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1984-03-28
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MAIN LEVEL
You are at the main level of the VisiCalc program.
At this level you can:
Move the cursor using
the arrow keys
the semicolon (;) to go to the other window
the ">" or "GO TO" command
the tab key, TAB and SHIFT-TAB
Enter a VALUE or a LABEL in the current cell
Recalculate the entire sheet by typing "!"
Initiate any VisiCalc command by typing "/"
Get help by typing "?"
Correct typing mistakes by pressing the BKSP (<--) key
Use CTRL-BREAK to cancel a command or data entry operation.
The VisiCalc HELP function gives you information on how to use
the VisiCalc program while you are actually using it. (Version
108E/VC2/IBM)
It consists of many frames, like this one, which give you
information about various aspects of VisiCalc. If a frame does
not fit the screen, it continues on one or more additional
screens. You can see the next screen by pressing the N key,
and the previous one by pressing the P key. If the bottom
line of a screen shows an N or P prompt, there is a NEXT
or PREVIOUS screen.
A list of all topics for which HELP frames are available can be
viewed by pressing the T key. When the topic list is on the
screen, use the arrow keys to position the cursor on any topic,
and press ENTER to display information contained in the desired
frame. To return to the topic list, press ENTER again.
To leave HELP and return to the VisiCalc sheet at the point
where you asked for HELP, press BKSP.
To cancel the current worksheet command or data entry operation
and return to the VisiCalc sheet from HELP, press CTRL-BREAK.
You will be at the main level of the VisiCalc program.
0 MEMORY CONDITIONS
When the VisiCalc program has used up all of its available
memory, the memory indicator displays a 0.
At this point:
You cannot enter any values, expressions or labels onto the sheet,
nor define new keystroke sequences or user formats. If you
attempt to do so, the computer will beep. If you attempt to
display cells with the expression attribute (/AE), they may
display as 0.
Sheet recalculation and command execution may take longer than
usual, and program disk activity may increase.
If you are performing a function and run out of memory in the
middle of it, the program will do as much of the function as it
can within the memory limitations. For example, if you are
replicating a range, VisiCalc will replicate as much of the
range as possible.
At 0 memory:
Portions of the worksheet can be deleted resulting in increased
memory, and/or your work can be saved using one of the Storage
commands; or
The worksheet can be divided into smaller segments, saving each
segment as a separate file.
VisiCalc Commands (/)
By typing /, you invoke the set of commands listed below. For
more details on each command, please refer to the topic list
and select the frame on the command you wish to explore.
A Attribute. Sets a cell's attributes, which control the
way a cell is displayed, what values may be entered into a
cell, and whether modification is permitted.
B Blank. Clears a cell, erasing its contents.
C Clear. Clears the entire sheet.
D Delete. Deletes one or more rows or columns.
E Edit. Allows you to modify the contents of a cell.
F Format. Defines the display of a cell.
G Global. Global commands affect sheet recalculation and
some cell display attributes.
I Insert. Inserts one or more rows or columns.
K Keystroke Memory. Allows you to assign multiple keystrokes to
a single key.
M Move. Allows you to move entire rows or columns to
another part of the worksheet.
P Print. Prints to a printer or to a disk. Also controls
format of the printed worksheet.
R Replicate. Copies the entry and/or attributes from one cell
or range of cells into other cells.
S Storage. Saves and loads files on disk.
T Title. Sets or eliminates horizontal and vertical title areas.
V Version. Displays the VisiCalc version number on the prompt line.
W Window. Splits the screen into two vertical or
horizontal windows, or returns the screen to one window.
- Repeating Label. Repeats the character or characters
typed after the - to fill the current cell.
ATTRIBUTES (/A)
The Attributes command allows you to change the way cells are
displayed and control how they can be modified. Setting
attributes affects only the display of the cell and not the
label or value stored in memory. The VisiCalc program always
retains values to full precision and labels to the maximum
buffer size.
Attribute options are:
/AE Expression. Displays worksheet as expressions or formulas.
/AH Hide. Hides the display, but retains any data or expressions in
a cell.
/AL Label. Sets label display attributes.
/AM Mode. Specifies whether the contents of a cell can be
modified and allows you to restrict the type of data that may
be entered.
/AT Tab. Specifies where the cursor will go when TAB or
SHIFT-TAB is pressed.
/AV Value. Sets value display attributes.
/AD Default.
See Topics for more information on each attribute setting.
To modify attributes:
1. Erasing attributes: after choosing the type of attribute
you want to modify (E, H, L, M, T, V), type the letter E
(for Erase) and then the attribute setting you want to delete.
You do not need to type the integer for attribute settings
that require an integer, such as /AV2F.
2. Modifying attributes: after choosing the type of attribute
you want to modify, type your new choices. In some cases,
certain attributes supersede previous choices. For example,
/AVC would replace /AV( as you should not have CR/DR notation
inside parenthesis. Other attribute choices are added to
the current setting.
EXPRESSION FORMAT (/AE)
Setting the expression attribute (/AE) displays the expression
(formula) in the cell, and overrides all other attribute settings,
including /AH (hide). The /AE setting is useful if you want to
view your worksheet as a mathematical model.
/AEY Yes. Displays the expression.
/AEN No. Does not display the expression.
/AED Default.
/AE! Immediate mode. Allows you to view attribute setting
changes as you type them. Type ! to turn off immediate mode.
Using /AE, you can print the expressions on your worksheet
just as you would print values on a worksheet (see /PP).
Make sure your column width settings are wide enough to
accommodate the entire expression.
HIDE ATTRIBUTE (/AH)
Setting the /AH attribute allows you to hide
the contents of the cell by causing the display
to be blank, but not affecting its value or label content.
/AHY Yes. Hides the contents of the cell.
/AHN No. Displays the contents of the cell.
/AHD Default.
/AH! Immediate mode. Allows you to view attribute setting
changes as you type them. Type ! to turn off immediate mode.
MODE ATTRIBUTE (/AM)
The /AM setting determines whether the cell may be modified,
and what kind of entry can be made in the cell.
/AMP Protected. Locks the cell. A blank entry or any value,
label, or expression (formula) currently in the cell when /AMP
is set cannot be altered.
/AMU Unprotected. Unlocks the cell.
/AMA All. Allows values, labels, or expressions to be entered
in the cell.
/AML Label. Allows only labels to be entered in the cell.
/AMV Value. Allows only numbers or expressions to be entered
in the cell.
/AM# Number. Allows only numbers to be entered in the cell; no
expressions or labels may be entered.
/AMD Default.
/AM! Immediate mode. Allows you to view attribute setting changes
as you type them. Type ! to turn off immediate mode.
To erase attributes, type /A and the letter of the attribute group
you want to modify (E, H, L, M, T, V). Then type the letter E
(for Erase) and the attribute setting you want to clear. For
example, if you type /AMP#, type E P. The setting then becomes /AM#.
For more information, see the Topics list: Attributes.
TAB ATTRIBUTE SETTING (/AT)
/AT Allows you to set tab stops on specific cells. The
setting specifies where the cursor will go when the TAB key or
backtab (SHIFT-TAB) key is pressed.
When the TAB key is pressed, the cursor will move to the next
cell to the right which has the Tab attribute set; if none is
found, it will go to the following row, and so on. Finally,
it will move to cell A1 and search for the next cell from there.
