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THE THINKER 3.0
by Alan C. Elliott
TexaSoft
P.O. Box 1169
Cedar Hill, Texas 75104
(214)-291-2115
June, 1988
(C)Copyright 1983, 1987, 1988 Alan C. Elliott
All Rights Reserved
No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of
the information contained herein. While every precaution has
been taken in the preparation of this publication, the
publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.
Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from
the use of the information herein.
The THINKER program is a copyrighted program that allows
users, under certain conditions, to copy and share the
program with others. Never call it a "public domain"
program. You are not allowed to make photocopies of the
manual. Persons who use THE THINKER are obliged to become
officially licensed users by registering. This provides you
with several advantages. You receive information about new
releases, bugs, updates and problems. You also get a copy of
the latest version of the program and manual on disk. If you
use THE THINKER, you should print the ORDER form on disk,
and become a registered user.
THE THINKER 3.0
___________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION TO THE THINKER VERSION 3.0
THE THINKER is a simple to use spreadsheet program. It
allows you to enter numbers and text on the computer screen,
and define mathematical relationships between the numbers.
Once these relationships are defined, you may change some
numbers, and the program will automatically recalculate the
related numbers. THE THINKER is very similar in command
structure to the popular 1-2-3 spreadsheet program, but at a
much smaller cost. THE THINKER also requires less computer
memory than more expensive programs. THE THINKER can be used
for financial modeling, budget calculations, scientific
calculations, and more. THE THINKER is the right answer for
small to moderate size spreadsheet applications models, and
is an ideal tool for training people in the use of
spreadsheets. If you know how to use THE THINKER, you know
how to use 1-2-3.
Summary of Features and Requirements
REQUIREMENTS
THE THINKER requires an IBM Personal Computer or compatible
with 128K or more of memory and DOS. Any monitor and printer
may be used.
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FEATURES
Size of worksheet - 26 columns lettered A to Z
- 125 rows numbered 1 to 125.
Can import data from "PRN" type ASCII files. Data can be
transferred from dBASE III "DBF" files and from "DIF",
data interchange files (ie Visicalc, 1-2-3, and others).
Supports color, although not required.
Maximum number of cells that can be defined at one time is
1000.
Calculations are performed in natural sequence. That is, a
calculation does not take place until all previous cells
which related to that cell have also been calculated. All
files to be accessed must be in the same sub-directory.
PREPARING TO USE THE THINKER
Files required to use THE THINKER are as follows
THINK.EXE - This is the main THE THINKER program
TUTIL.EXE - Thinker utilities
THINK.HLP - This contains help screen information
ORDER - Order file to became a registered user
Optional files include:
THINK.INI - An initialization file you create
*.TKR - Several example THE THINKER applications
README - Gives latest details of the program
USE ON FLOPPY DISKETTE SYSTEM
To setup THE THINKER for use on a floppy diskette system,
first format a floppy diskette with the "/S" option. Consult
your DOS manual under the FORMAT command. Next copy the
files *.EXE, THINK.HLP, and all files with an ".TKR"
extension to the newly formatted diskette. Set up the
initialization files as indicated in the Appendix (optional)
usually specifying disk "A" or "B" as the storage diskette.
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USE ON HARD DISK SYSTEM
To use THE THINKER on a hard disk:
Program resides in a sub-directory. . .
Create a subdirectory (we recommend named THINK) by entering
the following commands:
C>CD\
C>MD \THINK
C>CD \THINK
-Copy *.EXE, THINK.HLP, ORDER, and all ".TKR" files to this
subdirectory. This can be done by placing the distribution
(original) diskette in drive A, and entering the command:
C>COPY A:*.*
Also, see the section on how to set up initialization files.
To begin the THE THINKER program (here from disk C), enter
C>THINK
TRADEMARKS
Here is a list of products & owners mentioned in the manual:
o IBM PC PC-DOS, International Business Machines Corporation
o 1-2-3, Lotus 1-2-3, Lotus Development Corp.
3
THE THINKER 3.0
___________________________________________________________
CONTENTS
SECTION 1.
Overview....................................5
How To Start and End Program................6
If Errors Occur.............................6
SECTION 2.
Fundamental Concepts........................7
What is a Spreadsheet.......................7
Arithmetic Operators and Functions.........10
How Commands are Accessed..................14
Learning to use THE THINKER................17
Text and Numbers...........................18
Function Commands..........................20
SECTION 3.
Getting Acquainted.........................20
Change of Format...........................23
Natural Sequence Calculations..............24
Output to Printer or File..................25
Suspend Calculations.......................27
Move and Copy..............................29
Erase......................................31
Insert and Delete..........................31
How to..Answers to Common Questions........32
APPENDIX I
Error Conditions...........................38
APPENDIX II
Technical Considerations...................39
APPENDIX III
Utilities program..........................40
Set up initialization file.................40
Transfer data from dBASE, DIF files........40
Order Information..........................42
4
THE THINKER 3.0
___________________________________________________________
SECTION ONE
INTRODUCTION TO THE THINKER
OVERVIEW
THE THINKER is an electronic spreadsheet which allows you to
create tables of text and numeric relations. Once such a
table is designed, changing one or more numbers in the table
causes all related numbers to be recalculated before your
eyes. Each table consists of 26 columns and 125 rows of
cells. Each cell is initially 9 characters wide.
THE THINKER is designed to be simple and straightforward to
use, similar in function to the popular 1-2-3 spreadsheet
program. This manual consists of step-by-step instructions,
and a variety of examples to get you started. Many of the
examples may be used immediately for your household or
business needs.
CAPABILITIES
THE THINKER may be used to design applications from simple
household budgets to complex mathematical and scientific
models. Basic arithmetic relations are available as well as
scientific, mathematical, financial and statistical
functions.
KEEP BACKUPS
We recommend that you keep the original THE THINKER diskette
in a safe place, as a backup. Keep backups of all files you
create to avoid accidental loss of valuable information.
5
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INITIALIZATION FILE
Default conditions specifying the storage disk for program
files are set in a file named THINK.INI. This procedure is
described in APPENDIX III. It is not necessary for you to
set up this file to operate THE THINKER.
