Archive Magazine CD 1995/Archive Magazine CD 1995.iso/discs/prog_disc/volume_4/issue_12/pipedream/9109

Text File | 1991-08-02 | 15KB | 278 lines

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%CO:A,72,72%PipeLine - September 1991
Copyright - ABACUS TRAINING

Author - Gerald L Fitton - 1st August 1991

One of the things which continues to surprise me month after month is
the number of you who write to me to say that you read this column but
do not have PipeDream.  For example, I wouldn't have expected as many
letters about complex numbers as I received from users of Viewsheet
(run with the emulator), Logistix and other spreadsheets (!), and even
BASIC programmers!  Of course I'm prejudiced but I think you should
give PipeDream a try using the Colton Software Demo disc.  With the
Demo disc you can LOAD files (eg from the Archive monthly disc or from
our own Introducing PipeLine disc), you can amend those files and you
can create new documents.  What you can not do is to SAVE files nor can
you PRINT them nor do you have access to the dictionary facilities.
However, you can do almost anything else that you might want to do with
PipeDream so the Demo disc does give you an opportunity to discover
whether PipeDream is worth buying, an opportunity that I wish was
available for other software.  Write to me if you're interested.

Printer font
Alan Highet would like to alter the Printer Font (which applies to the
font shown on screen as well) with a macro but can't find a way of
doing it because there doesn't seem to be a command which can be
entered into a macro for changing the font.  The nearest I can get to
solving this problem is to find that, in my ini file I have the command
%PC%OP%PC%FGTrinity.Medium which sets the font in my default document as
Trinity.Medium.

Alan has done one better really.  Here is his partial solution.  He
uses a macro to LOAD a sheet which has all the default options he wants
(including the font).  This sheet is not blank but contains external
references to all the data he wants to print.  The data he wants to
print is in the external (original) document.  Now, having 'cured' one
problem, Alan finds he has another.  He wants the macro to PRINT the
newly loaded file (with its external references) in the new font but
the PRINT command operates before all the external references have been
evaluated so the printout is just a block of zeros!

I haven't tried this next idea but I wonder if it is possible to
arrange for the macro to go through the following sequence: mark a
block in the original document using <Ctrl+CGS> and <Ctrl+Z>, copy it
to the paste list with <Ctrl+BF>, LOAD the new document (which contains
the font required), go to some appropriate slot in the new document
using <Ctrl+CGS> and then paste the marked block back with <Ctrl+I>.
If anyone has any other ideas then I and Alan will be most interested
to hear from you.

Slow dictionary
Roger M King has a Gripe which is the speed of the dictionary when
using a wild card for the first letter.  He says, for example, that
^?er^?^?ct returns the word 'perfect' but only after 20 minutes.  Since
one of Roger's pastimes is to compile crosswords he finds this delay
somewhat infuriating.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Automatic SAVE
Once again, I have 'lost' the letter in my filing system about this.
The correspondent has a copy of an automatic SAVE utility which (I
think) he obtained from BeeBug which works with all applications except
PipeDream.  Has anyone else discovered this and, if so, is there a
'cure'?

Two discards
John Harrison wrote to me originally on the 22nd October 1990 about
this problem.  John records the results of competitive dingy races
(times in seconds) and analyses them.  Typically the competitor is
allowed to discard the worst two results from a series of ten and
average (or total) the remaining eight.  How do you find the winner?

Well, for one discard, finding the value to discard is easy because the
function max(list) finds the largest value of a range so all you need
is sum(range)-max(range).  For two or more discards max(list) won't
find the second discard unless you can somehow delete the value found
with max(list) from the list.

Here is John's latest solution which he sent me in May this year (sorry
for the delay but I've been trying to find a better solution)!  Create
a spreadsheet using one row for each competitor.  Enter the
competitor's name in column A and use the next ten columns for the
results of the ten races.  To the right of these first eleven columns
use one column for each combination (some people would call it,
incorrectly, each permutation) of eight from ten (there are 45 of
them!) so that in each of the next 45 columns you have the sum
of a different 8 of the 10 ten races.  I think John has a way of
automatically generating the 45 columns but, on his own admission this
solution is rather inelegant.  Sorry but I don't have a disc file of an
example so I hope that this written explanation is clear enough.

