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menu selections from within the main routine.
MaxiPlan allows you to manipulate fonts,
typeface characteristics (boldface, underline,
etc.) and up to eight user definable colors.
Though it's enhanced color mode (8 hues
instead of 4) takes a hefty chunk of RAM, the
benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
Besides supporting the mouse, MaxiPlan
makes good use of the function keys. The
Amiga keys are also used since many menu
options have keyboard equivalents. Such
flexibility allows users to work the way they
want to, not just as the programmer thinks
best.
MaxiPlan provides online help without the
HELP key; instead, ? brings up help. This is a
strange omission considering how well
MaxiPlan capitalizes on the Amiga's other
special keys. (Help is also available via menu
options).
FUNCTIONS & FEATURES
MaxiPlan's worksheet ranges up to 512
columns by 16,384 rows. Internal memory
management techniques conserve memory by
using RAM only for active (filled) cells.
The multilevel help feature provides detailed
information on commands as well as overviews
of the main options. This supplements the
material found in the manual's tutorial and
reference sections. It in turn is supplemented
by the specific notepad comments in the
ANSWERS drawer and the sample worksheet
templates also included on the disk. (See
sidebar).
Besides a program for importing Lotus WKS
files (but not macros) the program disk
contains MaxiMcrge for printing labels and
mailmerging. However, you still need a word
processor to make full use of this optional
routine.
The user manual accomodatcs spreadsheet
novices while dispensing enough information
(in a logical order) to prevent advanced users
from getting bored. It falls down somewhat
because of it's too-brief tutorial and the short,
almost totally useless index. But the manual is
clearly written (except for the database
section), with informative screen shots and a
good reference section.
The clipboard's cut, copy and paste options
work well and with little effort . Information
can be repositioned within or between
worksheets.
68
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Down To Business
continued.
Other basic capabilities include the use of
named ranges, protected cells, absolute/relative
formula migration, multiple formats (decimal,
dollars, percent, etc.) and over 5 dozen built-in
functions. Every basic function is present and
accounted for. (See sidebar for more
information about MaxiPlan's functions.)
Especially in large spreadsheets, case of
cursor movement is of extreme importance.
MaxiPlan's programmers evidently realize this,
for the program is blessed with an abundance
of i cursor-movement options: the mouse,
dedicated arrow keys, vertical and horizontal
scroll bars, function keys (for SELECT and
HOME), and Wordstar-like command keys can
all be used to move around. Why anyone
would want to put Wordstar's multiple-keypress
cursor movement commands in an advanced
program with mouse control and dedicated
cursor keys is difficult to fathom, but at least
it's only an option. Cursor movement in
MaxiPlan is superior.
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CONSTRUCTION SET
Intuitive Technologies took the "Bill Budge"
approach to spreadsheets: a construction set!
The upper portion of the screen has icons for
formula creation. Click on a mathematical
operator and it becomes part of a formula.
Likewise with the number icons, parentheses,
cancel, and function call icons. It's possible to
write an entire formula, including cell
references, without ever pressing a key.
Fantastic! Naturally things can be done the old
fashioned, un-Amiga way if you prefer.