#Dating In SuperPlan
7 messages in this thread
I have a question related to MaxiPlan Plus and SuperPlan.
In MaxiPlan Plus, I can format a column to interpret numbers as dates.
This way, I can put together a loan repayment schedule with dates running
down the left column. I start with the first row as a selected date (e.g.
July 1, 1992). Then I can enter a formula in which 14 days is added to the
date in the row above. I then copy that formula down as far as I need to.
How do I do this in SuperPlan?
(BTW, I'm still using OXXI MaxiPlan 1.9. Any chance of the natural
calculation bug ever being fixed? Is there a patch anywhere?
Usenet:Ernie_Gorrie@mindlink.bc.ca
What you want to do is /Format the column with /Options:Display. This
allows you to set the display format for dates. Then enter the dates as
Julian numbers (see page 1-46 for JDAY and JDATE functions), which can be
operated on as integers — the correct date for the Julian number will be
displayed according to the format selected.
Regards, Whap!penned…
Pat @Oxxi (310) 427-1227
Pat:
Have you ever tried to follow the instructions you gave Ernie Gorrie
re:dates in superplan? I think not.
If one enters "3648" (one of the JDAY examples on page 1-46) into a cell,
SP will display "3648" [NB: I am NOT indicating the use of quotes with the
integers]. In order to get SP to show a transaction date, it must KNOW that
you are talking about a date. Therefore you must enter "JDAY(3648)" or
whatever is the correct number of days since January 1, 1900. Being lazy,
I have never memorized that particular table, so I must enter
'JDAY(JDATE("10-28-92"))'. Real Practical. True, I have set up macros for
the 'JDAY(JDATE("' and '"))' parts, but that ended up being more work than
I was willing to do. I have ended up entering most of my dates as text.
That only requires 1 extra keystroke, which I routinely forget untill I hit
return and see a ridiculously small decimal number.
I realize my tone is scathing, but this has always been my biggest
complaint about SP. Over 90% of the spreadsheets I design have _at least_
1 column that is dates. I think that would be true for most users. I _do
not_ understand why I can't tell SP that if it sees an entry in a given
column in my chosen date format consider it a date UNLESS I indicate
otherwise. (IF I do want to do repeated division, I can preceed it with a
"+".) Lacking that, I could live with a leading character (like +, ", ',
etc.) to indicate that the entry is to be a date. Having both would meet
my minimum expectations for how a spreadsheet should handle dates.
SuperPlan _is_ a good spreadsheet. Admittedly, it has power that I seldom
or never use. However, primarily because of the problems with dates, I
have been looking for a replacement for it for several years now. That I
have never found one says something sad about the state of Amiga software.
I have complained about this before, and gotten the "It's in there… see
P. 1-46" answer, which I find unreasonable, thoughtless, unworkable, and
inacceptable.
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[ continuation ]
PLEASE press Oxxi for an update to SuperPlan ASAP, and stress the need for
this concern to be high on the priorities list. If you wait long enough,
there will an adequate replacement for SP.
-Homer
Homer, a good spreadsheet has been a concern of the Amiga development
industry for some years now. In this, we have been hampered by the
existence of MaxiPlan (good, but flawed) and Superplan (flawed, but good).
The problem is that better spreadsheets HAVE been designed and placed on
the market, and the market demand, while strong in your individual case, is
not great enough to support further development efforts. I know that Oxxi
has development plans for Superplan, but the market draw does not place
them on a higher priority than, say, Superbase for networks.
Regards, Whap!penned…
Pat @Oxxi (310) 427-1227
Pat:
One more minor quibble after my ranting. I just checked, and the value
returned by JDATE( is wrong for all values above 59. Apparently none of
the programmers or testers was aware that 1900 was not a leap year. Of
course math between dates would be right for all dates after this, so it is
a minor problem, but it is so glaringly wrong to those who know. Just
makes me glad I did not bother to memorize that table <g>.
-Homer
Pat @Oxxi 76711,457 writes:
"What you want to do is /Format the column with /Options:Display."
I don't seem to have that choice. When I enter the /Format menu, then
enter the "Options" menu, the only choices I have are,
"Background, Cursor, Borders, Protected, Column, Row, Commands". Theser
are all options for modifying the graphic screen display, rather than the
format for the display of dates. Where do I go from here?
Usenet:Ernie_Gorrie@mindlink.bc.ca