DCALC Version 1.0 A spreadsheet for the Amstrad PCW David Harvey November 1988 DCALC User Manual CONTENTS 1. Introduction 3 2. Using DCALC 4 2.1 Fundamentals 4 2.2 An example spreadsheet - Chicago 6 3. DCALC Command Reference 8 3.1 Quit 8 3.2 File Commands 8 3.2.1 Load 8 3.2.2 Save 8 3.2.3 Clear 8 3.2.4 Print 8 3.3 Text 9 3.4 Numbers 9 3.5 Expressions 9 3.6 Delete 10 3.7 Calculate 10 4. Shareware registration 11 - page 2 - DCALC User Manual 1. Introduction DCALC is a simple spreadsheet program for the AMSTRAD PCW computer. Its features include: - workspace of 60 rows, 26 columns - menu-driven command entry - enter text, numeric values, expressions - expressions may use + - * /, and can reference other cells and row/cell totals - spreadsheets may be printed direct, or to ASCII files for incorporation into other documents - useful for production of reports. To run DCALC, first load CP/M from the PCW system disc, then place the disc holding the DCALC program (DCALC.COM) in the appropriate disc drive. At the CP/M prompt (A>)type DCALC then hit the RETURN key. For up-to-the-minute documentation, see the file READ.ME on the DCALC distribution disc. Software and documentation (c) 1988 David Harvey - page 3 - DCALC User Manual 2. Using DCALC 2.1 FUNDAMENTALS A spreadsheet is best thought of as a large piece of paper, divided up in a regular grid. The page is often called a workspace, and the spaces in the grid are referred to as cells. Cells are identified by their column (specified by a letter, A-Z) and row (a number, 1-60). The following are valid cell references: A12 Z60 b13 g9 Note that the column reference may be either an upper case (capital) or lower case (small) letter. The DCALC screen is divided into a number of areas: : A :: B :: C :: D :: E :: F :: G :: H :: I :: J :: K :: L : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ------------ POSITION BARS 5 6 7 8 9 WORKSPACE 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ---------- MESSAGE/MENU AREA -------------------------------------- ---------- INPUT AREA --------------------------------------------- The position bars identfy column/row values, spreadsheet data is displayed in the workspace, status messages and menu lists appear in the message/menu area, and the input area is used for any input required. Movement within the workspace is made with the cursor keys. The current cell (and anything it contains) is highlighted on the screen, and a message is - page 4 - DCALC User Manual displayed identifying the coulumn/row of the current cell, and its type and contents, for example: B13 Text [Hello ] F2 Value [ 11.98] Z23 Expression [E4:E12*0.15] G17 Empty The PCW screen is large enough to view only a portion of the entire workspace at a time. As you move out of the current screen, the 'window' on the workspace moves to keep the cursor/current cell in view. To execute a DCALC command, first press the / key on the keyboard. This presents the first level menu: Quit File Text Number Expression Delete Calculate To select a command, type the first letter of the command name, or hit the EXIT key to return without selecting a command. Selecting the File option activates a further menu: Save Load Print Clear To ENTER DATA: Select Text/Number/Expression as required. Enter the appropriate data (in the input area). The EXIT key abandons the command, otherwise hit the RETURN key to enter the data in the current cell. To DELETE DATA: Select Delete. The data associated with the current cell is deleted. To CLEAR THE WORKSPACE: Select File, then Clear. You will be prompted to confirm the action - if you reply with y or Y the workspace will be cleared. To SAVE/LOAD a spreadsheet: Select File, then Save or Load as appropriate. Enter a name (of up to 8 characters, without an extension - DCALC automatically appends the extension .DCL to any spreadsheet file it reads or writes. To RECALCULATE the current spreadsheet: Select the Calculate command. On entry of expressions, the expression will be evaluated according to the values already present in the workspace. With more data entered, the results of these expressions could be inconsistent, as they are not updated automatically. The Calculate command brings all expressions up to date. NB all expressions are automatically recalculated when a spreadsheet is loaded, and before it is printed. For further information on these and the other commands, see section 3. - page 5 - DCALC User Manual 2.2 AN EXAMPLE SPREADSHEET - CHICAGO The DCALC disc contains an example spreadsheet, named CHICAGO. It is reproduced below, with comments. : A :: B :: C :: D :: E :: F :: G :: H :: I :: J :: K :: L : 1 2 Accounts for January 1989 3 ========================= 4 5 INCOME EXPENSES 6 7 fixed 950.35 Salary fixed 700.51 mortgage 8 1037.90 Interest on investments 63.00 gas/electricity 9 5000.00 Blackmail 67.00 phone 10 -------- 200.00 credit card repayment 11 6988.25 TOTAL fixed income -------- 12 1030.51 TOTAL fixed expenses 13 14 15 extra 0.93 Pickpocketing extra 834.75 bribes 16 200.00 Premium Bond Prize 200.00 protection 17 350.21 Casino 1750.00 bail 18 -------- -------- 19 551.14 TOTAL extra income 2784.75 TOTAL extra expenses 20 21 ======== ======== 22 TOTAL 7539.39 TOTAL 3815.26 23 ======== ======== 24 25 26 BALANCE for month 3724.13 27 CARRIED forward -5432.10 28 29 CURRENT balance -1707.97 30 31 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 32 Cells A2,B2,C2,A3,B3,C3,B5,A7,C7,etc,etc, are all Text cells. They illustrate the importance of a sensible and explanatory layout to the spreadsheet, without which the figures are meaningless. Cells B7,B8,B9,H7,H8,H9,H10,etc, are all Numbers. They are the raw data of any spreadsheet. They may be changed at any time, and the spreadsheet