HOW TO START
Assuming the THE THINKER program is in the A disk drive,
(program may also be installed on the hard disk) the command
to begin THE THINKER is:
A>THINK
HOW TO STOP
Once THE THINKER is in operation, you may stop the program
by pressing the "/" key, then pressing "Q", and finally
responding to the prompt:
No Yes
by pressing the "Y" key.
IF ERRORS OCCUR
If errors occur, an error message will appear on the screen.
Usually, the program will recover. Appendix I explains the
error messages, and gives more details.
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SECTION TWO
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
DESCRIPTION OF THE TABLE
THE THINKER is an electronic spreadsheet. It allows you to
create tables of text and numeric relationships, which
enables you to analyze budgets, loans, cost estimates, etc.
on the computer screen. After relationships have been
established, changing one or more numbers will cause all
related numbers to be recalculated automatically. This gives
you the power to quickly answer questions about "What if a
certain number were different?"
Several definitions need to be established to understand the
instructions in this manual.
WHAT IS A SPREADSHEET?
The word spreadsheet comes from business terminology. When
budgets are calculated, accounting work performed, or
inventories kept, numbers are often written on specialized
sheets of paper pre-printed with columns and lines. These
forms make it easy to line up columns of numbers, and to add
them together.
In computer terms, a spreadsheet is like a blank sheet of
paper with columns and rows. Each intersection of a column
and row is called a "cell". The computer may be instructed
to add up columns or rows of the numbers in these cells. If
a number in a particular column or row is changed, the
computer automatically updates the calculations.
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columns
A B C D
------------------------------------------
rows 1 | cell | | | |
------------------------------------------
2 | | | | |
------------------------------------------
3 | | | | |
---------##########-----------------------
4 | # "B4" # | |
---------##########-----------------------
5 | | | | |
------------------------------------------
Each "cell" has a name. At the intersection of column B and
row 4 is the cell "B4". Names will be used to define
particular mathematical computations. We may want to
reference one cell or a range of cells. A single cell has a
name such as B4, and a range of cells is designated with a
beginning cell, a dot (.) and an ending cell, such as A1.A5
or B1.D1.
The range A1.A5 refers to a vertical group of cells:
A B C D
##########--------------------------------
1 # # | | |
#--------#--------------------------------
2 # # | | |
#--------#--------------------------------
3 # # | | |
#--------#--------------------------------
4 # # | | |
#--------#--------------------------------
5 # # | | |
##########--------------------------------
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The range B1.D1 refers to a horizontal block of cells:
A B C D
---------############################-----
1 | # | | #
---------############################-----
2 | | | | |
------------------------------------------
3 | | | | |
------------------------------------------
4 | | | | |
------------------------------------------
5 | | | | |
------------------------------------------
The range A1.D4 refers to a rectangular block of cells with
the upper left corner being A1 and the lower right corner
being D4:
A B C D
#####################################-----
1 # | | | #
#-----------------------------------#-----
2 # | | | #
#-----------------------------------#-----
3 # | | | #
#-----------------------------------#-----
4 # | | | #
#####################################-----
5 | | | | |
------------------------------------------
STRUCTURE
The structure of a table is the text and arithmetic
relations which determine the function and appearance of the
table. This is also often called a "model" or "template".
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The Table
Status:ENTER
A B C D ... etc ... Z
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
:
etc
:
125:
/ - Command F1-Help F2-Edit F5-GOTO F9-Recalc
In THE THINKER, columns are lettered from A to Z and rows
are numbered from 1 to 125. Each cell is referenced by a
Column Row designation. The upper left cell is A1, to its
right is B1, etc. Only a portion of the table is displayed
at any time, a window into the entire spreadsheet.
ARITHMETIC OPERATORS AND FUNCTIONS a
SUPPORTED
Numeric expressions are entered into the table to describe
how you want items to be added up, multiplied, divided, etc.
All standard mathematical functions are supported. The
numeric relationships you desire are entered into a
spreadsheet cell using the supported operators and
functions. We will learn by example how this is done.
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MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
OPERATOR EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2 EXAMPLE 3
---------------------- --------- --------- ---------
+ : plus +A1+B4 4+3 +A1+3
- : minus +A1-B4 4-3 4-B4
* : multiplication +A1*B4 4*3 +A1*3
/ : division +A1/B4 4/3 4/B4
^ : exponentiation +A1^B4 4^3 +A1^3
Note:In Examples 3, when an expression begins with a cell
name, we must precede the name with a plus (+) sign.
In addition to these arithmetic operators, a series of
mathematical, financial, statistical, and special functions
are supported.
SUMMARY OF AVAILABLE FUNCTIONS
NOTE:Some arguments may be ranges such as A1.B3, or numbers.
When a range or a list of arguments may be used, LIST is
given in the function description. If the function takes
only a single argument "arg" will be designated.
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MATHEMATICAL FUNCTIONS
----------------------
@ABS(arg) - absolute value
@ACOS(arg) - arc cosine
@ASIN(arg) - arc sine
@ATAN(arg) - 2 quadrant arc tangent
@ATAN2(arg1,arg2)- 4 quadrant arc tangent for arg2/arg1,
the angle in radians whose tangent is arg1/arg2)
@COS(arg) - cosine
@EXP(arg) - exponential
@INT(arg) - integer part
@LN(arg) - log base e
@LOG(arg) - log base 10
@MOD(x,y) - x modulo y
@PI - pi = 3.141592653589794
@RAND - random number between 0 and 1 (uniform)
@ROUND(x,n)- round a number to n decimal places
@SIN(arg) - sine
@SQRT(arg) - square root
@TAN(arg) - tangent
STATISTICAL FUNCTIONS
---------------------
@AVG(list) - average of items in list
@COUNT(list) - counts number of items in list
@MAX(list) - maximum of values in list
@MIN(list) - minimum of values in list
@SEM(list) - standard error of the mean from list
@SS(list) - sum of squares from list
@STD(list) - standard deviation from list
@SUM(list) - sum of numbers in list
@VAR(list) - variance of numbers in list
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THE THINKER 3.0
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FINANCIAL FUNCTIONS
-------------------
@FV(pmt,int,term) - FUTURE VALUE OF AN ANNUITY
pmt = payment made each period
int = interest per period
term = number of periods
@IRR(guess,list) - INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN
guess = initial guess (usually 0 to 1.)
