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Documentation/Calc Functions/TYPE

From The Document Foundation Wiki


Function name:

TYPE

Category:

Information

Summary:

Returns a numeric value indicating the type of the supplied argument.

Syntax:

TYPE(Value)

Returns:

Returns a number in accordance with the following table:

Argument type Value returned
Number 1
Text 2
Logical / Boolean 4
Formula 8
Error 16
Array 64

Arguments:

Value is an expression, or a reference to a cell containing that expression, whose type is determined.

  • If the argument is a reference to a cell that contains both an error and a formula, the value 16 is returned.
  • If the argument is a reference to an empty cell, the value 1 is returned.

Additional details:

  • Calc returns the value 8 to indicate a formula cell. This value is not mandated in the function's description in ODF 1.2 and is not used by Microsoft Excel, which returns the type of the formula's returned value.
  • According to Microsoft's web page for the TYPE function, a return value of 128 is possible in Excel (for "compound data"), which is not mandated in the function's description in ODF 1.2.
  • Boolean/logical values are considered as numbers in Calc, whereas in Excel they have their own category.
  • As a result of these different behaviors, care should be taken if interoperability between Calc and Excel is important for your spreadsheet.

Examples:

Formula Description Returns
=TYPE(12.34) Value is a number. 1
=TYPE(B1)

where cell B1 contains the number 12.34.

The referenced cell contains a number. 1
=TYPE("Well done is better than well said") Value is text. 2
=TYPE(B2)

where cell B2 contains the string "Well done is better than well said", without quotation marks.

The referenced cell contains text. 2
=TYPE(B3)

where cell B3 contains the logical value TRUE.

The referenced cell contains a logical value. 4
=TYPE(TRUE()) The value is equivalent to a number. 1
=TYPE(FALSE)

when the English (USA) locale is selected.

The value is equivalent to a number. 1
=TYPE(B4)

where cell B4 contains the formula =2*PI()*POWER(3; 2).

The referenced cell contains a formula. 8
=TYPE(B5)

where cell B5 contains the formula =SQRT(-4).

The referenced cell contains an error. An "Invalid argument" error was found (Err:502).

16
=TYPE(B6)

where cell B6 contains either the formula =NA() (#N/A error) or the formula =1/0 (#DIV/0! error).

The referenced cell contains an error. 16
=TYPE({3; 5; 7}) The argument is an array. 64
{ =TYPE(D1:D2) }

entered as an array formula in cells B7:B8.

Both cells B7 and B8 display the result, whatever the contents of cells D1 and D2. 64

Related LibreOffice functions:

ERROR.TYPE

ERRORTYPE

ODF standard:

Section 6.13.33, part 2

Related (or similar) Excel functions:

TYPE