/ATY Yes. Sets tab.
/ATN No. Removes tab.
/ATD Default.
/AT! Immediate mode. Allows you to view attribute setting
changes as you type them. Type ! to turn off immediate mode.
LABEL ATTRIBUTES (/AL)
Label attribute settings control only the display of labels.
/AL settings in effect in a cell do not affect any values or
expressions that are entered in that cell. The attributes
in effect in a cell in which @LABEL is used will control
the display of the result.
/AL< Left justifies the label between the gutters.
/AL> Right justifies the label between the gutters.
/ALL Left gutter. Sets the number of spaces for the left
gutter (/AL6L, for example). If no integer precedes
the second L, the gutter is set to 0 spaces.
/ALR Right gutter. Sets the number of spaces for the right
gutter (/AL6R, for example). If no integer precedes
R, the gutter is set to 0 spaces.
/ALF Fill. Fills the space between the gutters with the label
repeated.
/ALC Center. Centers the label between the gutters.
/ALD Default.
/AL! Immediate mode. Allows you to view attribute setting changes
as you type them. Type ! to turn off immediate mode.
Left and right gutter settings for labels are 0 when the VisiCalc
program is first loaded. You can set label attributes on cells
that contain values. These settings, however, do not affect the
display until a label is entered in the cell.
To erase attribute settings, type /A and the letter of the group
you want to modify (E, H, L, M, T, V). Then type the letter E
(for Erase) and the attribute setting you want to clear. For
example, if you type /AL>2R, then type E R; the setting becomes
/AL>. For more information, see the Topics list: Attributes.
VALUE ATTRIBUTES (/AV)
Value attribute settings affect the display of values only.
/AV< Left. Left justifies the displayed value between the gutters.
/AV> Right. Right justifies the displayed value between the gutters.
/AVL Left Gutter. Sets the number of spaces for the left gutter
(/AV3L, for example). If no integer precedes L, the gutter is
set to 1 space.
/AVR Right Gutter. Sets the number of spaces for the right gutter
(/AV3R, for example). If no integer precedes R, the gutter is set
to 0 spaces.
/AV+ Sign. Positive values are preceded by +; negative by -.
No sign is associated with zero.
/AV- Negative. Negative values are preceded by -. No signs are
associated with 0 or positive values.
/AV( Parenthesis. Encloses negative values in parentheses.
/AVC Credit. Displays CR (Credit) to the right of negative
values, and DR (Debit) to the right of positive values.
Displays no notation for the value 0.
/AV, Comma. Displays commas in positive and negative numbers
with more than 3 integers, as in 1,000. The comma setting
has no effect on values displayed in scientific notation.
/AV. Decimal. Displays a decimal point in all values.
/AVZ Zero. Suppresses trailing zeros after the decimal point.
Use /AVZ with /AVF and /AVS (see below).
/AV% Percent. Displays % to the right of the value. The /AV%
command displays a value that is 100 times the value that
is in memory, thus 0.5 will display as 50% and 1 as 100%.
/AV$ Dollar. Displays $ to the left of the value, but does not
affect the display of decimal places which are set with /AVF.
(See below, /AVF.)
/AVG General. Displays in general format, as when the VisiCalc
program is first loaded.
/AVF Fixed Format. Specifies the number of digits to the right of
the decimal for display. An integer precedes F, e.g. /AV2F. If no
integer is specified, /AVF displays values in the general format,
except that the values do not change to scientific notation when
limited by column width.
/AVI Integer. Displays values as integers.
/AVS Scientific. Displays values in scientific notation.
/AV* Graph. Displays the values as a graph using *.
/AVD Default.
/AV! Immediate mode. Allows you to view attribute setting
changes as you type them. Type ! to turn off immediate mode.
To erase attribute settings, type /A and the letter of the group
you want to modify (E, H, L, M, T, V). Then type the letter E
(for Erase) and the attribute setting you want to clear. For
example, if you type /AVC%, then type E C; the setting becomes
/AV%. For more information, see the Topics list: Attributes.
ATTRIBUTE DEFAULT (/AD)
/AD sets the attribute to display the default settings in the
current window, as set by /GA or the system default if no
global attributes are in effect for the current window. The
VisiCalc program prompts you to type Y to confirm that you
indeed want to set all attribute settings to default.
BLANK Command (/B)
The Blank command clears an entry.
This command does not take effect until the arrow, tab or
ENTER key is pressed. If any other key is pressed, the Blank
command is cancelled.
/B does not affect attributes or formats set at the
current cell.
CLEAR Command (/C)
The Clear command clears the sheet of data and resets
the display.
/CA All. Clears the sheet of data, keystroke memory, format,
attribute, printer, column width, and title settings, and all
functions loaded into memory.
/CS Sheet. Clears only data, attribute, column width, and title
settings. Does not clear functions already loaded into memory,
keystroke memory, printer settings or user-defined formats
(/F=).
When utilizing the /SL command, it is a good idea to clear the
sheet before loading a new file. The new data is then written
on a clear sheet, and no old data appears on the screen. The
/SR command clears the sheet displayed on the screen before
loading the specified file.
DELETE COMMAND (/D)
The Delete command allows you to delete one or more rows or
columns. The VisiCalc program prompts you to type Y to confirm
that you do indeed want to delete the designated rows or columns.
Any other key will cancel the command.
To delete a single row or column, type R or C. Type Y to
confirm your choice and the row or column where the cursor lies
will then be deleted. Type any other key to cancel the command.
The other rows or columns on the worksheet will shift to fill
the space where the deleted row or column was. All row or
column references will be adjusted automatically.
To delete multiple rows or columns, enter an integer before the
R or C, e.g. /D3C. Again, you are prompted to type
Y to confirm. The designated number of rows or columns are
deleted, beginning with the row or column where the cursor
lies and including the columns to the right or rows below
the cursor. The rows or columns on the worksheet shift to fill
the vacated space.
You can also delete multiple rows or columns by designating a
range. The cell in which the cursor lies is defined as the
beginning of the range. Type a period (.) for the ellipsis;
then designate the end of the range by pointing to or typing
the coordinates of a cell in the same row or column as the
cursor. Terminate the command with ENTER. The range must be
defined horizontally or vertically. The /D command does not
accept diagonal coordinates.
EDITING (/E and CTRL-E)
There are three ways to edit the contents of a cell:
1. With the BKSP key: If you have made a simple typing mistake
while entering something in a cell, you can usually recover
from it by pressing the BKSP key. Doing so erases the last
character you typed. Repeatedly pressing BKSP will cancel
whatever you have typed and returns you to a blank prompt
line.
2. With the /E Command: Use /E to edit the contents of a cell
that has already been entered. The contents of the cell are
redisplayed on the edit line with the command /E. The edit cue
that appears can be moved with the arrow keys. New characters
typed are inserted to the left of the cue. Characters are
erased by pressing the BKSP key. Erasures are made to the
left of the cue. You can jump to the beginning or end of the
edit line by typing the up-arrow or down-arrow key
respectively. When you have finished editing a cell's
contents, press ENTER.
3. With CTRL-E: If you have not yet entered an expression or
label into the cell with ENTER, and wish to edit it, type
CTRL-E. This invokes the editing function just as /E does
after a cell has been entered. The editing operation is the
same as /E.