list = cash flows
@NPV(x,list) - NET PRESENT VALUE
x = per period interest rate
list = cash flows
@PMT(prn,int,term) - MORTGAGE PAYMENT PER PERIOD
prn = beginning principle
int = per period interest rate
term = how many payments to be made
@PV(pmt,int,term) - PRESENT VALUE OF AN ORDINARY ANNUITY
pmt = payment per period
int = interest per period
term = number of periods
SPECIAL FUNCTIONS
-----------------
@ERR - designates a value of ERR (error). A cell with value
ERR will cause subsequent functions to return a value
of ERR.
@DEC(x,n) - causes the number associated with the cell to
print out the number x to n decimal places.
HOW TO USE FUNCTIONS
Functions are used in mathematical expressions. For example,
you want to sum the numbers in the "A" column from row 10 to
row 20. The expression you would enter into the table would
be:
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THE THINKER 3.0
___________________________________________________________
@SUM(A10.A20)
Functions return a number, so a function expression may be
used just like a number. For example, the above function
calculation may the part of a bigger expression:
((@SUM(A10.A20))/@LOG(A1))/100
Notice that parentheses may be used in expressions to
specify the order calculations will take place in an
expression. Without parentheses, the precedence is:
Highest:Expressions within parentheses ()
Next :Evaluate function
:Mathematical operators ^ * and /
Lowest :Mathematical operators + and -
HOW COMMANDS ARE ACCESSED
THE THINKER is a command-menu oriented program. A command
tells the program to perform some task. All commands are
invoked by first typing the slash "/" character. A menu will
then be presented:
Worksheet Range Copy Move File Print Quit Status
To choose one of these options, press the first letter of
the option, or move the selection marker by pressing a right
or left arrow key, then press ENTER when the desired options
is highlighted. Another menu, or a question may then appear
on the screen. In this manual, command sequences will be
written with a slash followed by one or more letters
designating the menu commands. An examples should be /WGF
meaning Worksheet, Global, Format.
COMMANDS ON PRIMARY MENU
-WORKSHEET - options having to do with the entire worksheet
(Global, Insert, Delete, Column-Width, and Erase)
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THE THINKER 3.0
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-RANGE - Erase a range of cells
-COPY and MOVE - Copy or move a range of cells
-FILE - Save Retrieve or Import a file, or list files on
disk
-PRINT - Print a worksheet to a file or to the printer.
When this command is selected, you will be asked to
specify output to Printer or File. If you choose File,
you will be asked for the name of the output file.
-QUIT - End the program
-STATUS - Display amount of memory, number of cells used
and remaining.
COMMANDS ON WORKSHEET MENU
-GLOBAL - Set global column-width, or choose manual or
automatic calculation
-INSERT - Insert blank columns or rows
-DELETE - Delete column or rows
-COLUMN-WIDTH - Set or Reset column width of a specific
column
-ERASE - Erase the entire worksheet
Examples:
Set global column width command:/WGC
(Worksheet, Global, Column-Width)
Insert blank columns command:/WIC
(Worksheet, Insert, Column)
Set specific column width command:/WCS/
(Worksheet, Column-width, Set)
Erase the entire worksheet:/WE
15
THE THINKER 3.0
___________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT COMMENT:If you are in the middle of a command
sequence, and decide to cancel, press the Esc key. This will
usually take you back to the previous command, or to the
"ENTER" status. If the program is expecting an answer, and
Esc does not cancel the command, usually entering a blank
answer will cancel the command.
COMMANDS ON PRINT MENU
The PRINT MENU appears after the command /WPP or /WPF (print
to printer or file).
-RANGE - Select range of worksheet to print. You must
specify a rectangular portion of the spreadsheet (ie A1.E50)
-LINE - Cause the printer to advance one line.
-PAGE - Cause the printer to go to the top of the page.
-CLEAR - Clear the print selections.
-ALIGN - Align the paper. After selecting this command, you
need to physically set the printer at the top of the form.
The program will now set all of its counters to assume that
you are at TOF.
-GO - Begin output to the printer, or to a file.
-OPTIONS - This selection brings up the PRINT OPTIONS MENU,
where you may choose margin settings, page length, set codes
for printer, header, footer, and Quit. Standard settings
are:
Left Margin:0 Top Margin:2
Right Margin:76 Bottom Margin:2
Page Length:66 Printer codes:NONE
Header:Blank Footer:Blank
Choosing the Quit option from this menu returns you to the
main PRINT MENU.
-QUIT - Quit the print procedure, returns to ENTER status.
16
THE THINKER 3.0
___________________________________________________________
LEARNING TO USE THE THINKER
After preparing the diskette in a manner described earlier
in these instructions, you may begin THE THINKER with the
command:
A>THINK
The title screen will appear. Press any key to continue and
you are in the spreadsheet.
Find the arrow keys on the numeric pad to the right of the
keyboard. Notice that by pressing the down arrow key, the
cursor (a horizontal white bar) moves down a column, and by
pressing the right arrow key the cursor moves to the right
one cell. If this does not happen, you may be in numeric
mode. Press the "Num Lock" key once to put the keypad into
cursor mode.
Pressing the "Home" key moves the cursor to the upper left
corner, to cell "A1". Pressing the "End" key moves the
cursor horizontally to the last cell on the screen.
THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER
Notice the word ENTER in the upper right corner of the
screen. This tells you that THE THINKER is ready for you to
begin entry.
After the entry of text or numbers, the upper right
designation will be "WAIT". During this time, text is being
stored, or calculations are being performed. You must wait
for the "ENTER" designation to resume entering text. If an
illegal entry was made, the program puts you into "EDIT"
mode, and allows you to correct the mistake.
