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Detailed guide to all the buttons
on the toolbar
Details of the buttons on the toolbar
In what follows the array of cells
in rows and columns that Microsoft refers to as a 'worksheet'
is called a spreadsheet (this tallies with commmon with
everyday usage and it avoids confusion with the written worksheets
that students use). Similarly, all types of graph and bar chart
are referred to here as graphs (rather than charts, as
Microsoft do). (Note, however, that when you create new graphs,
the tab at the bottom assigns the default names Chart1, Chart2,
etc., if they are normal Excel graphs, but Graph1, Graph2, etc.
if they are ImagineIT Super Graphs.)
Tables of data
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Resize, create or delete a table
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To create a new ImagineIT table,
either click on the top left hand cell in your table
of data first, then click the toolbar button and enter the
numbers of rows and columns when asked,
or select the whole of your table first and then click
the toolbar button.
Up to two separate ImagineIT tables can be created but they
must not overlap.
To change the size of an ImagineIT table,
either click on any cell in the table, then click the
toolbar button and enter the number of rows and columns when
asked,
or select all the cells along any edge of the table
and then drag inwards or outwards using the mouse,
or insert or delete rows or columns in the table in
the usual Excel way (this is useful if you want data plotted
on graphs to continue to refer to all rows in a table).
To delete an ImagineIT table, click on any cell in
the table, then click the toolbar button and choose 'Delete'.
Tables are colour-coded in yellow (unless you choose otherwise).
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Specify column names and graph labels
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Allows you to identify rows that you want to use for
graph titles, axis labels on graphs, labels
for different sets of data on a graph - 'series
labels', (all colour-coded green).
Also allows you to identify rows giving names for the different
table columns that you can use in formulae instead of
cell references (colour-coded blue).
To choose these rows, click on any cell in the ImagineIT
table, click on the toolbar button, and then click in the
appropriate rows.
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Copy down
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To copy down to the bottom of the table the formulae
in one or more adjacent cells in any row in an ImagineIT table,
first select the cells and then click the toolbar button.
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Show tables, labels, names and parameters
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To see what cells you have chosen for ImagineIT tables,
graph titles, axis labels, series labels, columns names, parameter
values and parameter names (see below) click this toolbar
button.
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Tables of parameters
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Specify parameters
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To identify a block of adjacent cells in a given row that
contains parameter values, and to identify the row containing
the names for these parameters, click this toolbar button.
A second block of parameters can be identified if required.
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Graphs
If you want to change an existing graph to a different
type, simply click on it to activate it, and then click the appropriate
graph button.
To create a new graph using data from an ImagineIT
table, click first on a cell in the column you want to use for the
y- axis values and then click the appropriate graph button.
A new graph can either be a normal Excel graph, or an 'ImagineIT
type graph'. Graphs are created as new sheets and you can
opt either to place them in a new window or view them in your existing
window.
An 'Excel graph' is similar to that produced using
the Excel Chart Wizard (but with a white background rather than
grey so it can be copied and pasted into other documents more readily).
An 'ImagineIT graph' also allows you to 'freeze'
copies of plots which will not change when the spreadsheet data
changes. When values on your spreadsheet change you will then
see the resulting changed plot as well as the original frozen one.
This is very useful for comparing results under different conditions
(different parameter values).
With either type of graph, titles, labels for the
axes, and series labels will be generated automatically if you have
previously identified the rows on the spreadsheet that you want
to use for these things (see 'Specify column names and graph labels'
above).
[On a technical note: Data for drawing
ImagineIT graphs are stored in a separate 'Graph Data Sheet' (GDS
for short) so that it does not confuse your original spreadsheet.
You do not ever need to look at this sheet. Data for
Excel graphs, on the other hand, is linked directly to your
spreadsheet in the normal Excel way, so that all changes in your
data are immediately reflected in your graphs.]
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x-y plot with data points and joins
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x-y plots are used to plot one varying quantity against another.
