3.5.8.5 Cell

Cell-func

The cell() function gets or sets values in the active worksheet or matrix. Arguments are row number, cell number and optionally, a reference argument that returns information about cell contents.

To specify a name of the specific worksheet/matrix, use the notation: winName!cell(rowNum, colNum). This notation is not supported for other worksheet functions.

Beginning with Origin 2019, the function returns the value as displayed in the cell, overriding the column Display.

Cell is an older LabTalk function. The user should know that in newer versions of Origin, other methods to access the cell contents of a worksheet are supported:

• For direct access to data rows, see Range Notation
• For direct access to the metadata contained in the column label rows, see Accessing Metadata

Function Form:

 Cell(rowNum, colNum[,reference]), or Cell(rowNum, colNum[,reference])$

or

 winName!Cell(rowNum, colNum[,reference])

Setting optional parameter reference = 1, returns information about linked cells (e.g. whether a cell is linked; what the linked cell contains):

cell(1,1,1); // for example, returns type of cell reference in row 1, column 1
0 = not a cell reference
1 = cell link (cell://) 
2 = formula (=) 
3 = var link (var://) 
4 = str link (str://) 
5 = file link (file://) 
6 = graph link (graph://) 
7 = matrix link (matrix://) 
8 = embedded graph (embedding:Graph Name) 
9 = embedded matrixbook (embedding:Matrix Name)
10 = embedded notes (embedding:Note Name)
11 = inserted EMF(EMF xxx)
12 = inserted BMP(LBmp xxx)
13 = DDE (DDE://)
14 = inserted OpenCV image (MED xxx)

Notes:

• Links like range://, http:// etc. will return 0 since their values can be directly accessed.
• To return the raw reference string, use cell(rowNum, colNum, 1)$:

cell(1,2,1)$=; // for example, returns the raw reference at row 1, column 2, as a string

Examples:

Example 1

In the following example, the variable %W is assigned the value in row 50 of the third column in the active worksheet (or matrix).

%W = cell(50, 3)$;

If no sheet is specified, active sheet is assumed:

 [book1]!Cell(2,4)=;

One can specify a particular sheet such as:

 [book1]sheet2!Cell(2,4)=;

Example 2

In the following example, the fifth cell in the second column in the Matrix3 is assigned to the value 100.

Matrix3!cell(5, 2) = 100;

Example 3

The following sample script loops over the active sheet checking column 2 for linked cells, returns a reference value (see above) corresponding to the type of link in cell and returns the link as a string.

loop(ii, 1, 11){cell(ii,2,1)=;cell(ii,2,1)$=;};