CORRECTING ENTRIES
During the "ENTER" mode, you may use the backspace key
17
THE THINKER 3.0
___________________________________________________________
(located just above the Enter key), to backup and make
corrections. If you use an arrow key on the cursor keypad,
this will end the entry, and move you in the direction you
indicated with the keystroke.
During an "EDIT", you MAY use the right and left arrow keys,
as well as the Home key to move around in the entry, and
make corrections. You are automatically in "Insert" mode
during an edit, so you can move the cursor to a position
within the text of the entry, and insert new characters. The
"Del" key may be used to delete characters.
To cancel an Entry or Edit, press the "Esc" key. To end the
procedure normally, press the "Enter" key.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
TEXT AND NUMBERS
A NUMERIC EXPRESSION
In THE THINKER a NUMBER (or numeric expression) is an entry
which begins with a numeric digit (ie 0,1,2,etc), or one of
the following characters:(, +, -, $ or @. Any entry
beginning with a letter, such as E1+2 is not recognized as a
numeric expression. However, the entry +E1+2 is recognized
as a numeric expression.
TEXT
If an entry is not a numeric expression, it is assumed to be
text. Text is automatically left justified in the cell.
However, placing a double quote in front of an entry forces
the text to be right justified in the cell. Prefixing the
text with a caret "^" forces the text to be centered in the
cell. If text is wider than the cell width, the result is
always left justification. Using a back slash "\" as the
first character makes text repeat itself within the width of
the cell. To force an entry to be considered textual that
may otherwise look like a number, prefix the entry with a
single quote (') or one of the other text formatting
prefixes. Thus, the entry "'120" would be seen as text.
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SUMMARY OF TEXTUAL PREFIXES
PREFIX TO TEXT RESULT
----------------- --------------------------
' Left justification - force text
" Right justification
^ Centered Text
\ Repeated Text
PgUp AND PgDn
These keys, located on the numeric pad, allow you to move
the table up or down 20 rows at a time.
HORIZONTAL MOVE
When the cursor is in the far right field, pressing the
right arrow key will cause the table to move in such a way
to display more columns to the right (until the limit is
reached). Likewise, moving the cursor to the left, and
pressing the left arrow key will cause the table to move
horizontally to the right.
VERTICAL MOVE
Pressing the up or down arrow keys to the edge of the
display will force the table to move up or down one row at a
time.
19
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Function Commands
F1 - HELP - Pressing the F1 key displays the The Thinker
help menu. From here, you can review on the screen much of
what is in the manual.
F2 - EDIT - pressing this key allows you to enter EDIT mode,
and edit the contents of a cell.
F5 - GOTO - This is an express route to any cell. Press F5,
then enter the name of the cell you wish to be at (ie N40).
The table will redisplay with the cursor in that location.
F9 - When in manual recalculation mode, numbers are not
updated automatically. Pressing the F9 key forces
calculations to take place.
SECTION 3
A GETTING ACQUAINTED TUTORIAL
In this section we will put THE THINKER through its paces,
and see what it can do. As mentioned earlier, THE THINKER is
started by issuing the command THINK at the "A>" DOS prompt.
(or "C>" when using a hard disk)
A>THINK
If this does not work properly, please consult the
instructions at the first of the manual.
PUTTING THE THINKER THROUGH ITS PACES
Once the THE THINKER screen has appeared, move the cursor
around on the screen with the arrow keys located on the
number pad to the right of the keyboard. Moving the cursor
to the extreme right will cause the portion of the table in
20
THE THINKER 3.0
___________________________________________________________
view to move to the right (until the limit of the table is
reached). Similarly, the up and down arrows keys, as well as
the PgUp and PgDn keys on the numeric pad may be used to
move the table up and down.
EXPRESSO
The Home key places the cursor in cell A1, and the End key
places the cursor in the last cell of a particular row, as
displayed on the screen. Pressing the F5 (GOTO) key allows
you to move anywhere in the table. Press F5, then enter N50.
The table will redisplay with the cell N50 as the upper
left. Press the "Home" key, and you are back at A1.
RELATIONS AND TEXT
Let's enter a simple example to learn how to use THE
THINKER. First, make sure you have a cleared table (this may
be done by entering the sequence /WE). Let's say you want to
know how much (proportionally) an item (such as a stock) has
increased in value over the past year. You know the value
last year, and the value this year. Place the cursor in A1,
and enter "Last Year's Value" (not the quotes). In A2 enter
"This Year's Value". In A3 enter the text "Net change", and
in A4 enter "Proportion Change". The formula for proportion
change is
This Year's Value - Last Year's Value
--------------------------------------
Last Year's Value
Assuming that last year's Value for the stock was $100,
enter the number 100 in cell C1 by moving the cursor to cell
C1, and typing 100. This year's Value is $125, so enter the
number 125 in cell C2. To calculate Net Change in cell C3,
we enter the relation +C2-C1 in cell C3. The plus MUST be
entered before the cell name C2 to tell THE THINKER that
this is a numeric expression we are entering. The number 25
will appear in cell C3. To calculate proportion change in
cell C4, we enter the relation +C3/C1, and 0.25 will appear.
21
THE THINKER 3.0
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HERE IS HOW THE TABLE SHOULD LOOK
A B C
1: Last Year's Value 100.00
2: This Year's Value 125.00
3: Net Change 25.00
4: Proportion Change 0.25
CHANGING VALUES
If we change the value of Last Year's Value or This Year's
Value, the Net Change and Proportion Change will
automatically be recalculated. For instance, change the This
Year's Value to 200, by moving the cursor to the C2
position, entering 200, and pressing ENTER. Observe the
changes in Net Change and Proportion Change.
EDITING AN ENTRY
To see percentages rather than proportions, we can edit the
relation in cell C4 by moving the cursor to cell C4, and
pressing the F2 (EDIT) key.