You can edit cell contents, file names, subdirectory
names or /P setup strings.
To enter a "?" into a label, type CTRL-Q. This enters the "?"
character, and does not invoke the HELP facility.
FORMAT (/F)
The Format command allows you to change the way cells are
displayed. Only one format per cell is allowed if /F is used.
To set multiple formats for a single cell, use the Attributes
command (see /A).
/FD Default. Resets an entry to use the global format
instead of an explicit format set with a /F command.
/FG General. Displays the cell in the general format, as when
the VisiCalc program is first loaded.
/FI Integer. Displays values in integer format. Does not
affect label entries.
/FL Left justified. Left justifies the display of values.
/FR Right justified. Right justifies the display of labels.
/F$ Dollars and cents. Displays values with two decimal
places, but does not add the dollar sign before the value.
To display values with a dollar sign and 2 decimal places,
you need to use /AV$2F. /F$ and /AV$ affect only the display;
the value in the cell is carried in memory to full precision.
/F* Graph. Displays values with appropriate number of *
symbols, within the limits of the column size.
/F- Repeating label. Displays characters typed after the -
as a repeating label, filling the space between the gutters.
/F= User defined format. Allows new formats to be defined. See
Topics for more information on /F=.
DEFINING NEW FORMATS (/F=)
/F= allows you to define your own formats. To define
your own format, type /F= and a character. Characters
accepted are any alphabetic character (except D)
or !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, (, ), ", or '. You can reset any
existing formats, such as L, R, $, etc. except D (default).
After naming the new format, you will be put into attribute
setting mode. You can now choose which attribute settings you
want for the new format as you would with the /A command. You
can use the immediate mode of display to see changes as you
type them. Type ! to turn immediate mode on or off. The
format is not set until you press ENTER. See more at the
topics list, Attributes (/A).
To return formats to their original setting or clear a format,
type /F=xO, where x is the name of the format.
ORIGINAL FORMAT ENTRY (/F=xO)
User-defined formats may be returned to their original settings
when VisiCalc was first loaded. This feature can be used to
return settings such as I, *, $, L, R to their original formats
or for clearing formats.
To return to the original format, type /F=xO, where
x is the name of the format.
GLOBAL Commands (/G)
Global commands apply to the entire sheet or window.
The commands that can be set globally are:
/GA Sets attributes for the current sheet or window.
(see attributes command for options). /GA! allows you
to view attribute setting changes as you type them. ! is
off, by default. To turn the immediate mode (!) on or off,
type !. Attributes are not set until you press ENTER.
/GC Sets the column width in the current window. All columns
in the current window that have not been set by the /GCC command
will be displayed with the new width specified. The width may
be between 1 and 125. After entering a number, press ENTER.
/GO Sets the order of recalculation for the entire sheet. It
has three options: Natural order (/GON), Columns (/GOC), and
Rows (/GOR). The default is Natural order. Natural order will
perform a recalculation once for entries requiring calculation.
The user should force recalculation with ! if the worksheet
contains intentional circular or forward references.
/GOC Recalculates by column beginning with the entry in A1.
All entries in column A are recalculated first, then all
entries in column B and so on.
/GOR Recalculates by row beginning with the entry in A1. All
entries in row 1 are recalculated first, then row 2 and so on.
/GR Sets the recalculation to be automatic (/GRA), manual
(/GRM) or background (/GRB). The default is automatic (/GRA).
This setting causes the program to automatically recalculate
the entire sheet each time an entry is modified. The manual
setting (/GRM) requires an ! for all recalculations. The
background setting (/GRB) allows you to move the cursor and
enter data while the program is performing an automatic
recalculation. No matter what the setting, you can always
recalculate manually by pressing !.
/GF Sets the global default format for the current window. The
default format determines the display of all entries that have
not been specifically set using the /F or /A commands.
Different global attributes, column and format commands can be
set for each window. If you split the screen and set global
attributes, columns or formats, the global command affects
only the window where the cursor lies. When you return to one
window, the global settings where the cursor lies when you type
/W1 will be the global settings for the sheet.
/GP Sets the prompts to be displayed in either Short (/GPS) or
Long (/GPL) mode. When the VisiCalc program is first loaded,
the prompts are displayed in long mode. Typing the first
character of the long prompt initiates the command similar to
utilizing the short prompt.
Global attributes, columns and format settings affect all cells
not set with /F, /A or /GCC.
ORDER OF REEVALUATION (/GO)
The Reevaluation Order command sets the order in which
calculations are carried out.
If natural order (/GON), the program respects the relationships
among all cells when performing a recalculation. If a new
formula requires recalculation, the formulas on which it
depends are recalculated first, then the new formula is
recalculated. Natural order takes into account circular and
forward references. However, if you have intentionally entered
circular or forward references, you should press ! to force
recalculation.
If by column (/GOC), the order of recalculation is A1,
A2...A254, B1, etc.
If by row (/GOR), the order of recalculation is A1, B1...BK1,
A2, etc.
RECALCULATION (/GR)
The recalculation command sets the recalculation to automatic
(/GRA), manual (/GRM) or background (/GRB).
If you have a large sheet with many expressions, you may want
to set recalculation to background (/GRB) or manual (/GRM). If
you set it to background, you can continue moving the cursor
and entering data while the program recalculates the sheet. If
you set it to manual, the program does not recalculate the new
values and expressions you enter. If you use the manual
setting, remember to either press ! or reset recalculation to
either automatic (/GRA) or background (/GRB) when you have
finished entering data.
! will appear in the upper-right hand corner of the screen to
indicate that your sheet is being recalculated.
COLUMN WIDTH SETTINGS (/GC)
/GC controls column width settings in a window.
/GC followed by an integer changes the column width settings
for all columns in a window. Column widths of 1 to 125 characters are
accepted by the program. ENTER completes the setting. The default
setting for /GC is 9.
/GCC followed by an integer sets the column width for the
column where the cursor lies and, if the screen has been split,
in both windows. Column widths of 1 to 125 are accepted.
ENTER completes the setting. /GCCD sets the column width for a
single column to the global default value. The column width
then displays the current window's global column width.
INSERTING ROWS OR COLUMNS (/I)
The Insert command (/I) allows you to insert blank rows or
columns on the worksheet. The program prompts you for
R, C or RANGE.
To insert a single row or column, type R or C. A row (R) or
column (C) will be inserted where the cursor is positioned.
All references will be adjusted.
To insert multiple rows or columns, type an integer before
R or C, e.g. /I3C. The designated number of rows or columns
will be inserted, and references will be adjusted.
You can also insert multiple rows or columns by designating a
range. The cell in which the cursor lies is defined as the
beginning of the range. Type a period (.) for the ellipsis;
then designate the end of the range by pointing to or typing
the coordinates of a cell in the same row or column as the
cursor. The range must be defined horizontally or vertically.
The /I command does not accept diagonal coordinates. Complete
the command with ENTER.
KEYSTROKE MEMORY (/K)
Keystroke memory allows you to save a sequence of up to 123
keystrokes, which can then be recalled by typing as few as
one.
/KE Edit. Edits a keystroke sequence.