recalculated: this enables the spreadsheet to be used for what if modelling, perhaps the most powerful aspect of this type of software. For example, to assess the influence of a decrease in Blackmail revenues from $5000.00 (don't forget we're in - page 6 - DCALC User Manual CHICAGO) to $500.00, it is simply a case of deleting the old cell value, adding the new one, and recalculating the spreadsheet. Cells B11, H12, F26, etc, are Expressions. This is where the work of a spreadsheet is done. The particular expressions here are: B11 B7:B9 (total of cell values in column B from row 7 to 9) H12 H7:H10 (as above, column H row 7 to 10) F26 B22-H22 (difference of cell values B22 and H22. NB the values in these two cells are themselves expressions!) Expression format is discussed in greater detail in section 3.5 - page 7 - DCALC User Manual 3. DCALC Command Reference To invoke a DCALC command. press the / key, then select a menu item by pressing the initial letter of that item. At any stage, hitting EXIT abandons the current menu or command input. If a command requires input (data entry in cells, file names for load/save/print), hit the RETURN key to terminate and accept input, the EXIT key to abandon the operation. 3.1 QUIT Key sequence: /q Quit the current DCALC session. DCALC prompts for confirmation. If accepted (y/Y), you will be returned to the CP/M prompt (A>). 3.2 FILE COMMANDS 3.2.1 Load Key sequence: /fl Load a DCALC spreadsheet. Enter a spreadsheet name (up to 8 letters, with NO CP/M filename extension: the default .DCL is assumed). After loading, all expression values are recalculated 3.2.2 Save Key sequence: /fs Save a DCALC spreadsheet. Enter a spreadsheet name (as Load). If the spreadsheet already exists you will be prompted for confirmation to overwrite the existing file. 3.2.3 Clear Key sequence: /fc Clear the DCALC workspace. You will be prompted for confirmation. If accepted (y/Y) the workspace will be cleared, all cells reverting to an empty state. 3.2.4 Print Key sequence: /fp Print a DCALC spreadsheet to the printer or to an ASCII file. Enter a filename (a full CP/M filename is acceptable here), or press RETURN to accept printing to the attached printer (lst: device). If a filename is entered, the file will contain a text representation of the contents of the spreadsheet. - page 8 - DCALC User Manual 3.3 TEXT Key sequence: /t Enter text into DCALC cells Enter text in the input area. If the text entered is longer than a single cell, it will be placed in adjacent empty cells as necessary. 3.4 NUMBERS Key sequence: /n Enter a numeric value in a DCALC cell. Enter a number in the input area. A leading minus sign (-) is accepted. Any number of decimal places (up to the 7 available in a cell) is accepted, and is maintained internally, although display values are rounded to 2 decimal places. Invalid numeric input will be rejected. 3.5 EXPRESSIONS Key sequence: /e Enter an expresison in a DCALC cell The following are valid in expressions: Numeric values Cell cross-references Cell column/row totals The following operators: + addition - subtraction * multiplication / division Expressions are evaluated strictly from left to right, with no operator precedence and no parentheses. The following are examples of expressions: 3.1214 A single numeric value may be held as an expression A17 A reference to a value or expression result held in a single cell B2:B7 The total of all numeric values/expression results in column B, rows 2 to 7 inclusive. A3:Y3 The total of all numeric values in row 3, columns A to Y inclusive. B3:B12*0.15 A2+A3*A4/7.3 (NB order of evaluation!) - page 9 - DCALC User Manual If a cell referenced in an expression is empty, or holds a TEXT value, it will evaluate to zero in the expression. WARNING - if an expression references itself, either directly or indirectly, the result will be unpredictable. 3.6 DELETE Key sequence: /d Delete a cell in the workspace Removes a cell from the workspace. 3.7 CALCULATE Key sequence: /c Recalculates all workspace expressions. - page 10 - DCALC User Manual 4. Shareware Registration Shareware is a relatively recent development in the distribution of public domain software. If software is described as shareware, you may copy and distribute it freely, with all associated documentation, as long as this is not done for profit. If as a user you are pleased with the product, it is customary to send a small donation to the software's author. This generally entitles you to technical support, upgrades and extensions, and so on. Planned upgrades for DCALC include - flexible formatting of spreadsheet column widths - formatting of numeric/expression values (0 - 5 decimal places) - improved expression handling, with extra functions - extra printing functions - sideways printing utility If you have found DCALC useful, and would like to register as a shareware user of the product, please complete the form on the next page and send it, with a cheque for #5.00, to David Harvey 58 Severalls Avenue Chesham Buckinghamshire HP5 3EL Registration will entitle you to free upgrades as they become available, and to technical support and assistance. - page 11 - DCALC User Manual DCALC SHAREWARE REGISTRATION Name Address When did you acquire DCALC ? How did you acquire DCALC ? (tick as appropriate) Public Domain Software Distributor (please specify which) Bulletin Board (please specify which) Another user Other (please specify) If you have any comments on DCALC, or suggestions for possible improvements, please list them here (they may find their way into the next release!): =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Send to: David Harvey, 58 Severalls Avenue, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 3EL - page 12 -