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NAME
xspread - X Windows spreadsheet
COMMAND LINE
xspread [-h] [-c] [-m] [-n] [-r] [-x] [-fn font] [ file ]
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
The program xspread is a public domain spreadsheet which runs
under X Windows. You must be using an X Windows terminal to be able
to run this program. We are working on makeing it use the ascii
screen if it cannot find an X display to use.
Xspread Reference Manual gives complete documentation for the program.
The LaTeX source copy for this manual is in the file xspread.tex.
Xspread supports many standard spreadsheet features.
Among these are:
* Cell entry and editing.
* Worksheet size: 702 columns by unlimited rows.
* File reading and writing.
* File encryption.
* Absolute and relative cell references.
* Numeric and label (i.e.character string) data in
cells.
* Left or right justification for labels.
* Row and column insertion and deletion.
* Hiding and unhiding of rows and columns.
* Range names.
* Manual or automatic recalculation.
* Numeric operators (+, -, *, /, ^(exponentiation),
%(remaindering))
* Relational operators (<, <=, >, >=, =, !=(not equal))
* Logical (or, Boolean) operators (&(and), |(or),
~(not))
* Function references.
* Graphs (XY, Bar, Stack Bar, Pie and Line graphs)
* Matrix Operations (Transpose, Multiply, Add, Subtract
and Inversion)
* Cursor positioning with mouse
* Menu item selection with mouse
* References to external programs. These are called
external functions.
The structure and operation of the spreadsheet is similar to but
not identical with popular spreadsheets such as Lotus 1-2-3 and its
clones. Like other spreadsheets, the workspace is arranged into rows
and columns of cells. Each cell can contain a number, a label (i.e.
character string), or a formula which evaluates to a number or label.
You can start the program with or without specifying a file to be
read in. This file must be a saved worksheet. If a file is specified
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on the command line, xspread attempts to locate and read in the file.
If it is successful, xspread starts with the file's contents in the
workspace. If it is unsuccessful or no file is specified on the
command line, xspread starts with the workspace empty.
For a tutorial of the spreadsheet program, run one of the demo
files: demo, demo_math, demo_matrix, see the file Sample_Run in the
doc directory.
Options
-c Recalculation is done in column order. When xspread
recalculates, it will start at the top of the leftmost column,
and recalculate the all the cells from top to bottom. Then,
it will recalculate the next column in the same order. It
will continue in this fashion until it has recalculated the
rightmost column. Xspread does NOT support natural order
recalculation.
Default: Row order recalculation.
-h Display command line help.
-m Start with manual recalculation. With this option, the
spreadsheet will recalculate values only when the "@" command
is used. With automatic recalculation, the spreadsheet
recalculates values whenever a cells contents change.
Default: Automatic recalculation.
-n Standard Data entry mode. In this mode the user must specify
if the data entry item is numeric or a label. To single
Xspread that the item is a number, the first character has to
be a "=". To specify that the data is a label, the first
character has to be a quote (").
* If the first character is a numeral, a "+" sign, or a "-"
sign, the cell contains a number.
* If the first character is a greater than sign (>), less than
sign (<), or double quote ("), the cell contains a label.
* If it is anything else, the character is a command to
xspread.
With standard entry mode, you must use the first character to
tell xspread whether the cell is a number or a label.
* If the cell is to be a number, the first character must be
an "=" sign.
* If the cell is to be a label, the first character must be a
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double quote ("), less than sign (<), or greater than sign
(>).
Default: Standard data entry mode.
-r Recalculation is done in row order. When xspread
recalculates, it will start at the left of the topmost row,
and recalculate all the cells from left to right. Then, it
will recalculate the next row in the same order. It will
continue in this fashion until it has recalculated the
bottommost row. Xspread does NOT support natural order
recalculation.
Default: Row order recalculation.
-x Use encryption when reading and writing files.
Default: Do not use encryption.
SEE ALSO
sc(1), bc(1), dc(1), crypt(1)
BUGS
Xspread saves only one value from any call to external functions
via @ext(). If @ext() is used more than once in a spreadsheet and
external functions are enabled and then disabled, the last returned
value pops up in several places.
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