/K= Equals. Creates keystroke sequence. Some special
characters are required. (See HELP frame on /K=)
/KC Clear. Clears all keystroke sequences from memory.
/K ENTER. Reviews the keystroke sequences currently in
memory. To scroll to the next sequence, press the right arrow key.
CTRL-K= is similar to /K=, but differs in that the keystroke
sequence is carried out as it is created. No special characters
are needed. CTRL-K= can be pressed at any time to begin collecting
a keystroke sequence.
CREATING & EDITING KS SEQUENCES (/K=, /KE)
Sequences may be created, without carrying them out by using
/K=. The VisiCalc program prompts for a sequence name (a letter
from A-Z or a function key). The ten function keys are mapped
in a one-to-one correspondence with the first ten letters of
the alphabet (A through J). The function key and the
corresponding letter can be used interchangeably in all
keystroke sequence functions. After naming the sequence, type
the desired keystrokes, and complete the sequence by typing
ENTER. The sequence has been created and is available (see
CTRL-K). The length of the sequence is limited to 123
characters.
When creating a sequence with /K=, you must use the following
special characters to represent the single keystrokes indicated:
^^ caret (^)
^U up arrow
^D down arrow
^< left arrow
^> right arrow
^B Delete
^C Break
^E Edit
^K to chain sequences together
^P Pause (The prompt following the pause must be ended with :)
^R Return
^TF Tab
^TB Backtab
^MH Home
^? Help (To generate a ?, type Control-Q)
To edit a sequence, type /KE. The VisiCalc program prompts for
the sequence name. Editing is the same as with /E. The special
characters listed above must be used to add those functions.
ENTER completes the editing command.
CLEARING KS SEQUENCES (/KC)
/KC is used to clear or delete all current sequences. The VisiCalc
program prompts you to type Y to confirm that you indeed want
to clear all sequences in memory.
To clear or delete individual sequences, you can type:
/K=XY ENTER, where X is the name of the sequence
/KEX then delete each character in the sequence, until the
entire sequence has been deleted; then press ENTER.
CREATE OR CARRY OUT KS SEQUENCES WITH CTRL-K
CTRL-K can be used to create and carry out a sequence. Type
CTRL-K=; a K will appear in the upper-right corner of the
screen (next to the indicator for order of recalculation),
indicating that you are defining a keystroke sequence. The
VisiCalc program prompts you for a sequence name which can be
either a one letter name (A-Z) or a function key. The ten
function keys are mapped in a one-to-one correspondence with
the first ten letters of the alphabet (A through J). When you
create a sequence with a function key, the corresponding
alphabetic letter will appear as the sequence name. The
function key and the corresponding letter can be used
interchangeably in all keystroke sequence functions. You can
then enter the keystrokes as you would while executing
functions and cursor moves on the VisiCalc worksheet. No
special characters are needed. Complete the sequence by typing
CTRL-K. This method creates the sequence, names it, and
carries it out as the keystrokes are typed.
To carry out a sequence that has already been created, type
CTRL-Kx, where x is the name of the sequence. If you have
created a keystroke sequence with a letter name (A through J)
or with one of the function keys, you may carry out the
sequence just by entering the appropriate function key without
preceding the command with CTRL-K. A K will appear in the
upper-right hand corner of the screen indicating that a
keystroke sequence is being carried out.
To carry out a sequence multiple times, type CTRL-Knx, where
n is an integer and x is the name of the sequence. For example,
CTRL-K3A carries out the sequence A three times.
SCROLLING THROUGH KS SEQUENCES
You can view or scroll through keystroke sequences you have
created by typing /K, then pressing ENTER. The first sequence
appears on the edit line. Press the right arrow-key to display
the other sequences, which are displayed in alphabetical order.
MOVING ROWS OR COLUMNS (/M)
The Move command (/M) allows you to move entire rows or columns
from one part of the worksheet to another. All value references
are automatically adjusted to reflect the new position on the sheet.
To move one or more rows or columns, place the cursor on the row
or column you wish to move and type /M. You can indicate multiple
rows or columns by typing an integer before R or C. For example,
to move 3 rows, type 3R. You can also indicate a range of
rows or columns to be moved. The cell where the cursor lies is
the beginning of the range; type a period (.) for the ellipsis.
Then point to or type the coordinates of the end of the range,
and press ENTER.
To complete the command, point to or type the coordinates of the
location where you wish the range of moved rows or columns to be
inserted. The last coordinate in the range specified will always
appear immediately to the left (if moving columns) or above
(if moving rows) the target coordinate. Complete the
command with ENTER.
PRINT (/P)
The print command lets you send a VisiCalc sheet to a printer
or disk. Sheets sent to a disk (/PF) are saved as text files
and may be read by a BASIC or other high level programming
language program. The VisiCalc program also allows you to
format the page to be printed.
/PF Prints the file to disk.
/PP Sends the designated part of the sheet to the printer.
/PS Sets printer settings for report formatting. See Topics
for more information on printer settings.
Position the cursor at the upper-left corner of the rectangle
of entries you wish to output and type /P.
To send a worksheet to a printer:
1. Type P (i.e. /PP).
2. The VisiCalc program then prompts with two printer options:
A: Lower right - move the cursor to (or type the coordinates of)
the lower right corner of the rectangle of entries to be printed,
press ENTER, and printing will begin.
B: "SETUP to send a special sequence of alphanumeric, Control
or Escape characters to setup the printer, e.g., for character
width, type ", then type the setup string and press ENTER to
send to the printer. Non-printable characters may be inserted
into the setup string by typing:
^C char produces Control character;
^E produces an Escape character;
^Hnn produces the single ASCII character defined by hex number nn;
^R produces a Carriage Return character;
^L produces a Linefeed character;
^^ produces a ^.
To send a sheet to a file on disk:
1. Type F (i.e. /PF). VisiCalc prompts for the file name.
2. Type the name followed by ENTER. (See also Topics: Storage)
3. Move the cursor to (or type the coordinates of) the lower
right corner of the rectangle of entries to be printed, and
press ENTER.
Files printed to disk cannot be loaded with the /SL or /SR
command. Printing to disk is used primarily to allow other
programs to access the file.
Note: The screen may be overwritten by the printer controller.
It is returned to normal when the /P command is finished.
You may stop printing at any time by pressing CTRL-BREAK.
OUTPUT TO A PRINTER (/PP)
The /PP command lets you output a VisiCalc sheet to a printer.
1. Type /PP.
2. The VisiCalc program then prompts for two printer options:
Lower Right Move the cursor to (or type the coordinates of) the
lower-right corner of the rectangle of entries to be printed. Press
ENTER, and printing will begin.
"Setup To output a special sequence of alphanumeric, control or
escape characters to setup the printer, e.g., for character width,
type ", then type the setup string and press ENTER to send the
string to the printer.
Non-printable characters may be inserted into the setup string by
typing:
^C char produces a Control character;
^E produces an Escape character;
^Hnn produces the single ASCII character defined by hex number nn;
^R produces a Carriage Return character;
^L produces a Linefeed character;
^^ produces a ^.
Printing to a printer does not save the file on disk. You
should remember to save the file if you plan to use it again.
Otherwise, the only record you will have of a worksheet is what
you have printed using /PP.
PRINTER SETTINGS (/PS)
/PS commands control the settings for printer output.