The old expression appears:
+C3/C1
We want the new expression to be +(C3/C1)*100. To do this,
press the Home key. This places the cursor on the "+". Move
the cursor one space to the right, and press the "(" key
(don't forget to shift). This inserts a "(" between the +
and the C. Now move the cursor to the end of the expression
with the right arrow key and type ")*100" (without quotes,
of course), to make the new expression look like this:
+(C3/C1)*100
Now press the Enter key, and the table will reflect the
change. Change the text in cell A4 from "Proportion Change"
to "Percent Change", to match our change in the numeric
expression.
22
THE THINKER 3.0
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HERE IS HOW THE TABLE SHOULD LOOK
A B C
1: Last Year's Value 100.00
2: This Year's Value 200.00
3: Net Change 100.00
4: Percent Change 100.00
Change Last Year's Value to 30 and This Year's Value to 45,
and the table will look like this:
A B C
1: Last Year's Value 30.00
2: This Year's Value 45.00
3: Net Change 15.00
4: Percent Change 50.00
CHANGE OF FORMAT a
Formats may be chosen, using the command sequence /WGF.
(Worksheet, Global, Format). You will be asked how many
decimal places to use, from 0 to 15. The preset default for
all numbers is 2 decimal places.
Using the table you have just created, experiment with the
different available formats. You may set a format for an
individual cell with the @DEC() function.
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CALCULATIONS TAKE PLACE IN NATURAL SEQUENCE
The The Thinker program calculates all numeric expressions
in a natural sequence. That is, an expression is not
calculated until all cells which that expression depends on,
has already been calculated. It is possible to create
circular relations, where natural sequencing cannot take
place. If this occurs, THE THINKER will display an error
message at the top of the screen.
CHECKBOOK BALANCING ACT
An example THE THINKER table on your diskette is named
BALANCE. To get it, use the sequence /FR, then enter the
name of the table "BALANCE" (no quotes). This table can be
used to balance your checkbook. It requires that you enter
your bank statement amount, outstanding checks and fees, and
outstanding deposits and interest. From this, it gives you
the amount which should appear in your checkbook.
Checkbook Account Reconciliation Form
Enter Outstanding Checks Enter Outstanding Deposits Enter Balance
and fees: (credits) here: from statement
Reference Amount Reference Amount here $ 716.41
CK100 23.34 Dep 11/2 230.33
CK101 125.00 Dep 11/4 1200.00 ----RESULTS------
CK102 12.54 Balance in
CK103 432.00 Checkbook should
be = $ 1553.86
Total Outstanding
Checks and fees
are = $ 592.88
Total Outstanding
Deps. and Int.
are = $ 1430.33
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LOOKING WITHIN THE TABLE
Notice that input of outstanding checks and deposits are in
columns B and E respectively. These columns are totaled
using the @SUM() function. Move the cursor to cells H14 and
H18 to see these expressions. The checkbook balance should
be Previous Balance-Debt+Credits (+H5-H14+H18), which
appears under the RESULTS sign. A total of outstanding Debts
and Credits are also given under the RESULTS sign. For your
personal use, you can enter your numbers over the sample
numbers already entered. (Or use the command sequence /R to
erase the range of numbers from B6.B125 and E6.E125.)
CAN YOU DO IT?
As an exercise to learn about how to create a THE THINKER
table, enter the previous table from scratch starting with a
blank table. In fact, all of the examples in this manual
have been created to use a variety of THE THINKER'
capabilities. Understanding how the examples were created
will help you design tables for your own needs.
OUTPUT TO PRINTER OR TO A FILE
Using the command sequence /P, you may print a table to a
printer or to a file. When you press /P, you will be given
the sub-menu
Printer File
Choose Print to print to a line printer, or File to output a
picture of the table to disk. If you choose File, you will
be asked to give the name of an output file. (The extension
".PRN" is automatically affixed).
The Print sub-menu is:
Range Line Page Clear Align Go Quit Options
Range allows you to choose the range of the cells to print.
For example "A1.N60". This designates the upper left and
bottom right corner of the rectangular portion of the table
to print.
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Line advances the printer one line.
Page advances the printer to top of form.
Align allows you to set the paper at the top of the form.
Go begins printing (or outputting to the file)
Quit ends the print procedure.
Options brings up the sub-sub-menu for designating header,
footer, margins, page length, and printer code settings:
Header Footer Margins Setup Page-Length Quit
Once settings of range, margins, etc. are made for a
particular table, these are remembered by the program, and
need not be reset again unless a change is desired.
If the width of the table is too wide for the printer, it is
printed in parts. The width of the printer is established in
the "Option" menu.
If the table is printed to a file, you may merged it into a
word processor file or other programs which will read
standard ASCII files (such as TexaSoft's VersaText Word
Processing System).
TWO WAYS TO SAVE A TABLE
Please note that when a table is saved using the /FS command
the STRUCTURE of the table is saved, not a picture of what
appears on the screen. The /PF command (print to a file)
WILL create a file containing a picture of the table.
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SUSPEND CALCULATIONS
The /WGRM command sequence (Worksheet, Global,
Recalculation, Manual) selects manual rather than automatic
calculation for the table. When a number of changes are to
be made in the numeric entries in a table, this command will
permit faster turnaround between "WAIT" and "ENTER".
Pressing the F9 key will cause all calculations to take
place.
MORTGAGE EXAMPLE
A table which figures the amount of periodic payments on an
amortized loan is on disk. To display this table on the
screen, press the command /FR, and specify the table
MORTGAGE. The following table will be displayed.
A B C D E
1 : LOAN ANALYSIS FOR AN AMORTIZED LOAN
2 :
3 :Description Amounts
4 :=================================
5 :Enter amount of loan 65000.00
6 :Enter interest rate per year 12.75
7 :Enter number of payments per year 12.00
8 :Enter number of years 30.00
9 :Enter number of payments (N) made 0
10 :---------------------------------------------
11 :Total number of payments 360
12 :Amount of payment 706.35
13 :Number of payments remaining 360
14 :Payoff bal after 0.00th pmt. 65000.00
15 :Total amount paid to date 0.00
16 :Principal paid to date 0.00
17 :Interest paid to date 0.00
The table as it now appears shows the monthly payment
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required to payoff a $65000 loan in 30 years. It also shows
the total principal and interest paid. Note that all of the
rows above the single dotted line allow an entry on your
part so that you can obtain all of the information below the
line for a variety of loan amounts, interest rates, length
of loan, etc. To see this, change the loan above from
monthly payments (12 payments a year) to quarterly payments
(4 payments per year) by changing the number in cell D7
(number of payments per year) from 12 to 4.
