Vizastar can turn the Commodore 64 into a handy information management tool, says Neville Ash

Viza Software has now launched the first integrated software package for the Commodore 64.

Retailing at under £100, it provides the features of a program like Lotus 1-2-3, with spreadsheet, database and graphics facilities, Vizastar can also make use of data files from word processors like Vizawrite.

Essentially you're buying convenience. Rather than having to save data from an application like a spreadsheet, then load a word processor and load in that data file, there's just one program which covers database management, word processing, spreadsheet and graphics. Even if there's more than one disk, there's usually a common mode of operation: commands will be similar across the applications, making your learning curve that much steeper.

The Vizastar package comprises a single disk, cartridge and manual. The cartridge is basically to prevent piracy, the original plan being to use just one disk. When using the cartridge, you have to make sure the machine is turned off before you insert it, as removing or inserting it with a live machine can ruin both micro and ROM.

To get to grips with the program you can either wade through the 120-page manual, or use the disk tutorial. While the former is comprehensive and steps through each feature in great detail, the latter is likely to prove more popular.

Vizastar's spreadsheet has a maximum of 64000 cells, up to 1000 rows by 64 columns. There's a database with 1200 filing 'compartments', each capable of holding up to 124 characters and a graphics facility which can produce either line or bar graphs. A particularly useful feature is the ability to have whole sequences of commands processed via the 'exec' facility.

There are two versions of the program. The one tested was XL4 which has 4K RAM in the cartridge; Viza Software plans to release an 8K version in the near future.

Although most users of Vizastar will have a 1541 disk drive, the program can be used with the Commodore parallel/IEEE drives with an interface such as Interpod. The Centronics parallel standard is supported and you could use an RS232 printer, provided you have the appropriate interface.

As soon as the program is loaded the worksheet display appears, the 'cell pointer' indicating the first cell in the matrix. The main menu, which appears on a single line at the top of the screen, is called up by pressing the Commodore logo key. The main menu has six options: Cell, Sheet, File, Print, Data and Graph.

The Cell command gives you four main operations. You can set the display format for a single entry, or for a range of cells. Choices here are General, Integer, Currency, Date and Scientific. General displays numbers within the current column width, or uses exponential notation. Integer rounds numbers to the nearest whole. Currency uses two decimal places and Date employs the DDMMYY format (day, month and year).

The Calc function sets the order of calculation, by row or column, and lets you toggle between automatic calculation after cell entry, or calculation on demand.

Protect can be used to prevent a cell, or row of cells, from being altered. Other useful Vizastar functions include automatic cursor movement, formula display and colour changing over major screen areas.

The second command in the main menu - Sheet - gives you ten further options. You can copy and move cell contents, insert rows or columns and 'freeze' a worksheet heading. A window command is available which can split the screen to show a maximum of nine different sections of the current model. It's also possible to sort or erase cells and to set global protection of entries.

The File option has four sub-sections with a range of three file suffices to handle data files for the worksheet, database or format for the latter. The Save command dumps the current sheet to disk, Load recalls a model, and Merge allows files to be loaded - these can be from worksheet, word processor, sequential file or disk file list.

The Maintenance option is for formatting disks, and it's a pleasure to be able to do this essential operation without leaving the program. Print handles printer output, with options for printing all or part of the sheet: rows, columns, pages and other options normally only found with dedicated word processors.

Data, the third option in the main menu, prepares Vizastar for information management. Database file names can be up to ten characters long and you may specify how the information is to be retrieved. Data can be transferred either from rows of the worksheet into database records, or database records can be loaded into a worksheet. Export allows you to send information in a database file to a standard CBM ASCII sequential file, field by field.

Finally, Graph is used to create bar or line charts from a worksheet or from database records, as shown in the illustrations.

Vizastar is currently the only true integrated package for the Commodore 64 and makes the micro a far more practical and useful tool for information management than many other programs currently on the market.

Features 5/5
Usefulness 5/5
Documentation 4/5
Performance 4/5
Usability 5/5
Reliability 4/5
Overall Value 4/5