/PS ENTER. Allows you to scroll through current printer
settings by pressing the right-arrow key.
/PSL Linefeed. Sends carriage return and linefeed (Y), or
carriage return only (N).
/PSB Break. Breaks the printed page into pages. You are
prompted for a Yes or No (Y,N).
/PST Titles. Prints the sheet with titles or without (Y,N).
/PS# Number. Numbers the pages (Y,N).
/PSP Page length. Sets the number of printed lines on the
page, from 0 to 255 lines.
/PSW Width. Sets the width of the page, from 0 to 255
characters.
/PSF Form. Sets the length of the form or paper, from 0 to 255
lines.
/PSM Margin. Sets the width of the left margin, from 0 to 129
characters.
/PSS Setup string. Allows you to edit the setup string saved
with the sheet.
/PSR Replace. Replaces the current setup string saved with
the sheet.
REVIEWING PRINTER SETTINGS (/PS ENTER)
/PS followed by ENTER allows you to scroll through the
current printer settings. Press the right arrow key
to view subsequent settings.
You can edit the printer settings as you scroll by typing the
new settings. Or you can type /PS and the appropriate setting
option. To edit the setup string, use CTRL-E and normal
editing sequences. For more information, see Topics: Printer
Format Settings (/PS).
PROMPTS
/GP sets the prompts to be displayed in either Short (/GPS) or
Long (/GPL) mode. When the VisiCalc program is first loaded,
the prompts are displayed in long mode. Typing the first
character of the long prompt initiates the command similar to
utilizing the short prompt.
REPLICATING A CELL OR RANGE (/R)
The Replicate command allows you to replicate a cell
or range of cells to another part of the worksheet.
( Limits what part of the cell (A for attributes only or
C contents only) is replicated or whether expression
references are all No Change (N) or Relative (R). ENTER
or ) completes this part of the command. Then continue by
indicating the source range to be replicated and the
target range where you want the copy to appear.
Range Indicates the source range of cells to be replicated.
Both attributes and contents are replicated, unless specified
otherwise by the ( option. Type a period (.) for the ellipsis
and the coordinate of the end of the range. ENTER completes
the source range. Indicate the target range by typing or
pointing to the beginning and ending coordinates of the range
where you want the copy or copies to appear. ENTER completes
the command.
ENTER Indicates the source to be replicated is only
the cell where the cursor lies. Both attributes and cell
contents are replicated, unless specified otherwise by the
( option. Indicate the target range by typing or pointing
to the beginning and ending coordinates of the range where you
want the copy or copies to appear.
If the ( option for No Change (N) or Relative (R) has not been
set, the VisiCalc program prompts you for R or N for each cell
reference that is being replicated.
A block of cells may be replicated by indicating the upper-left
and lower-right cell coordinates for the source range.
Multiple copies of the source range can be made by indicating
a target range longer than the source range. The VisiCalc program
makes an integer number of copies. That is, the program makes
complete copies of the source range, given the length of the
target range. For example, if the source range is A1...A3,
and the target range is B1...B4, VisiCalc will make 2 complete
copies of the source with one copy in B1...B3, and the second
copy in B4...B6.
Multiple copies of a row range can be made by indicating a column
range for the target. Similarly, multiple copies of a column range
can be made by indicating a row range for the target. For example,
if the source range is A1...A3, and the target range is B1...D1,
VisiCalc will make 3 copies of A1...A3. These copies will appear
in B1...B3, C1...C3 and D1...D3.
STORAGE (/S)
The Storage commands let you save, load, or delete your
VisiCalc worksheets, or exit from the program.
Any Storage command may be cancelled by pressing CTRL-BREAK.
/SW Writes all entries, titles, window settings, keystroke
sequences, printer settings, etc. in a file. Prompts for
filename. Similar to /SS but faster. Not compatible with other
versions of VisiCalc. Requires /SR to load the file.
/SR Reads the contents of a worksheet saved in a file using
/SW. Prompts for filename. The /SR command clears the sheet
currently on the screen before loading the specified file.
Similar to /SL but much faster. Not compatible with other
versions of VisiCalc.
/SS Saves all entries, titles, window settings, keystroke
sequences, printer settings, etc. in a file. Prompts
for file name. Requires /SL to load the file.
/SL Loads the contents of the worksheet that were saved in a
file with /SS. Prompts for file name. The /SL command does not
clear the sheet currently on the screen before loading the
specified file. If that is desired, use the /C command first.
/SD Deletes file from diskette. Prompts for file name and
requests confirmation of delete. Type Y to confirm or any
other key to cancel.
/SQ Quits the VisiCalc program and returns to the operating system.
/S#S Saves data in a DIF file. Saves a sheet or a rectangular
portion of one. The upper left corner of the sheet saved is
the position where the cursor lies when the command is given.
Prompts for a file name, then requests the coordinate of the
cell in the lower right. Specify the coordinate by either
pointing to the cell with the cursor or typing its coordinate.
Finally, it asks whether the data is to be saved by rows (R or
ENTER) or by columns (C).
/S#L Loads data from a DIF file. Prompts for a file name,
then asks whether the data is to be loaded by rows (R or
ENTER) or by columns (C). When DIF files are loaded the cursor
is not repositioned. The position of the cursor at the time
the DIF file loads determines the upper left location of the
file.
DELETE FILE (/SD)
The Storage command to delete a file (/SD) allows you to name
the file you want to erase. The program prompts for a file
name. The program asks you to type Y to confirm that you
indeed want to delete the file.
There is no way to retrieve a file that has been deleted from a
diskette. The space from which the file has been deleted is now
available to save other files.
QUIT FROM VISICALC (/SQ)
The Storage command to quit VisiCalc (/SQ) is the command used
to terminate a VisiCalc session. Type Y to confirm.
If you are finished using VisiCalc and do not wish to load
another program, you can just turn off the machine. You do not
need any special command to exit from VisiCalc in that case.
DIRECTORY SCROLLING
When saving, loading or deleting files (see Storage Command),
you can scroll through filenames in directories or
subdirectories on a disk. After giving a storage command, you
can designate the directory in one of two ways. Either type
the entire pathname up to and including the filename and press
ENTER or use the right arrow key to scroll through the current
directory until you see the subdirectory you want, and then
press ENTER. Directory names end with a backslash(\).
When you press ENTER, the directory you have named or selected
becomes the current directory. You can then scroll through the
filenames in that directory using the right arrow key.
Filenames are followed by the names of the subdirectories
within that directory. Use CTRL-E to edit the current filename.
When you see the filename you want to save, load or delete,
complete the command by pressing ENTER. If you are saving a
file and have found the filename by scrolling through the
directory, VisiCalc will prompt you to type Y to confirm that
you want this new file to replace the existing one.
STORING DIF FILES (/S#)
DIF files are data files that you can use to exchange data
between the VisiCalc program and other programs. Only the data
(actual values) are stored in DIF files, not the expressions
that yield the data.
/S#S Saves data in a DIF file. The program prompts for a
filename. Next, it prompts for the coordinate of the cell that
is the lower right of a rectangle of entries to be saved. Point
the cursor or type the coordinate, then press ENTER. Finally,
it asks whether the data is to be saved by rows (R or ENTER) or
by columns (C).
