LibreOffice Calc: how to highlight the maximum value of ranges of cells at once? - conditional-formatting

Question

I would like to highlight the maximum value for each group of cells using conditional formatting, and applying it at once.
In order to explain myself better, the file is something like this:
(But the real content has more than 1500 of these).
For each range in each column, I want to highlight the maximum value. So, for the range A1:A11, the cells A2, A5, A7 and A10 should be with a different format. The same for the range A18:A28, where A26 and A28 should be different, and so on for B, and C, etc.
I have tried selecting A1:I28 and apply conditional format where cell is equals to max(a1:a11) apply a good format, but it doesn't work well. It think I don't how to use the references in the sheet in order to be considered in a right way.
Any ideas?

Answer 1

AFAIK you can't do this "at once", thus in a single step. To get this working with a spreadsheet layout as in your example, you'll have to define the conditional formatting for each "dataset" separately (it would be easier if the spreadsheet wouldn't contain two "rows" (1st: 1-11; 2nd: 18-28) on the same sheet). With dataset, i mean the distinctive ranges A1:A11, B1:B11, ... A18:A28, B18:B28 and so on.
To be more precise: you need to define the conditional formatting rule for the first dataset of its row (in your example: A1:A11 and A18:A28, respectively), then you can apply it to the other datasets using format pasting.
To do so:
define the conditional formatting for range A1:A11 with formula A1=MAX(A$1:A$11). Notice the dollar signs - without them LO will compare A2 to MAX(A2:A12), A3 to MAX(A3:A13) and so on. The dollar signs make sure that every cell in A1:A11 will be compared to exactly that range only.
Select A1:A11, copy it;
Select B1:B11 and paste just the formatting, using the "Paste Special" functionality (Menu Edit -> Paste Special... or SHIFT+CTRL+V, select Format only in the Paste Special dialogue).
Repeat step 3 for C1:C11, D1:D11 and so on till I1:I11;
Repeat step 1 and 2 for A:18:A28 (formula should be A18=MAX(A$18:A$28));
Repeat step 3 for B18:B28 and so on.
If you try to paste the formatting to more than one column, LO won't handle the target range as entity but will define the formatting for each cell, thus it will define a conditional format for B1 with formula B1=MAX(B$1:B$11), B2 with B2=MAX(B$2:B$12) and so on. It's vital to have only one conditional format definition for each separate range, thus for A1:A11, B1:B11 and so on. You can control how LO had handled your modifications by checking the resulting conditional format definitions in Menu Format -> Conditional Formatting -> Manage....