Tab character (Calc)

I've come across a strange problem (July 2022): I can't copy multiple rows that contains at least one tab character, and have that tab character preserved. It doesn't matter if I am copying within Calc, or to e.g., a text editor.

• When copying the content of a singular cell (just by selecting the cell, not going into the cell and selecting its content), tab characters do get preserved
• Tab characters are not displayed in cells - That's bearable.

I can't find much about this issue, and actually only one link (see below).

Solution for now: Use 4 spaces in stead of tab

• At the destination, I could convert those spaces back to tab, if needed
• Four spaces works as a separator when migrating data into different columns in Calc.

Test file with at least three different ways to include a tab in a cell. And that's actually not the problem. Copying it, is

Test file: Output. Whitespace is made visible here in Sublime Text

Maybe not so bug?

After all, maybe this isn't a bug? Maybe this doesn't work as I expected, for using tab characters is just so alien of working with spreadsheets? In that case, I should ask myself if I really want to use a spreadsheet for this specific task.

Sources

• https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/copy-the-result-of-char-9-of-calc-formula-and-paste-in-libreoffice-calc-basic-ide/65048