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Tutorial: The IntelliTape (tm)


The IntelliTape is the main feature that sets ActiCalc apart from all other calculator programs.  It implements a simple spreadsheet function, but requires no spreadsheet programming skills.  The IntelliTape can improve your productivity two ways.  First, it gives you absolute confirmation of the data you entered.  How many times have you run through a complicated set of calculations three times just to make sure you got the right answer?  You'll never do that again with ActiCalc because you can see exactly what you have entered.

The ability to see the data you entered is a great productivity (and quality) boost.  In the picture at the left, we entered the keystrokes 1 + 2 + 3 / 12.  The "Op" column shows the functions you invoked.   The "Entry" column shows the numbers you entered.  ActiCalc supplies the "balance" column, keeping track of the running balance.  The result of  the whole calculation sequence is 0.5.

This is a huge step forward from the typical PC-based calculator.  But what if you enter a number incorrectly?  You could certainly go through all the steps again as most calculators require.  But not with ActiCalc.  The second productivity boost you get is by having the ability to rewrite history.  If you entered a number incorrectly, you can change it.

To change a number, all you have to do is double-click on that cell in the entry column.  In the example at he left, we have double-clicked on the "3" in row 3.  ActiCalc displays an edit box that allows you to change the 3 to any other number.  When you press enter, the tape magically recalculates, as if you had entered the new number originally.

You can use this feature to verify calculations and correct errors, of course.  But you will also find it useful to simplify a set of repetitive calculations.  And ActiCalc allows you to save the tape to a disk file so that you can repeat these calculations at a later time without having to reenter the entire sequence.  In this respect, ActiCalc operates like a simple spreadsheet program, but with much less effort and training.

You cannot change the balance numbers directly because they are the result of the calculations.  You can change only the numbers in the "Entry" column.  Also, ActiCalc does not permit you to change the functions in the "Op" column.  However, if you enter a function incorrectly, you can undo the last calculation step by pressing Alt-Bkspc.  Alternatively, you can right-click anywhere on the tape to see an option menu that includes several undo levels.

You may not need to change numbers on the tape.  Maybe you have a case where you are using several numbers over and over.  You could use the three memory registers for this purpose.  But there is an easier way.  If you want to reuse a number that is in the IntelliTape, simply touch that number with the mouse.  The number will be copied into the data entry window as if you had entered it manually.  You can do this with numbers in either the Entry or Balance columns.

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