Specifications

Software for the DSE Challenger
Software for the Challenger is included in the price. It comes
complete with DOS, full Basic A, and the "Perfect" series of
word processing, spreadsheet and database management
programs.
"Perfect Writer" is a powerful
word processing program with a
host of features which are
correspondingly difficult to learn and
use. Features include the ability to
work with several documents at the
same time, "split screen" editing of
two files simultaneously and
extensive print formatting and
control functions. A spelling
checker, "Perfect Speller" is also
built-in.
The program is actually in two
parts, one a text editor and the other
a print formatting program which
uses disk files. Text on the screen is
combined with non-printing control
characters which indicate formats
such as columnar printing,
indentation and other special
effects, although it is possible to
display text as it will be printed by
"printing" to the screen before hard
copy is produced.
Cursor movement, insertion and
deletion of text, searches and block
moves are performed with
combinations of Control and Escape
key sequences. Some commands
require the user to hold down the
Control key while pressing one or
two letter keys, while others require
the user to press and release the
Escape key before pressing a
second key. Commands introduced
by Escape are generally larger
versions of Control commands, so
that, for example, Ctrl-F moves the
cursor forward one character while
Esc-F moves the cursor one word
forward.
"Perfect Writer" comes with a
book-length instruction manual and
extensive on-screen tutorials and
help files which ease the task of
learning to use the program. Once
the complexities are mastered it is
an excellent program for preparing
long documents with complex
formats, with the added advantage
of an installation procedure which
allows the user to add customised
printer drivers to make full use of
effects such as bold-facing and
proportional spacing.
A major advantage of the Perfect
programs is that they form an
integrated series. All the programs
use the same control sequences
and disk file formats, so once one
program is mastered the user can
transfer to another without learning
new operating procedures. Disk files
are stored in ASCII code and can be
easily transferred from one program
to another, allowing a spreadsheet
created with 'Calc to be edited with
Perfect Writer and updated with
information from a Perfect Filer
database.
"Perfect Calc" provides a
spreadsheet of 52 columns by 255
rows, with eight columns and 24
rows displayed on the screen at any
one time. A library of built-in
functions is provided, including
financial formulas and statistical
operations, and users can add their
own frequently used formulas for
permanent reference. Large
spreadsheets are no problem, as a
form of "virtual memory" allows the
program to swap information
between memory and disk without
interrupting operation.
Like Perfect Writer, 'Calc also has
a "split screen" feature which allows
two files to be used at the same
time. Data from a spreadsheet
displayed in the bottom half of the
screen can be transferred to an
entirely different spreadsheet
displayed in the top half of the
screen for instance. In addition, up
to seven spreadsheet files can be in
use simultaneously.
The companion database
program, "Perfect Filer" is an
information manager which also adds
automatic "mail merge" capabilities
to the "Perfect" series. It is a menu-
driven program which provides
facilities for creating, filing and
searching information records and
for generating form letters and
mailing labels using the information
stored in the database. One
shortcoming of the program
however, is that mathematical
calculations cannot be performed
between data items. There is also no
programming language facility as in
dBASE, so on the whole, "Perfect
Filer" is the most limited of the
Perfect series. It is adequate for
small jobs and has the advantage of
working with Perfect Calc and
Perfect Writer, but it cannot take the
place of more sophisticated
database management systems.
ELECTRONICS Australia, October, 1984
 107