How to make alternating colour rows or columns in OpenOffice.org Spreadsheet

[terriko]

Since I know I'll need this again:

To set up a spreadsheet where the rows alternate colours (eg: a "zebra table")

1. Set up two styles (in my case, I used the styles "default" and a "light gray background" one that I made)
   
2. Select the cells you want to strip and then go to Format -> Conditional Formatting... in the menu. This will open up a new window.
   
3. Under "Condition 1" (or whichever)
   1. change the dropdown to say "Formula is"
      
   2. then in the textbox enter ISEVEN(ROW()) as the condition (this lets you know whether it's an even numbered row. If you want columns, change ROW to COLUMN)
      
   3. Change the "Cell Style" to be your new style (in my case "light gray background" -- pretty much anything other than default will do)
      
   
   

Hit OK, and your spreadsheet should update with fancy new stripes.

Here's where I found the answer: http://www.oooforum.org/forum/viewtopic.phtml?t=39447