/S#L Loads a DIF file. The program prompts for a file name,
and whether the data is to be loaded by rows (R or ENTER) or
by columns (C).
FILE EXISTS
When you save a file with /SW, /SS, or /S#S, using a file name that
already exists on the same disk, the program will prompt you to
type Y to replace the old file with the new file. Once you
have written the new file in place of the old one, the old file
no longer exists.
TITLE (/T)
The Title command sets title areas so that you can scroll
the worksheet, but keep the title area stationary. Titles
may be set horizontally (/TH), vertically (/TV) or in both
directions (/TB). /TN resets the window to have no title
areas set.
The position of the cursor when the title command is given
determines the setting of the title area, which always
includes the row or column in which the cursor lies. Horizontal
titles are set in those rows in and above the one containing
the cursor; vertical titles are set in and to the left of
the one containing the cursor.
The cursor cannot be moved into the title area by using the
arrow keys. If you want to move into a title area, use the GO
TO command (>) or the HOME key. However, you can use the arrow
keys to move the cursor out of a title area.
VERSION NUMBER (/V)
The copyright notice and version number are displayed when:
1. The VisiCalc program is first loaded.
2. The screen is cleared, using the /C command.
3. /V has been pressed.
The copyright notice and version number for your VisiCalc
diskette appears in all of the above circumstances. The notice
disappears from the screen as soon as you press any key.
When reporting problems to Software Arts, Inc. make sure you
include the version number of your diskette.
WINDOW (/W)
The Window control splits the screen horizontally (/WH)
or vertically (/WV) into two windows at the cursor position.
To return the screen to one window, use /W1.
You can scroll two windows together, or synchronized, with
(/WS), or you can scroll them separately, or unsynchronized,
with (/WU).
If the screen is split, most global commands apply only to the
window in which the cursor lies when /G is used. When you
return to one window, the global settings of the window where
the cursor lies when /W1 is typed will be the settings for the
screen.
When the screen is split, use the semicolon (;) to move the
cursor from one window to the other.
REPEATING LABEL (/-)
The Repeating Label command (/-) allows you to indicate
a character or series of characters to be repeated, filling
the cell. The characters typed after /- are the characters
repeated.
As you change the width of the column where this label lies,
the number of characters will change to accommodate the width.
Thus, if you widen the column, the repeating label
automatically fills the new space. Similarly, if you narrow
the column, the label will adjust to fit the space.
This feature is useful for drawing a line across your worksheet
or creating a border. See also Label Attributes (/ALF) and
Formats (/F-).
@ FUNCTIONS
The VisiCalc program has a variety of built in functions that
help you to set up sheets more quickly and efficiently.
There are six groups of functions:
MATH FUNCTIONS
@SUM @AVERAGE @ABS @LN @ROUND
@MIN @NA @PI @LOG10
@MAX @ERROR @MOD @EXP
@COUNT @SQRT @INT @DOTPROD
FINANCIAL FUNCTIONS
@NPV @RATE @PERIODS
@IRR @PMT @PV @FV
LOGICAL FUNCTIONS
@TRUE @FALSE
@AND @OR @NOT
@IF @ISNA @ISERROR
TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS
@SIN @COS @TAN @PI
@ASIN @ACOS @ATAN
DATE AND TIME FUNCTIONS
@MDY @VMDY
@MONTH @DAY @YEAR
@HMS
@HOUR @MINUTE @SECOND
CHOOSING AND LABEL FUNCTIONS
@CHOOSE @LCHOOSE @LOOKUP
@VALUE @LABEL
Please refer to the appropriate HELP frame for more
information on each set of functions.
MATH FUNCTIONS
Math Functions include:
@SUM(list) Calculates the sum of the values in a list or range.
@MIN(list) Selects the minimum value in a list or range.
@MAX(list) Selects the maximum value in a list or range.
@COUNT(list) Calculates the number of non-blank entries in a
list or range.
@AVERAGE(list) Calculates the average of the non-blank entries in
a list or range.
@NA Results in "Not Available" value that makes all expressions
using the value display as NA.
@ERROR Results in an "Error" value that makes all expressions using
the value display as ERROR.
@SQRT(v) Results in the square root of v.
@ABS(v) Results in the absolute value of v.
@PI Results in 3.1415926536.
@MOD(v,m) Results in value v modulo m. The sign associated
with the result will match the sign of m.
@INT(v) Results in the integer portion of v.
@LN(v) Results in natural log (base e) of v.
@LOG10(v) Results in logarithm (base 10) of v.
@EXP(v) Results in e (2.71828...) to the power of v.
@DOTPROD(range1, range2) Results in a value which is the
the sum of each item in range1 multiplied by the corresponding
value in range2. The number of entries in the two ranges must
be the same.
@ROUND(v1, v2) Results in value v1 rounded to the precision
indicated by v2. Negative numbers are accepted for v2 to
indicate rounding of numbers to hundreds, thousands, etc. If v2
is 0, v1 is rounded to the nearest integer. If v2 is not
entered as an argument, the ROUND function will assume v2 is 0.
FINANCIAL FUNCTIONS
Financial Functions include the functions listed below. These
functions observe a sign convention for the cash flow arguments.
Money paid out has a negative sign. Money taken in has a
positive sign. For example, income is positive and loan
payments are negative. To compute the correct result, you
need to enter the arguments according to this convention.
VisiCalc will not change the signs for you automatically.
@NPV(i, range) Calculates the net present value of the
cash flows in range, discounted at the rate specified by
i (i must be in decimal form, e.g. .18). The cash flows
in the range do not include the cash flow at time 0.
@IRR(v, range) Returns the interest rate for which the
discounted cash flows in the range equals the cash flow v
at time 0. In other words, @IRR returns a rate for which
the NPV of the cash flows is 0.
@RATE(n, pmt, pv, fv) Returns the interest rate given the number
of periods (n), payment (pmt), present value of the sum (pv) or
future value of the sum (fv). You must enter n and at least
two additional arguments. You can enter all arguments.
@NA specifies the argument not entered, for example,
@RATE(12, -100, 1000, @NA).
@PMT(i, n, pv, fv) Returns the payment necessary to comply with
the parameters given. You must enter interest rate (i) in
decimal form, and the number of periods (n). You must also enter
either the present value (pv) or future value (fv). You can
enter all arguments. @NA specifies the argument not entered,
for example, @PMT(.12, 120, -1000, @NA).
@PERIODS(i, pmt, pv, fv) Returns the number of periods necessary
to comply with the parameters given. You must enter interest
rate (i) in decimal form, and at least two additional arguments.
You can enter all arguments. @NA specifies the argument not
entered, e.g. @PERIODS(.18, 100, @NA, -1000).
@PV(i, n, pmt, fv) Returns the present value of a future sum of
money (fv) or of an annuity (pmt) given the parameters
specified. You must enter the interest rate (i) in decimal
form, and the number of periods (n). You must also specify
either the payment or the future value. @NA specifies the
argument not entered, e.g.
@PV(.18, 25, @NA, 1000).
@FV(i, n, pmt, pv) Returns the future value of a sum of money (pv) or
of an annuity (pmt) given the parameters specified. You must
enter the interest rate (i) in decimal form and the number of
periods (n). You must also specify either the payment (pmt) or
the present value (pv). You can enter all arguments. @NA
specifies the argument not entered, for example, @FV(.18, 25,
-100, @NA).
