Why [cols,rows] instead of [rows,cols]

Question

Today I started using the JexcelApi and I bumped into this: When you try to get an element from a specific position, instead of using sheet.getCell(row,col) as you would normally expect, it is sheet.getCell(col,row).

So if you'd like to print your table you would have something like this:

for(int i=0;i<sheet.getRows();i++){
        for(int j=0;j<sheet.getColumns();j++)
            System.out.print(sheet.getCell(j,i).getContents()+" ");
        System.out.println();
    }

My question is why the [col,row] format? Is there a good reason why they used this instead of [row,col] as is ussualy used? Or there is no reason for this and they just went with this with no alternative reason? After using the r,c format for so much time this seems a little weird, but maybe it is more logical to use the c,r format and I just don't get why this is.

Any ideas?

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 12 '12 at 09:17

1

I would expect [col,row] as in mathematics, 2-dimensional functions and points are described as [x,y] or f(x,y), ie col (x) ,row (y).

answered Mar 12 '12 at 09:17

pap

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 12 '12 at 09:19

1

Cos that's the way excel works? Eg A1, B2 - all col-row

answered Mar 12 '12 at 09:19

davidfrancis

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Ok get it so it's convention. – Fofole Mar 12 '12 at 09:20

Why [cols,rows] instead of [rows,cols]

2 Answers2