Current time containing seconds

caplister · Newbie Joined: 04 Sep 2010 Posts: 1

Hi,

I'm trying to build a spreadsheet to time a running race. I thought I could use my system clock to insert the current time at the start of the race, then in a new cell paste the current time again when they cross the time and use another formula to subtract the times.

I can't seem to insert current time with seconds into a cell. Will I need to write a script/macro fort this?

When I want to rank and sort racers at the end of the race for best time, best time in age group, best time based on sex, should I use vlookup or use a pivot table etc...

Thanks

Christopher

Villeroy · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 10:24 am Post subject:

With a database rather than spreadsheet all this would be completely obsolete.
A database form can do so much more than spreadsheet cells, including time stamps and automatic row-IDs. Nevertheless you can use all database data or any combinations of rows and columns in spreadsheets and data pilots.
Download http://www.mediafire.com/?tmgajmpmlxx
Open the form therein, enter some positive integer numbers (test the mouse wheel and the up/down-keys). Try to enter anything <1, floating point numbers, text, dates (you can't).
Have a look at the underlying table. Each number you entered is associated with a time stamp and row-ID.
Run the report which dumps 2 columns into a Writer document.
You can do most of the calculations in a much more elegant way.
You can store all data in a consistant manner but use the data in Calc anyway (Calc works much better with consistant database data).
[Tutorial] Using registered datasources in Calc

As soon as tables of race locations, riders and horses come into play a spreadsheet will be the completely wrong tool to store all this in a structured manner. Building a relational database with many tables is rather complex, though. No free beer.
Anyhow, this is the tutorial about time stamps in Calc (with and without macro) and in Base: [Calc,Python,Basic,Base] Several ways to time stamps
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