LOGICAL FUNCTIONS AND OPERATORS
The Logical Operators:
<, >, =, <=, >=, <>
Compare two numeric values giving the logical
value TRUE or FALSE.
Logical Functions:
@TRUE Results in the logical value TRUE.
@FALSE Results in the logical value FALSE.
@AND(list) Results in the logical value TRUE if ALL statements are
true, and FALSE if ANY statement is false.
@OR(list) Results in the logical value TRUE if ANY argument is
true, and FALSE if ALL arguments are false.
@IF(logical value, v1, v2) Results in value v1 if the logical
value is TRUE; otherwise, results in value v2.
@NOT(logical value) Results in the logical value TRUE if the
statement is false, and FALSE if the statement is true.
@ISNA(v) Results in TRUE if value v is NA; otherwise results in FALSE.
@ISERROR(v) Results in TRUE if value v is ERROR; otherwise results in
FALSE.
TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS
Calculates the appropriate function; trigonometric calculations
are done in radians.
@SIN(v) @COS(v) @TAN(v) @PI
@ASIN(v) @ACOS(v) @ATAN(v)
DATE AND TIME FUNCTIONS
Date Functions:
You can specify dates and perform date arithmetic using the
calendar functions. The base date for the calendar functions
is January 1, 1979, a Monday. In all date calculations the base
date is day 0.
@MDY(v1, v2, v3) Returns the number of days between the base date
and the date specified by the month v1, day v2 and year v3.
@MDY(1,2,1979) returns 1.
@VMDY(v1, v2, v3) Similar to @MDY but accepts only valid
dates. For example, @VMDY(2,29,1979) returns ERROR, because
1979 was not a leap year.
@YEAR(v) Returns the year portion of a date represented by the
number of days v, since the base date.
@MONTH(v) Returns the month portion in numerical format (i.e.
1-12) of a date represented by the number of days v, since the
base date.
@DAY(v) Returns the day portion of a date represented by the
number of days v, since the base date.
To find the day of the week, use @MOD(@MDY(v1, v2, v3),7) which
returns a value between 0 and 6, corresponding to the day of
the week, Monday to Sunday.
Time Functions:
@HMS(v1, v2, v3) Returns the fraction of the day corresponding
to the hours v1, minutes v2 and seconds v3 specified. Hours
are entered based on a 24 hour day, e.g. 1:00PM = 13. If seconds
are not entered, they are assumed to be 0. For example,
@HMS(11, 60) = .5.
@HOUR(v) Returns the hour within the day (modulo 24) specified
by the fractional portion of v.
@MINUTE(v) Returns the minute within the day specified by the
fractional portion of v.
@SECOND(v) Returns the seconds within the day specified by the
fractional portion of v.
CHOOSING AND LABEL FUNCTIONS
Choosing and Label Functions include:
@CHOOSE(n, list) Returns the nth value in the list.
@LCHOOSE(n, range) Returns the contents of the nth cell in the range.
@LABEL(expression) Returns a label if the expression is
evaluated to a label; otherwise, the value of the expression
is displayed.
@VALUE(expression) Returns the value of what is displayed in
the cell. If the cell contains a label, 0 is returned.
@LOOKUP(v1, range, v2) Compares the value v1 to the values of
successive entries in range and selects a corresponding value
from the column or row specified by the value (v2) of the third
argument. The third argument (v2) is optional and if omitted
assumes a value of 1. Values in the range must be in ascending
order. The value returned corresponds to the last entry in the
range that is less than or equal to v1, before any greater v1
is found.
@NA is returned if the first entry in range is greater than v1.
USE OF ARROW KEYS
Arrows may be used to point to cells for value references
or to end a command and move to the next cell.
When you use /I, /D, /M, or /R or are entering an arithmetic
expression, you may use the arrow keys to move around the
worksheet. As the cursor moves, VisiCalc displays the cell
coordinates on the edit line, automatically changing them as
the cursor changes position.
To enter an arithmetic expression, press ENTER if you have
completed the expression. If the expression is not complete,
continue by typing an operator (+, -, *, /, ^).
When entering a range:
1. If you have just typed or pointed to the beginning of a
range, type an ellipsis (you need only to type a period, the
program fills in the other periods to create the ellipsis).
You are now ready to type or point to the coordinate that ends
the range.
2. If you have just pointed to the end of the range, press
ENTER to enter the information.
COLUMN/ROW RANGES
In the Delete, Insert or Move commands, use the arrow keys or
type the cell coordinates to indicate the range of columns,
rows, or cells that you wish to be acted on. For information on
the operation of the current command, please refer to the HELP
frame for that command (see Delete, Insert or Move).
You may enter:
the letter R to indicate one row;
the letter C to indicate one column;
a number followed by R or C, indicating a number of rows
or columns.
a range of cells, e.g. A1...A8.
After you have entered the range, type ENTER.
ERROR - I/O
The ERROR message indicates that the VisiCalc program is unable to
process your command because of some limitation in one of your
input/output devices, such as a disk drive or printer.
Typical situations causing this error message to appear are:
1. There is no disk in the drive.
2. Trying to save (/SS, /SW, /S#S, /PF) when the disk is full.
3. The printer is not connected or is turned off.
4. The printer driver is missing, or does not have the name
specified.
5. Trying to save, load or print with an incorrect device name.
PRINTER SETTINGS (/PS)
Certain printer settings require you to enter an integer
for the argument.
1. Page length (/PSP) - type an integer to indicate the number
of lines you want to print on each page. This number must be less
than or equal to the setting for Paper Length (see below).
Complete this setting by pressing ENTER.
2. Page width (/PSW) - type an integer to indicate the width in
characters of the area to be printed. Complete this setting
by pressing ENTER.
3. Form length (/PSF) - type an integer to indicate the number
of lines available per page on the paper or form you are using.
This number must be equal to or larger than the page length.
Complete this setting by pressing ENTER.
4. Margin Width (/PSM) - type an integer to indicate the width
in characters of the left margin you want printed on each
page. This integer must be less than or equal to the number
129. Complete this setting by pressing ENTER.
PRINTER SETTINGS (/PS)
Certain printer settings require you to enter Y or N (yes or
no) for the argument.
1. Break Into Pages (/PSB) - If you press Y, this setting
allows you to segment your printed worksheet into pages, the
length and width of which are determined by other printer
settings. If you press N, the worksheet is printed in a
continuous format, limited only by the setting for the width of
the printed area and the size of your paper. Pressing ENTER
completes this setting.
2. Print With Titles (/PST) - Enter N if you do not want
titles to appear at the top of each page and/or at the
beginning of each line. The titles that are printed are those
you have set by the /T command. Pressing ENTER completes this
setting.
3. Number Pages (/PS#) - Enter Y if you want page numbers to
appear at the bottom of each page printed. Page numbers are
centered at the bottom of the page. Pressing ENTER completes
this setting.
4. Linefeed (/PSL) - This setting allows you to send a linefeed
and carriage return to the printer (Y) or a carriage return only (N).