(Note that data points are joined directly without trying
to smooth the data to produce a smooth curve.)
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x-y plot with joins only
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x-y plots are used to plot one varying quantity against another.
(Note that data points are joined directly without trying
to smooth the data to produce a smooth curve.) Sometimes
called a line graph (not to be confused with an Excel 'line
chart' - see below).
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x-y plot with markers only
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x-y plots are used to plot one varying quantity against another.
This type of x-y plot is often called a scattergraph.
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Vertical bar chart
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Sometimes called a column chart or a bar graph. The
x-axis scale labels the bars rather than being a numerical
scale of values as on an x-y plot.
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Horizontal bar chart
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The x-axis scale runs vertically and labels the bars rather
than being a numerical scale of values as on an x-y plot.
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Excel 'line chart'
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This is really a bar chart in disguise. The x-axis
scale labels the bars rather than being a numerical scale
of values as on an x-y plot. It should not be confused
with an x-y plot, which is frequently called a line graph
if the data points are joined.
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Pie chart
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The size of the sectors (in degrees) gives the relative magnitudes
of the quantities plotted, and labels are printed around the
outside of the circle.
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Adding new data to a graph
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Add plot
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To add new data to a graph first select the column in the
ImagineIT table on the spreadsheet which is to be used for
the y-coordinates, then click the toolbar button. You
will be asked to select which graph you want to add the data
to if there is more than one.
(If you also want to specify the x-data in advance and the
rows to be plotted, you can do this by first selecting the
x-data, then holding down the control key and selecting the
y-data.)
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Changing what is plotted on a graph
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Change x-coordinates
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To change the column used for the x-coordinates for any data
plot, first select the graph by clicking on it, then select
the individual data plot, and finally click the toolbar button.
(If there is only one plot on a graph, you need not bother
selecting the individual plot.) If you want to specify
the x-column in advance you can select it before clicking
on the graph.
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Change y-coordinates
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To change the column used for the y-coordinates for any data
plot, first select the graph by clicking on it, then select
the individual data plot, and finally click the toolbar button.
(If there is only one plot on a graph, you need not bother
selecting the individual plot.) If you want to specify
the y-column in advance you can select it before clicking
on the graph.
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Replace plot
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To change the rows and columns used for any data plot, first
select the graph by clicking on it, then select the individual
data plot, and finally click the toolbar button. (If
there is only one plot on a graph, you need not bother selecting
the individual plot.)
If you want to specify the y-data in advance you can select
it before clicking on the graph. If you want to specify both
the x and the y-data in advance you can select first the
x-data, then hold down the control key and select the
y-data, before clicking on the graph.
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Delete plot
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To delete a specific plot on a graph, first click on it to
select it and then click this button. If the plot is on a
normal Excel graph (rather than a Super Graph) you can also
select the plot and then press 'Delete' on your keyboard.
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Freezing data on a graph so you can make comparisons
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Freeze plot
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Allows you to 'freeze' plots on Super Graphs (not Excel type
graphs) so that they do not change when the oriiginal data
changes. You can either freeze the original plot or
a make a 'frozen' copy of it. The latter is useful for
investigating how different parameters affect the results
of a model, since the new plots can be compared with the old
(frozen) ones. You can freeze or freeze a copy of just
one plot on one ImagineIT graph, all plots on the one graph,
or all plots on all ImagineIT graphs.
To freeze all plots on one graph, click on that graph before
clicking on the toolbar button. To freeze a single plot,
also click on that to select it. To freeze all plots
simply click the button.
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Delete frozen plots
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Allows you to delete 'frozen' plots on Super Graphs.
To delete all frozen on one graph, click on that graph before
clicking on the toolbar button. To delete a single frozen
plot, also click on that to select it. To delete all
frozen plots on all graphs simply click the button.
