create a duplicate of the file (Edit/Duplicate) and do the sorts from there, because that will prevent any unnecessary/accidental errors to the original. So that's what I did, and all was well as of Friday evening.

Then I opened the file last night and found that the duplicate file I had so carefully arranged (with roughly seven) different sorts had gone awry. The first sort was missing most of the names I'd had listed. There were gaps in the entries all over the place. Where I had comment boxes, long pointer lines were now attached, something I would never have done manually. It's impossible to make sense of most of it; thankfully there were two sorts that did not seem to be affected; it's the data toward the top of the page that is completely messed up. What seems strange to me is that I did not cause this.

So I'm left scratching my head. What went wrong? Am I wrong to expect a duplicate file saved along with the parent file and expect it to stay the same? Are duplicate files inherently unstable? I think from now on I'm just going to have to save everything to my flash drive because, sadly, I just can't rely on my Mac anymore.

Would love to hear if anyone else has ever dealt with this type of data loss or of any theories behind what may have happened to corrupt my file.
RexinMinn
 
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:09 am
Location: Mpls Area

Re: Numbers Learning Curve and Data Loss

Postby Barry » Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:38 pm

"So I thought, why not create a duplicate of the file (Edit/Duplicate)..."

File actions are in the File menu, not the Edit menu.

Edit > Duplicate creates a (duplicate) copy of the selected object(s) in the active document.

To create a copy of the file, you can use File > Save as..., which opens the Save as dialogue. Choose a new name or location (or both) and click Save.

You can also duplicate a file in the Finder.
Click on the file's icon.
Go File > Duplicate (or press command-D)
A copy of the file, with 'copy' added to its name, will be created in the same folder.

Regarding the current state of the file, I'm pessimistic as to the possibility of an easy recovery. I hope you have kept a recent backup copy.

Regards,
Barry
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Re: Numbers Learning Curve and Data Loss

Postby RexinMinn » Mon Jan 31, 2011 11:08 am

Yes, of course, it was under File and not Edit, I should have been more careful with that.

But doing SAVE AS is old hat for me, been doing that for years and understand its benefits, however, with the Duplicate function available in Numbers I wanted to take advantage of it. I took advantage of it alright, and it took advantage of me. I had not backed it up, although it occurs to me that iWork may have backed it up and the file there may not have changed, I'll check that.

The idea behind using Duplicate to create a new and identical spreadsheet from which to perform sorts was to avoid using SAVE AS because doing so only creates more files to wade through. Trying to avoid that because files tend to propogate like bunnies and before you know it I don't know where I put what. Anyway, I'll continue to use Duplicate for my sort purposes but will save the file to my flash in the future to avoid this. Repairing the damage yesterday morning took a significant chunk out of my day. Let's hear it for Numbers!!! NOT!!!
RexinMinn
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:09 am
Location: Mpls Area

Re: Numbers Learning Curve and Data Loss

Postby Barry » Wed Feb 02, 2011 3:29 pm

RexinMinn wrote:The idea behind using Duplicate to create a new and identical spreadsheet from which to perform sorts was to avoid using SAVE AS because doing so only creates more files to wade through.

Vocabulary issue.

"Spreadsheet" is short for "spreadsheet document", which is the whole file. Saving a copy is the only way to duplicate a spreadsheet.

You can duplicate selected elements of that spreadsheet using command-D or Edit > Duplicate.

Select a Sheet and go Edit > Duplicate to make a copy of the sheet and all of the objects on that sheet.
Select a Table and go Edit > Duplicate to make a copy of the Table.
Etc.

Regards,
Barry
Barry
 
Posts: 1390
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2002 12:54 am
Location: 48°50' N 123° 30'W


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