PRINTER SETTINGS (/PS)
As printer settings appear, you can change them by typing your
new choice. Pressing ENTER or the right-arrow key completes
the new setting. Use BKSP to erase typing errors. Use
CTRL-E to modify the setup string.
REPLICATE
When you replicate an expression containing cell references,
the VisiCalc program asks whether the references in the newly created
expressions should be written with No change (type N), or
should always refer to the entry in the same Relative position
(type R).
If you have a large number of expressions, all of which should be
written with No change or with a change to the same Relative
position, use the /R ( command. See Topics: Replicate.
CHARACTER STRING
To enter a label (or repeating label), complete a command for
saving/loading a file, or create a setup string, press ENTER
after you have finished typing the information.
If you make a mistake while typing a label, filename, or setup
string, you can edit the character string using CTRL-E (see
EDITING) or by pressing BKSP deleting one character at a time.
Once you have finished typing the label, filename or setup
string, press ENTER to complete the entry.
If you are using the Storage command and wish to see what
filenames occur on a disk, type the device name or directory
name (or a subdirectory name followed by \), then press the
right arrow key to scroll through the directory.
To enter a "?" in one of the above situations, type CTRL-Q.
This enters the ? character and does not invoke the HELP
facility.
COMPLETING A RANGE
To complete a range, you must specify its end by typing the
coordinate or pointing to it with the cursor. To enter the
range, press ENTER.
To cancel the command, press CTRL-BREAK, or continue to press
BKSP until the edit and prompt lines are clear.
CURSOR REPOSITIONING
If you have pressed >, type the coordinate of the cell where
you want the cursor to go, then press ENTER.
If you are using /D, /I, /M or /R, type the coordinate or point
with the cursor to the entry where you want the range to begin
and type a period (.) for the ellipsis. To designate the end
of the range, type or point to the cell coordinate. Complete
the command with ENTER.
If you are defining an expression in a cell, type the coordinate
of the cell you want referenced in the expression.
ACCEPT
VisiCalc is expecting some input such as an arithmetic expression,
or a number.
EXPRESSIONS
If you are entering an arithmetic expression, and have just
completed typing an operator (such as + or *), the VisiCalc
program is expecting a number, a cell coordinate, a function
name, or a parenthetic expression. You may use the arrow keys
to indicate a cell coordinate, if you wish.
LOGICAL OPERATOR
The allowable logical operators are:
< > = <= >= <>
< less than, e.g. 1<2
> greater than, e.g. 10>5
= equal to, e.g. 1=1
<= less than or equal to, e.g. A1 <= 5
>= greater than or equal to, e.g. A1 >= 5
<> not equal to, e.g. 1<>2
ENTERING AND COMPLETING A NUMBER
You have entered a number within an expression, cell reference
or a command and the VisiCalc program is now waiting for you
either to continue the number or to complete the command. In
expressions or values, you must end the number by pressing
ENTER which completes the expression or by entering an operator
(+, -, *, /, ^) which will continue the expression.
In many commands, the VisiCalc program will accept numbers as
part of the command. /M, /I, /D, /GC, /GCC, /PSL, /PSW, /PSF,
/PSM and CTRL-K all accept numbers as part of the command.
/M, /I, and /D need R (row) or C (column) to complete the
command.
CTRL-K needs a sequence name to complete the command.
/PS commands need ENTER to complete the command.
/GC or /GCC needs ENTER to complete the command.
Numbers also can be entered in scientific notation or can be
scaled using %. For scientific notation, the VisiCalc program
accepts E and then an integer, which may be preceded by either
+ or -, e.g. 1.23E-6. For percents, type the number and the
percent sign (%). The program divides the number by 100 and
displays the result. For example, if you type the characters
12%, the VisiCalc program will display .12.
COMPLETING A RANGE
/M, /I, /D and /R accept a range for both the source
and/or target of the command. After the initial coordinate
has been designated and a period (.) typed for the ellipsis (...),
you can point to or type the coordinate for the end of the range.
ENTER completes the range.
EDIT OR KS SEQUENCE ERROR
You may encounter an error message while you edit a cell or
while you are defining a keystroke sequence. The error message
gives you information on what was not accepted by the program.
To clear the error message from the edit line, cancel the
operation by pressing CTRL-BREAK.
SEQUENCE ALREADY EXISTS
The sequence name has already been used on this worksheet.
Type Y if you want to overwrite the existing sequence
with the new one. The existing sequence at this point
will no longer be available to you. The new one has
taken its place.
Type any key other than Y to cancel the request to replace
the sequence.
If you are editing an existing sequence, you can press BKSP
to erase the sequence name, and then type in another name. If
you are defining the sequence, begin the command again with /K=
or CTRL-K=, and choose another name.
LIMITING THE REPLICATE COMMAND
You can limit what part of the cell you replicate by typing
( after you type /R.
A Attributes. Replicate only the attributes of the source range.
C Contents. Replicate only the contents of the source range.
N No Change. Replicate the source range with no change in
expressions which reference other cells.
R Relative. Replicate the source range making cell references
refer to the cell in the same relative position.
) Exit. Completes the command.
See Topics for more information on Replicate (/R).
COMPLETING AN EXPRESSION
If you are building an expression (formula) and have completed
a parenthetic expression with ) or a number, the VisiCalc
program is now waiting for an arithmetic operator (+, -, *, /,
or ^) to continue the expression or ENTER to complete the
expression.
Main Level of VisiCalc
0 Memory Conditions
Available Commands (/)
Attributes Command (/A)
Displaying formulas or expressions (/AE)
Hiding an entry (/AH)
Protecting entries (/AM)
Setting Tabs (/AT)
Label Attributes (/AL)
Value Attributes (/AV)
Attribute Default (/AD)
Clearing entries (/B)
Clearing the Sheet (/C)
Deleting Columns or Rows (/D)
Modifying Your Sheet (/E and CTRL-E)
Controlling Cell Display (/F)
Defining New Formats (/F=)
Returning to Original Formats (/F=xO)
Global Commands (/G)
Reevaluation Order (/GO)
Recalculation (/GR)
Variable Column Width Settings (/GC)
Inserting Rows or Columns (/I)
Keystroke Memory (/K)
Creating & Editing KS Sequences (/K= and /KE)
Clearing KS Sequences (/KC)
Creating or Calling a Sequence with CTRL-K
Scrolling Through Sequences
Moving Rows or Columns (/M)
Printing Commands (/P)
Printing to a Printer (/PP)
Printer Format Settings (/PS)
Reviewing Printer Settings
Prompts
Replicating a Cell or Range (/R)
Operations with Diskettes (/S)
How to Delete Files from Disks (/SD)
How to Quit From VisiCalc (/SQ)
Scanning Files on Disk
Storing DIF Files (/S#)
File Overwrite
Setting Titles (/T)
VisiCalc Version Number (/V)
Screen Splitting (/W)
Repeating Label (/-)
@ Functions
Math Functions
Financial Functions
Logical Functions and Operators
Trigonometric Functions
Date and Time Functions
Choosing and Label Functions
Using the Arrow Keys in Commands
Disk I/O Error
2
47
3
9
54
53
55
56
57
58
59
1
5
27
30
10
52
62
6
7
8
44
71
48
49
50
51
23
72
18
19
45
46
14
60
15
16
17
32
36
31
13
4
12
74
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
34
11
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1
2014