ENTER YOUR "FAVORITE" LOAN
Use this table to enter your favorite loan amount. Recall
that you should only change numbers ABOVE the dashed line.
Changing values below that line will destroy the
relationships set up to perform these calculations. Of
course, if you do this by mistake, you may always get the
table again. Changing items within the program does not
change the original file on disk (unless you save those
changes).
This table is based on the @PMT() function, which calculates
the payment amount for a loan, given the amount of the loan,
the interest rate per period, and the number of payments.
Find how this formula is used in the cell giving the amount
of payment by moving the cursor to that cell, and observing
its contents.
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BUDGET EXAMPLE
The next example explained is named BUDGET. This table is a
simple example of how you could plan a budget using The
Thinker. Get this example using the command sequence /FR and
entering the name BUDGET. The following screen will be
displayed:
BUDGET EXAMPLE in $1000
Revenues Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total
------------------------------------------------------------
Sales 134 154 166 175 629
Interest 12 14 16 18 60
Total 146 168 182 193 689
Expenses
------------------------------------------------------------
Rent 44 44 46 46 180
Utilities 5 5 5 5 20
Salaries 88 90 92 94 364
Travel 3 6 3 6 18
Misc 12 14 16 17 59
Total 152 159 162 168 641
------------------------------------------------------------
Profit -6 9 20 25 48
This is an example of a four quarter budget with totals. The
bottom line gives the difference between revenues and
expenses. All of the totals in column F were performed with
the @SUM() function. Totals in row 8 were simply adding two
numbers (ie +B6+B7). The profit figures come from
subtracting the numbers in row 8 from the numbers in row 17
(ie +B8-B17).
THE MOVE AND COPY COMMANDS
The MOVE and COPY command are among the most powerful
commands in THE THINKER. The Move command allows you to move
blocks of cells to different locations within the
spreadsheet, maintaining the same mathematical relations.
The copy command duplicates a block of cells, also retaining
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the mathematical relations.
This presents somewhat of a problem for the program. When a
copy or move is accomplished, the program may not know if
you want the relations to stay relative to the the original
locations of the numbers they referred to, or if the
relationship should be absolute. For example, the following
table has numbers in the A column and calculations in the B
column:
A B
1.00 +A1/2
2.00 +A2/2
3.00 +A3/2
Suppose you copy columns A and B to column C and D. Do we
want the calculations to remain +A1/2, +A2/2, +A3/2?
Probably not. The program assumes that you want the new
relations to be "+C1/2", etc., and it makes those changes
during the copy (or move). However, you can force a
reference to retain its ABSOLUTE meaning by placing a dollar
sign in front of the Column or Row designator. For example,
to force the column designation to stay the same we would
write the expression "+$A1/2", and to keep the row
specification the same, we would write "+A$1/2". The
expression "$A$1/2" would keep them both the same. The Move
command may ignore the $ settings when they don't make
sense.
If moves or copies force relations "off the table", the
resulting formula may produce the "ERR" designation within a
cell.
HOW TO MOVE OR COPY
COPY:Select the Copy command with the sequence /C. You will
be prompted to enter the range for the copy, and the
destination. In the above example, the ranges for the copy
from and to would be:
Enter range to copy FROM:A1.B3
Enter range to copy TO:C1
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Notice that you indicate the "Copy TO:" as the upper left
corner of the to location.
MOVE:Operates the same as COPY, but the original range
indicated in the the Move command is erased, and placed in
the "TO" location.
REPEATED COPIES
Multiple copies of lines or columns, or individual cells may
be made. To do this, indicate a range in the "to"
designation. For example, enter a row range (B1.B3) as the
"FROM" designation, and a column range for the "TO:"
designation:
Enter range to copy from:B1.B3
Enter range to copy to:C1.E1
The result would be (showing the expressions rather than the
calculated values):
A B C D E
1.00 +A1/2 +B1/2 +C1/2 +D1/2
2.00 +A2/2 +B2/2 +C2/2 +D2/2
3.00 +A3/2 +B3/2 +C3/2 +D3/2
ERASING PORTIONS OF THE TABLE
To erase a portion of the table, choose the command sequence
/R (Range). You will be prompted:
Enter range to erase:
Enter the range of the table to erase, such as A1.F5.
ERASE THE ENTIRE TABLE
To erase the entire table, enter the command sequence /WE
(Worksheet, Erase).
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INSERTING AND DELETING ROWS AND COLUMNS
As you are creating a worksheet, you often want to move
parts of your work around. Besides the COPY and MOVE
command, you may also Insert and Delete entire rows and
columns at a time.
Here is a summary of the command sequences required:
Insert Rows :/WIR
Insert Columns:/WIC
Delete Rows :/WDR
Delete Columns:/WDC
You will be prompted to enter the range of the delete or
insert. For example, to insert 3 blank rows between rows 5
and 6, enter the range A6.A8. This causes rows 6 to 8 to be
blank, and all items on rows 6 and below to be moved down 3
rows. Mathematical expressions in effected cells are
adjusted the same way as with the Copy and Move commands.
HOW TO...
A SECTION TO HELP ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS
GET HELP
While in the ENTER status, press the F1 function key.
This will display a menu of help items. Choose the item
you wish to review, or you may exit the help menu, and
return to the table.
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STOP THE PROGRAM
With the program in the "ENTER" mode, use the command
sequence /QY (Command, Quit, Yes)
CHANGE THE WAY NUMBERS ARE PRINTED
There are two ways.
1. To globally change the number of digits in the
decimal portion of the number, enter the command
sequence /WGF, then enter the number of decimal digits
desired, from 0 to 15.
