PractiCalc
PractiCalc is easily the most powerful and versatile spreadsheet for the Commodore VIC-20. It is not limited to a single application; instead, it will perform just about any task you define. You are in control, and the spreadsheet does the calculations you define. In this sense, PractiCalc compares favorably with the grand-daddy of Calcs, VisiCalc.
In PractiCalc, cells can hold Titles, Labels, Data, Numbers, Bar Graphs or Formulas. By manipulating all these various entries, PractiCalc will yield answers to the problems you pose. As a consequence, many people used this spreadsheet to keep record of and calculate home inventory, checking account, weekly travel expenses, and household budget.
PractiCalc was produced by Computer Software Associates in three versions. The original version was PractiCalc 20. With its extra RAM memory, the 64's version was considered more versatile. PractiCalc 64 (P64) had a maximum capacity of 100 columns or 250 rows. The latest VIC version, PractiCalc Plus, had all the P64 features but fewer total cells available. P20 and Plus required a minimum of 16K expansion, but may use up to 24K. This will yield from 600 to 2000 cells available. Files generated on one VIC version are compatible with the other VIC version. Plus and P64 were sold at $49.95 on cassette and $54.95 on disk.
All three versions had the following features:
- Available on disk and tape
- Will print a sheet to a printer
- Will print all formulas to a printer
- Sort any column on either numeric or alphanumeric data
- Prompt a cell for key entry
- Replicate any formula, data or cell format
- Perform all basic mathematic functions
- Has high level math functions, such as count, sum, average, square roots, logarithims, etc.
- Makes good use of the function keys, sound and color
- Fix titles on the screen
- Move a column or row
- Column width may vary between 3 and 38 characters
If the user had a RS-232 printer, there was a special version of PractiCalc designed to handle that interface. PractiCalc was compatible with almost any printer.
Practicalc Plus had some extra functions compared to P20. It allowed one column, anywhere in the sheet, to be a different width than the rest, and could search the entire sheet for a specified letter, word or number. The results of any mathematic calculation could be displayed in a cell by a bar graph instead of the actual number, or be printed on a Commodore printer (such as the VIC-1525 Graphic Printer) in graphics mode. Other printers would print a number of asterisks equal to the resulting number. Computer Software Associates planned to release some templates for use with PractiCalc Plus, but they seem to be actually vaporware.