I wonder if there is a way of using an 'if' function in a second
column to find the second largest value in the first column?  I can
think of an if function which will do this if the maximum value is not
duplicated but my simple function fails if this happens.

Another idea I have is to use one column per competitor and set up a
macro that ranks the whole sheet on the column corresponding to the
first competitor, then, having done that you sum the best eight results
at the bottom of the column and snapshot this sum with <Ctrl+BSS>.  The
macro then goes on to repeat this ranking, summing and snapshotting
until all contributors have been dealt with.

If any of you have another solution then please let me have a disc copy
of an example which I will send on to John and also publish.  This must
be a problem for the expert (or maybe the ingenious beginner who
won't be confused by 'standard' techniques)!

ArcScan
Joe Hertzberg and Frank Lawson have both produced catalogues in ArcScan
format of the first four PipeLine discs.  Maureen Whitaker believes
that, because of the different approaches of the two compilers, both
are useful to her (and others).  If you have your own ArcScan contents
catalogue of the PipeLine discs and PipeLine articles (from Archive)
then I shall be most grateful for a disc copy to pass on to others.
The ArcScan program is copyright and costs about £20.00.

Flat files
Tony Cowley has sent me a most witty letter explaining how to file
(hardcopy) paperwork files in a way he believes might be unique.  He
stamps each document with a serial number and files them in
chronological order.  I suppose you could use the date for the stamp
provided that you have some sequential subscript (hours, minutes and
seconds? -- see last month's integer arithmetic tutorial for details).

The problem most people have with such a chronological filing system is
in finding a document from way back.  Tony's solution is to use
PipeDream as a computerised database of the documents.  Each document
is treated as a 'record' having a row of the database to itself.  The
'fields' are columns which contain say the document serial number,
date, name of the sender, subject matter, etc.  Now, by using Block
Search, <Ctrl+BSE>, or by sorting, <Ctrl+BSO>, you can find all
the relevant references.

I think that the idea of combining a 'sequential' hardcopy file with a
computer file which can be searched or sorted with ease shows a degree
of pragmatism that could originate only from a computer 'user' rather
than a computer 'expert'!  It appeals to me because of its simplicity
and elegance.

Selecting a block
Steve Knattress reminds me that, whilst it is possible to mark blocks
with the mouse, an alternative for long documents is to use <Ctrl+Z> to
mark the left top and bottom right corners of the block.  In
conjunction with <Ctrl+Z> you can use <Ctrl+CGS> to go to a slot.

Printing
It is only recently that I realised that I don't have to use <Ctrl+PO>
to get a print out.  The Print key (next to the Scroll Lock key) has
the same effect and is easier to use.

Dates
Brian Edwards bought an A3000 because he was so impressed with
PipeDream on the Z88.  On the Z88 dates back to 1753 can be computed.
You may wonder why such an odd number was chosen for the cut off; I
know but if you can tell me I'll give you an honourable mention  -- a
clue is "How many days had September 1752?"  On the A3000 only dates
this century can be computed so some of Brian's applications (eg a
database of a Parish Baptism Register) can not be ported directly from
the Z88.

Brian would like to know what you think is the best way of storing
historical dates in PipeDream 3.  If you write to me then I'll include
anything useful in my tutorial on integer arithmetic that goes into
dates as an example of a 'strange' number base (the number of days in a
month are 'strange').  I have heard of something called a Julian Date
which used to be (and maybe still is) transmitted by various radio and
TV stations.  If there is anyone with knowledge of Julian Date
conversion formulae (particularly if it's a Pipedream spreadsheet) then
I shall be most interested to hear from you (and so, maybe, will
Brian).