2. To cause a single number to be displayed to a
certain number of digits, use the function @DEC(#),
where # is the expression for the number to be
displayed. For example,
@DEC(13.451,2) would be displayed as
13.45
ERASE THE ENTIRE WORKSHEET
Use the command sequence /WE (Worksheet Erase)
ERASE A PORTION OF THE WORKSHEET
Use the command sequence /R. You will then be asked to
specify the range of the cells to erase, enter the cell
in the upper left corner of the rectangle to erase, and
the lower right corner. For example "A1.E8" (don't use
quotes).
FIND OUT HOW MUCH SPACE YOU HAVE LEFT
Use the command sequence /S. This will display how much
memory is left, as well as how many cells are still
available for use.
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PRINT TO THE PRINTER
Use the command sequence /PP (command, Print, Printer)
You must then specify the range to print, and any other
settings you desire, such as margins, headers, etc.
Once you are satisfied with what you want to print,
press "G" for GO, and the printing will begin. If your
printer is not on line, an error may result.
PRINT TO A FILE
Use the command sequence /PF (command, Print, Printer).
You will be asked the name of the file in which to
place the output. The extension ".PRN" will be added to
the file name, unless you specify a different
extension. You must specify the range to print, and any
other settings you desire, such as margins, headers,
etc. Once you are satisfied with what you want to
print, press "G" for GO, and the printing will begin.
If your printer is not on line, an error may result.
CREATE A FILE TO MERGE INTO A WORD PROCESSOR
Same as PRINT TO A FILE, above.
IMPORT INFORMATION FROM ANOTHER PROGRAM
Import may be done in two ways, for text or for numbers
and text. NOTE:Import files are expected to have a
".PRN" extension. If the file has no extension, place a
period at the end of the file name (ie MYFILE.).
1. Import text only:A file must exist which contains
standard ASCII text characters. Move the cursor to the
position where you wish the data to appear, and enter
the command /FI (file Import). Choose "TEXT" as the
type of import, and enter the name of the file. Each
line of the file will be entered as a label, beginning
at the spot where the cursor is located, and going down
one line in the spreadsheet for each line of text
imported.
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THE THINKER 3.0
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2. Import numbers and text:A file must exist which
contains standard ASCII text and numbers. Move the
cursor to the position where you wish the data to
appear, and enter the command /FI (file Import). Choose
"Numbers" as the type of import, and enter the name of
the file. Each line of the import file will be read,
and numbers or text will be placed in cells on each
line of the spreadsheet. Blanks or commas delimit each
cell, so that labels which contain blanks or commas
must be in quotes. For example, the import line
23.33 This line
will be placed in three cells, but the import line
23.33 "This line"
will be placed in two cells.
COPY AND MOVE
SINGLE COPY OR MOVE: Copy makes a duplicate copy of a
range of cells, and move places a copy of the original
cells in a new location, removing them from the old
location. Choose either the command /C or /M, enter the
rectangle to be copied or moved, and then enter the
upper left corner of the place where you want the copy
to appear. NOTE:The COPY and MOVE command use a buffer
file on the disk. Therefore, you must NOT have the disk
write protected with a tab, otherwise an error will
result. Also, if there is not enough space on disk for
the buffer file, and error will result.
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MULTIPLE COPIES
You may make multiple copies of a cell or range of
cells. To do this, enter the /C command, then specify
the range to copy. This range must be a single cell (ie
A1.A1) or a vertical or horizontal group of cells one
cell wide or one cell tall such as "A1.A22" or "A1.F1".
Specify a range of cells for the copy to range which is
counter to the range of the COPY FROM range. For
example, the copy from range "A1.A20" is a vertical
range. To make multiple copies, specify of COPY TO
range that is horizontal, such as "B5.F5".
FIND OUT WHAT FILES ARE ON DISK
Use the command sequence /FL. You will then have the
option to enter "T" to get all "TKR" files or "A" to
get a list of all files. Once you have a list of files,
you may enter a file name to RETRIEVE, or press enter
to return to the ENTER status.
EDIT AN EXISTING ENTRY IN A CELL
Place your cursor on the cell you wish to edit, and
press the F2 function key. The current entry will be
displayed. You may now edit that entry. The Home key
will move the cursor to the beginning of the entry, and
you may use the right and left arrow keys to move
within the text of the entry, adding or deleting
characters as you wish.
SUSPEND CALCULATIONS
You may wish to suspend calculations, which often
allows you faster entry of numbers. To do this, enter
the command sequence /WGRM (Worksheet Global,
Recalculations, Manual). Then, whenever you wish a
calculation to take place, simply press the F9 key.
GOTO A PARTICULAR SPOT IN THE TABLE
While in ENTER status, press the F5 function key. Then
enter the upper left cell at which you wish to have the
table displayed.
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ENTER EXTENDED ASCII CHARACTERS
There are about 100 characters in the IBM extended
ASCII character set, numbering from 128 to 255. These
characters may be used in LABELS. To cause one of these
characters to appear on the screen, hold the ALT key
down, and enter the ASCII code for the number on the
NUMERIC PAD. Then let up on the ALT key, and the
character should appear. NOTE:if your printer does not
support these characters, you will get spurious
characters printed on output. Example, the ASCII
character number 225 is ß, the greek character "beta".
These characters are in a table in the appendix of the
BASIC manual.
TRANSFER INFORMATION FROM OTHER PROGRAMS
The TUTIL program allows you to transfer information
from other programs to The Thinker. This can be
directly, or by creating a PRN file which can be used
to import information.
dBASE III ---> Thinker
Use the TUTIL program to translate the DBF file to a
TKR file, or a PRN file. Notice that all variables and
numbers will be copied from the DBF file. If you want
to transfer a subset of your dBASE file, create a
subset database within dBASE first. Also, you may want
to sort the information in dBASE first. If there are
too many columns or rows to be read into the Thinker,
the data set will be truncated.
1-2-3 ---> Thinker
Use the 1-2-3 Translate facility to create a DBF file
or a DIF file. Then use TUTIL to create a TKR file or a
PRN import file.
ANY program that can create a DBF, DIF file or PRN type
file can have its data transferred into The Thinker.
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX I
IF ERRORS OCCUR
When an error is encountered, the following type of notice
will appear at the bottom of the screen.
