You seem to be having a number of problems that we can not reproduce here. While Tech Support does monitor the Forum, our responses are targeted more towards all users and it is difficult for us to respond to posts that describe problems that other or most users don't seem to have. I think you would benefit greatly by contacting your Tech Support representative. In your case, Tech Support is provided by Additive.
FYIThorough testing of your claim that:
%h_c=%h_a/2;
does not work can not be verified. The fact that you say you sometimes see a minus (in fact, a double minus is Origin's indicator of a missing value) is more likely the result of a syntax error when typing. If you can demonstrate this problem, please email Additive and they will forward the report to us.
In another post, you suggested that numbers in column names cause problems. Since some of Origin's built-in LabTalk scripts use commands that create enumerated column names this problem would be pervasive, and we would appreciate any directions you can provide to duplicate the problem.
RE: Your post about http://www.originlab.com/bulletin_board/Forum1/HTML/000675.html">column type.
When you check the "Use Numeric as preferred column type" check box, then any new columns that you or Origin creates will by default be typed Numeric. When you click the "New Worksheet" button on the standard toolbar or select File : New : Worksheet from the Origin menu, then you are loading a worksheet template with pre-defined columns. The "New Worksheet" button loads the ORIGIN.OTW template. If you wish these columns to be Numeric, then change the column types and save the template.
[This message has been edited by Greg (edited 08-28-2000).]