CCTV/Multisync switch
Malcolm Brown uses a closed circuit TV as a glorified magnifying glass
because he needs things such as handwritten letters or small print
larger than life in order to be able to read them.  He has sent me a
photograph showing an Alpha Vision traveller (the TV camera end) hooked
up to something like a 20" monitor with the name Alpha Vision on it.
The photo is rather old because it includes a BBC Master computer.
Malcolm used to switch between the TV camera output and the Master with
a foot switch but now he has an Archimedes.  Here's Malcolm's question.
Does anyone know how to channel the output from his TV camera into a
multisync on the Archimedes (so that he can switch between the
Archimedes and the TV camera)?

PipeDream Lotus 1-2-3 comparisons
Malcolm will be sending me his opinion but, if you have comments, then
send them to me so that I can put them all together in one big bundle!

The Poll Tax
On the Archive monthly disc I have included a database of Poll Tax
rates for 1990-91.  This has been 'donated' by Robert Macmillan of
Colton Software but has quite a few omissions.  Does anyone feel up to
completing the table and, perhaps, adding the data projected for
1991-92?

Labels
A letter I have had from Steve Harratt reminds me that most people use
labels with 21 labels per sheet rather than the 18 labels per sheet
which I do.  The consequence is that the detailed instructions I have
given elsewhere need modifying.  Rather than me go through what is, to
me, a hypothetical exercise, I thought it likely that one of you might
already have modified my instructions for a different label format.  If
you have then please send me details and I will make a suitable
compilation.

HP DeskJet 500
Roger Lines has one of these and comments favourably about the output
quality.  He, like many others of you I suspect, wants to use it with a
suitable PipeDream printer driver.  Has anybody got one?

Epson GQ-3500
This is my printer.  It is a laser printer with a 300 dpi resolution.
I use it in HP emulation mode, mainly with !PrinterLJ and outline
fonts.  However, I do use it often enough with a PipeDream printer
driver to want one which works properly.  The driver provided by Colton
Software called HPjet assumes that the HP printer has access to the
ECMA-94 character set (the ECMA-94 character set is practically the
same as the Archimedes System font) and so the driver does not require
a translation table.  My printer (with HP emulator) doesn't have the
ECMA-94 character set so I have to use a translation table from Roman8
to ECMA-94.  I have one which produces most of the System font
characters but not all.  Once again, I am collecting together
information on PipeDream printer drivers so, if you have anything to
offer on this or any other printer, please send me your printer driver
on a disc.

I have asked this next question before but received no response.  Has
anyone got, or does anyone know how to write a RISC OS printer driver
for my Epson-GQ3500 so that I can discard the emulator.  I can't help
thinking that, since practically all the printer graphics control codes
are similar to those of the FX80, that I ought to be able to make a few
changes to !PrinterDM and run my GQ-3500!

Multifile documents
I have said little about this subject in the past.  For those of you
who can still find your handbook, turn to page 210; only three pages
are devoted to this interesting facility but references to it appear
throughout the user guide.

Each file in a multifile document can have its own page layout and
default options.  For those of you familiar with DTP jargon, each file
can be a Chapter with its own column structure, wrap margins, default
printer (and screen) font, grid (present or absent), insert on return
ON (or OFF), headers & footers, etc.  The multifile document can
consist of say, a title page as one file, a page of two column text as
a contents page, a different layout for the main body part of the
report, tables of numbers (or a database) included as separate files
followed by more text (to another layout), and an index at the end with
yet another layout.  The multifile document can be spellchecked or you
can use Search and replace throughout the whole document as a single
entity, page numbers, page breaks, etc, can be harmonised.

The commands <Shift+F5> and <Shift+F6> move the 'Input focus' (the
place where the caret appears) from file to file through the document.
A couple of notes you should be aware of but might have missed appear
on pages 249 & 256.  When you change the input focus with either of
these commands then, if you have made any changes to a file, it will be
saved automatically (whether you like it or not!) as the input focus
moves to the next or previous file.

Now that more of you are familiar with DTP and understand the
advantages of being able to vary the page layout whilst staying within
the same document I shall be writing more about the use of this
facility.  Multifile documents have always been a part of PipeDream so,
if you have used them and found them useful, then I would like to hear
from you (preferably with a disc based example).

Finally
I had hoped to include more about integer arithmetic or complex numbers
this month but I think I've probably run out of space