Created attachment 26316 [details]
a patch.

Hi Eike,

please have a look at this and decide on how to proceed.

Targeted for OOoLater at the moment.

Frank

Hi Muthu,

The proposed patch introduces a problem: it breaks already existing documents
that use 4 parameters with this function, where the 4th parameter is a sheet
name. A new optional parameter normally should be appended to the parameter list
instead. Otherwise, action must be taken to insert the corresponding default
argument during file read, and to remove it when the document is saved again to
be able to read it with an older release. Furthermore, the result of setting the
new parameter currently  wouldn't make much sense, as the R1C1 notation isn't
supported yet. Omitting the parameter during import of Excel documents at least
keeps most documents in a usable state, as long as the resulting string isn't
used in subsequent string operations like comparisons and such. The R1C1
notation should be supported first, which would be issue 20857 => setting
dependency.

Eike

Created attachment 28708 [details]
Introduces a Simple test - if the 4th parameter is a string then the call will be in the old format else its in the new format

Too simple, this is not sufficient. The parameter could also be a cell/range
reference or array type.

Muthu,

Will there be any progress on this?

  Eike

Eike,
  Sure, I am looking at this.

Muthu

This is handled by the r1c1 work which replaces address with something simpler.

I think we should close this issue then.

Closing.