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^C^1ExpressCalc
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^CExpressWare

   Most people think of spreadsheet programs as complex beasts, suitable only
for businessmen willing to spend hours learning their mysteries.  While it's
true that some spreadsheets may be hard to understand, the same cannot be said
of ExpressCalc, the full-featured spreadsheet we're featuring as this month's
Blue Plate Special. Although it can be a powerful tool for those who wish to
analyze investments, compute taxes, or produce financial reports, ExpressCalc is
also simple to use.  Anyone can use ExpressCalc to project the value of IRAs or
other investments, calculate loan payments, or simply to plan household budgets.
Any task that requires working with numbers can be made simpler with
ExpressCalc.

   This program is a "Shareware" product.  This means that if you like it, and
make regular use of it, the authors would like you to send some money to
purchase a registered copy.  In return, you receive a printed manual and
technical support.  In addition, you are helping to support the shareware
concept; the program authors do not get any money directly from BIG BLUE DISK,
so their only income comes when satisfied users choose to reward them.  See the
"README" file for more details on registration.

   Before we discuss ExpressCalc in detail, however, let's go over how to get
the program up and running.  First of all, make sure your computer has 256K of
RAM free, then load DOS into memory.  The next steps depend on what kind of
system you are using.  Most BIG BLUE DISK users will simply insert the
ExpressCalc disk into the drive and type CALC to load and run the program.  (Or,
just run it from the BIG BLUE DISK menu like any other program.) Other users
will enter other filenames to run the program, depending on their systems:

Computers with 40-column display: enter CALC 40

Computers with a color board but a monochrome monitor: enter CALC BW

Computers with color board, monochrome monitor, and a 40-column display: enter
CALC BW40

   Before you seriously begin using ExpressCalc, you will need documentation to
guide you -- more documentation than BIG BLUE DISK can provide.  (The printed
ExpressCalc manual is 155 pages long.)  This documentation is available on disk
for you to print out.  However, since it does not fit on this issue, it is on a
supplementary disk available on request.  Subscribers to BIG BLUE DISK can get
it free; all others must pay an $8 service and handling charge.  Write to us and
request the ExpressCalc Supplementary Disk.

A CLOSER LOOK
-------------
   Think of the ExpressCalc spreadsheet as a grid of 64 columns and 256 rows.
Text, numbers, or formulas may be entered into each block, or "cell" of the
grid.  The ExpressCalc work screen displays a portion of the grid.  Notice that
columns are marked with letters and that the rows are marked by numbers --cells
are referred to by their coordinates.  Also notice the large cursor that
occupies one of the cells -- whatever you enter will appear where the "cell
cursor" rests. The arrow keys move the cell cursor to other parts of the
spreadsheet.

   Below the spreadsheet itself is the "entry line," which is marked by the
coordinates of the cell cursor. Any input first appears in this line.  When you
press ENTER, the contents of the entry line appear in the cell occupied by the
cell cursor.  Just above the entry line, ExpressCalc displays the amount of
memory you have left to use.

   Sound confusing?  Here's a simple example:  Use the arrow keys to move the
cell cursor to cell A1.  Type "This Is A Demonstration" (disregard the quotation
marks in this example) and press ENTER.  The title will be printed in the first
row.  ( Notice how the text spills over to adjoining cells.)  Now move the cell
cursor to A2 and enter "36." Finally, move the cursor to A3 and type "A2+A2."
When you press ENTER, cell A3 will display an answer of "72."

   More complex formulas can be used for more complex tasks.  This example is in
the ExpressCalc printed manual: A1*2.5+(SUM(A1:D1)-.00005. While we won't
examine this formula in detail, notice the "SUM" that appears.  SUM is a
ExpressCalc function which adds a range of numbers and returns the result to a
cell or formula.  Here's an example: suppose Column A has numbers in cells A1
through A10 to add up and you want the answer to be printed in A11.  Instead of
entering "A1+A2+A3..." in A11, you may enter SUM (A1:A10) to add and display the
total.  (Notice how a range of cells is enclosed in parentheses and separated by
a colon.)  There are many other functions like SUM, such as SQR (square root),
AVERAGE, and ABS (absolute value). Consult the ExpressCalc instruction file
printout for more details about these functions.

   These operators may be used in ExpressCalc formulas:

 + -- addition
 - -- subtraction
 * -- multiplication
 / -- division
 ^^ -- exponentiation
 % -- percentage
 AND -- logical and (complement)
 OR -- logical or (conjunction)
 NOT -- logical not (disjunction)
 \ -- modulo (remainder)

ExpressCalc follows standard mathematical rules of precedence when calculating a
formula -- expressions in parentheses are calculated first, then exponentiation,
then multiplication, then division, and so on.  Finally, relation operators (=,
<, etc,) are calculated, then logical operators such as AND, OR, and NOT.

   Most of ExpressCalc's functions have been illustrated in the four templates
provided on the disk.

COMMANDS
--------
   ExpressCalc uses a number of commands that allow you to load, save, or alter
the spreadsheets you create.  To see a menu of these commands, enter "/" on the
entry line.
   Here is a brief description of each command:

ARRANGE: sorts rows or columns into ascending or descending sequence.

BLANK: removes contents from a cell or range of cells.

CONFIGURE: configures the display, keyboard, and printer to meet your
preferences.

DELETE: deletes a row or column from the spreadsheet.

EDIT: displays the contents of a cell on the entry line.

FORMAT: sets formatting options for entire spreadsheet.  Allows you to change
number of decimal places used, right-justify text, protect cells from tampering,
create a bar graph display, etc.

GLOBAL: sets various system options.  Allows you to change the order that rows
and columns are calculated, or display cell contents (formulas, etc.) on the
screen instead of cell values.

INSERT: inserts a row or column in the spreadsheet.

LOAD: loads a spreadsheet file into memory.  You may load an entire spreadsheet
(choose "All" when prompted.), a range of cells (choose "Part"), or just those
cells that are filled (choose "Consolidate"). Besides spreadsheet files, you may
also load files created by the PC-File database. See the instruction printout
for more details.

PRINT: prints a hardcopy of the spreadsheet or a range of cells.

QUIT: exits ExpressCalc.

REPLICATE: copies data from a cell or cell range to another cell or cell range;
eliminates unnecessary data entry.

SAVE: saves spreadsheet to disk.

TITLE: locks spreadsheet titles at the top of the screen so that they don't
scroll off the screen.

XTERNAL: reads data from another ExpressCalc spreadsheet or from a File Express
or PC-FILE database and places the information in a cell in the spreadsheet that
is being worked on. (PC-FILE was presented in BIG BLUE DISK #7.)

ZAP: clears the spreadsheet.


A FINAL NOTE:
-------------
   While we have provided an overview of many of ExpressCalc's features, a
little exploration and experimentation on your part will help you discover more
about the program and its capabilities.  However, if you intend to become a
serious user of ExpressCalc, one who pushes the program to its limits, we
recommend that you consult the instruction file printout for information on how
to obtain the 155-page ExpressCalc manual.


DISK FILES THIS PROGRAM USES (ALL ON DISK 2):
^FREADME
^FCALC.EXE
^FCALC2.EXE
^FCALC3.EXE
^FCALC4.EXE
^FCALC5.EXE
^FCALC.MSG
^FEXAMPLE
^FBW.PRO
^F40.PRO
^FBW40.PRO
^FSL.PRO
^FORDER.BAT
^FORDERFRM.DOC
^FBUDGET
^FAMORT
^FFUNCTION
^FCRAPS