Error Number 61 Reference 1000
This indicates that the program has encountered a barrier to
execution. Many times the program will recover.
If the program does not recover, please make a note of the
error number and reference. The meaning of the error codes
may be found in the IBM Personal Computer BASIC manual,
appendix A. For instance, code 61 indicates that the
diskette on which a file is to be stored is full. Most
errors such as this may be corrected by simple action on
your part.
If a puzzling error occurs, please make a note of the number
and reference, and contact TexaSoft,Inc. by mail. The
following is an abbreviated list of error codes.
COMMON ERRORS
24- Device Timeout (Printer is off)
25- Device Fault (Printer has malfunctioned)
27- Out of Paper
61- Disk full (diskette has used all available space)
67- Too many files (diskette contains maximum number of files)
70- Disk Write Protected
71- Disk Not Ready (Is the drive door closed?)
72- Disk Media Error (Your diskette may be bad)
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It is possible to define impossible mathematical relations
such as 10/0, which may cause an "overflow" or "underflow"
error. If recovery is not possible, you may press CTRL-Break
to end the program, or CTRL-Alt-Del to reboot.
APPENDIX II
TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS
EXTENSIONS TO NAMES
When a table is saved without a filename extension, the
extension ".TKR" is attached. Also, when a table is
retrieved, the filename extension ".TKR" is assumed when
none is given. A name may be given an extension such as
"TABLE.EXT", and it will be saved and retrieved as such.
BUFFER FILES FOR MOVE AND COPY
The Thinker creates a buffer file during a copy or move
command. It uses file space on the default drive disk. If
there is not enough space for the copy or move, an error
will result.
DEFAULT DISK FOR EXAMPLES
IMPORTANT NOTE:The exercises in the manual assume that the
example applications are on the same disk drive as the
program. If you have set up B as the default storage drive,
to access the example THINK files, you will need to prefix
the filenames with an "A:" if you are using a floppy based
system. (See appendix III for initialization)
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THE THINKER 3.0
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APPENDIX III
THE TUTIL THINKER UTILITY PROGRAM
The TUTIL program allows you to set up the default settings
for The Thinker, and to transfer data from dBASE III and DIF
files for use in The Thinker or other programs.
SETTING UP THE INITIALIZATION FILE
The file THINK.INI may be created, which will tell which
default disk to use for storage. Once a default diskette is
defined, all saves and gets will automatically assume that
the table to get or save is on the default diskette. Thus,
if the default disk is B, you may get the table "TABLE"
instead of having to request "B:TABLE". This may be
overridden at any time by use of the disk specification such
as "A:TABLE". You may NOT use subdirectory file names such
as "\CALC\BUDGET.TKR".
To create this file, begin the TUTIL Thinker Utilities
program with the command
A>TUTIL
Choose the initialization procedure. You will then be asked
to choose the default disk drive, and the colors for text
and highlighting. If you are using a monochrome monitor, you
will generally pick color 1 ro text, and color 2 for
highlighting.
TRANSFERRING DATA FROM OTHER PROGRAMS
Using the TUTIL program, you may transfer data from dBASE
and DIF files to The Thinker. This is accomplished in two
ways.
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THE THINKER 3.0
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1. Create THINKER TKR files.
2. Create PRN import files.
dBASE III creates files with ".DBF" extensions. Other
programs also can create DBF files, such as 1-2-3. Another
common way to transfer files is with the DIF or Data
Interchange Format file, created by programs such as
VisiCalc, 1-2-3 and others. To move this data to The
Thinker, the DBF or DIF file must be on the default
subdirectory (hard disk). Begin the TUTIL program with the
command
A>TUTIL
Choose the desired transformation
1. Create a TKR file
2. Create a PRN Import file
3. Create a TXT ASCII file
1. A TKR file is a file which is directly readable into The
Thinker.
2. A PRN file is a file prepared for import into The
Thinker. (It could also be imported into 1-2-3 and other
programs as well). This file should be imported in the
NUMBERS mode. Choose the command "/FIN", and give name of
PRN file.
3. A TXT ASCII file is a standard text file which can be
read into a word processor, or other programs.
This transfer facility has many uses beyond The Thinker. It
allows you to move between different modes of data files,
for compatibility between a wide variety of programs.
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APPENDIX IV - ORDER INFORMATION FOR THE THINKER
-----THE SHAREWARE CONCEPT-----
TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT
The THINKER program is a copyrighted program that allows
users, under certain conditions, to copy and share the
program with others. Never call it a "public domain"
program. You are not allowed to make photocopies of the
manual. Persons who use THE THINKER are obliged to become
officially licensed users by registering. This provides you
with several advantages. You receive information about new
releases, bugs, updates and problems. You also get a copy of
the latest version of the program and manual on disk.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN DISTRIBUTING THE THINKER DISKS:
1. You must not alter any of the files, and you must
include all files on disks.
2. You must inform the person that you share the program
with that it is a copyrighted program, and they if they use
it, they should register.
3. You may not charge more than the cost of distributing the
disks ($6 per disk).
Thanks for your cooperation.
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THE THINKER 3.0
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ORDER BLANK FOR THE THINKER
THE THINKER complete package
registration, diskettes ($25) x ________= $____________
KWIKSTAT statistical analysis program,
registration, diskettes ($35) x ________= $____________
Add $4 P&H or $8 if PO, COD or RUSH or $____________
add $15 if overseas.
TOTAL ENCLOSED $
============
Specify ____5 1/4 inch diskette ___ 3.5 inch diskette
Check one _____ Check or M.O. _____ MC ____ VISA
------------------------------------------------------------
IF CREDIT CARD:Name on card_______________________________
Card Number is:____________________________Exp Date_______
Authorized Signature:_____________________________________
-----------------------------------------------------------
Mail order to:____________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________________
City:___________________ St_______ ZIP ___________________
Phone ( )______________________________________________
-----------------------------------------------------------
Please mail to:TexaSoft, P.O. Box 1169, Cedar Hill, Texas
75104. Thanks.
MAIL TODAY!
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