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PLANNER'S CHOICE
Activision, Commodore 64/128, Disk
Down To Business
What's larger than an accountant's ledger,
more powerful than a solar calculator, faster
than a #2 pencil, and less expensive than Lotus
1-2-3? Planner's Choice, the 64/128 spreadsheet
from Activision, that's what!
Planner's Choice is a revised version of
Creative Software's defunct Creative Calc
spreadsheet. (The company's assets were
purchased by Activision). This venerable C-64
spreadsheet now sports additional mathematical
operators. It also boasts a 128 operating mode
and the ability to interface with its sister word
processor, now known as Writer's Choice.
SPREADSHEETS PAST
How does Planner's Choice compare to its
predecessor? It has a more comprehensive
manual with a separate multipage pullout
which encapsulates most 64/128 operating
information. Though the same (64 mode) data
is provided in the old Creative guide, the
Planner's Choice version is identical or better
in most instances. A tutorial, complete with
basic sample data, steps you through every
program function.
While Planner's Choice 64 includes additional
functions (average, count, future/present value,
payment, max and min), it does not offer any
additional features (copy, relative, recalc, etc.).
The screen layout is also the same. Even
commands listed in the Creative manual, but
not in Activision's work flawlessly!
For example, alters the border
color, changes the worksheet color
and alters the message row's hue.
Why not list these color changing capabilities?
This lapse in the Activision documentation is
hard to fathom when you consider that the
same capabilities are listed for the 128 mode.
There are also a few entirely undocumented
commands available. moves the
cursor to the upper left corner of the current
screen, moves the cursor one cell to
the right and moves the cursor
down one cell. More gems may await the
intrepid explorer.
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THE SPECS
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Planner's Choice 64 accomodates worksheets
of up to 64 columns by 255 rows for a
maximum of 16,320 cells. The number of
worksheets is limited only by disk space and
the size of each sheet.
Basic functions range from absolute value
and trigonometric operators to logarithms (base
10) and exponentiation. The entire list is only
14 functions strong, which makes Planner's
Choice an entry level spreadsheet.
It allows synchronized and unsynchronized
windows, disk operations (directory, format,
etc.) and auto/manual recalculations, as well as
global or single cell formatting of text or value
inputs.
Other capabilities include cell, row and
column erasure and copying; relative and
absolute formula replication, and row/column
insertion.
Cursor movement is very flexible. The
standard arrow keys, several function keys, the
CLR/HOME key and a GOTO (specific cell)
function provide excellent cursor positioning
capabilities.
Besides ease of learning and use, the main
strength of Planner's Choice's lies in its ability
to interface with a companion word processor.
This capacity, standalone or integrated, adds
extra depth to what is otherwise an
unsophisticated program.
128 WHERE ARE YOU?
The Planner's Choice disk also contains a 128
version. It is entirely new; the original Creative
series was conceived and brought to market
before the advent of the 128.
While this review concentrates on
PC's 64 capabilities, the 128 mode is well worth
noting.
The C128 side of the manual is a separate
entity with it's own unique identity. Different
sections are devoted to loading, learning and
using the 128 mode. Only in the reference
section do both modes mingle. Functions which
arc available only in one version, or which arc
handled differently from one to the other, are
clearly labelled.
The 128 provides either a 40-column display
on a composite monitor or 80 on an RGB or
monochrome monitor. Screen shots in the user's
guide reflect this advanced capability, adding
to the manual's effectiveness.