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Quick pasting tools
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Paste formulae
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Saves time when editing a worksheet by avoiding the need
to use 'Paste special'
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Paste values
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Saves time when editing a worksheet by avoiding the need
to use 'Paste special'
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Paste formats
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Saves time when editing a worksheet by avoiding the need
to use 'Paste special'
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Zooming in and out
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Zoom in
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This button zooms in on the spreadsheet making cells 10 per
cent larger. It is especially useful when using a data projector
with a large audience.
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Zoom out
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This button zooms out from the spreadsheet making cells 10
per cent smaller. It is especially useful when one want to
see all of a large spreadheet at once.
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Displaying formulae or values
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Show formulae
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Saves time when looking at a worksheet by avoiding the need
to use 'Tools/options/view/formulas'
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Show values
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Saves time when looking at a worksheet by avoiding the need
to use 'Tools/options/view/formulas'
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Locking and unlocking
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Unprotect
spreadsheet
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Unprotects spreadsheet so that all cells can be modified
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Protect
spreadsheet
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Protects spreadsheet so that only unlocked cells can be modified
- this prevents important information getting deleted by mistake.
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Calculating
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Calculate now
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Saves time when looking at a worksheet by avoiding the need
to use 'Tools/Options/Calculation/Calculate now'
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Start calculation
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Saves time when looking at a worksheet by avoiding the need
to use 'Tools/Options/Calculation/Automatic'
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Stop calculation
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Saves time when looking at a worksheet by avoiding the need
to use 'Tools/Options/Calculation/Manual'
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Keep recalculating
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Causes worksheet to keep recalculating over and over again,
until either the escape key is pressed, or a fixed number
of recalculations has been completed.
Useful for worksheets involving random numbers and for those
involving the Excel iteration feature (see next section).
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Iteration
Iteration is an advanced feature of Excel which
is useful when the same calculation is to be carried out many times,
each time using the results of the preceding recalculation.
It enables 'Monte Carlo' simulations involving random numbers to
be set up in a straightforward way. For further detials see
Advanced modelling
Features.
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Switch iteration on
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Switches the Excel 'iteration' facility on so that circular
references can be used (equivalent to 'Tools/Options/Calculation/Iteration').
Also allows you to specify the number of iterations performed
in one go.
To the ImagineIT buttons you need a cell on your worksheet
named 'Counts'. Each time the worksheet is recalculated,
Counts increments by one, (or by whatever you have set the
number of iterations to be). Counts is reset to one
by the 'Reset iteration' button.
If you also have a cell called Counter (to the right
of Counts or below it) this will be reset to zero by 'Reset
iteration', so you can start counting at zero rather than
one.
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Switch iteration off
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Switches the Excel 'iteration' facility on so that circular
references can no longer be used (equivalent to 'Tools/Options/Calculation/Iteration
off').
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Reset iteration
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Sets the value of the cell on your worksheet named 'Counts'
back to one (ready for a new simulation, or other set of iterative
calculations).
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Deleting unwanted names
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Delete unwanted names
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This toolbar buton enables you to tidy up your worksheet
by deleting all names that have been defined previously, except
those currently given in your chosen 'names' rows. Use
with care or you may inadvertently delete other names on your
worksheet that you want to keep!
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Shortened toolbar giving just formatting options
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Show just formatting buttons
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This button shortens the toolbar so only graph buttons formatting
buttons are displayed (those on white backgrounds). With the
short toolbar the graph buttons only act as simple formatting
buttons for existing graphs and cannot be used to create new
graphs.
To restore the full toolbar click this button again.
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Entering your passcode
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Enter passcode
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If your copy of the ImagineIT Toolbar has this key button,
it is a time-limited copy. At the end of the free time (or
before) you will have to click this button and enter a passcode
in order to continue using the toolbar. (The formatting buttons
will, however, still work without the passcode.) The passcode
is supplied when you buy the toolbar.
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Help button
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Help
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This button takes you to the on-line User's guide for the
ImagineIT toolbar.
When you use the button for the first time, you will need
to click it twice - the first click links the button to the
location of the User's guide on your hard disc and the second
click takes you to it.
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