There are two kinds of Macintosh users: Those who will read the manuals that come with their software, and those who will not. If you are the former you do not need Help for Excel. If you are the latter you will still read the manual; you will only trade the bound tomes for the electronic version that Help Software has provided.
Yes, Excel already does give you a help window that is context sensitive, permitting you to select a menu item and read an explanation of the command’s or function’s role. There is a major difference, however. Help’s help is all-encompassing rather than narrowly context-sensitive. This is not what Help Software claims for their package. While they do describe it as context-sensitive, you are allowed to select any menu item for help on that topic even though it would not be appropriate to use that menu item in the current situation. Excel’s native help window maintains the currently “dimmed” state of the menu selections. Is this to avoid confusion? Probably. I think a novice might have some trouble with this.
When invoked, Help activates all menu items and enables you to select the one you currently find troublesome. Help will then locate and display the explanation of that command or function, usually with examples of usage. Excel’s native help window seems to be lacking somewhat in the “meat” of examples and a full explanation of the topic. To be fair, Excel’s help file is only 273K, less than 1/3 the size of Help’s data file. Nevertheless, there seems to be a biasing of Excel’s help file toward Lotus 123 users. One only has to use Excel as it comes out of the box to see that its default configuration is a weird emulation of 123’s user interface. This may be why Excel’s native help is somewhat lacking in detail; Lotus 123 users would go into sensory overload with a help file that was worth its salt.
That seems to be the major reason for buying Help for Excel. If you are unwilling to spend the long hours referring to the paper manuals that mastery of Excel requires, Help gives you 90% of the manuals’ information while you are “in” the program.
I like the concept and, except for the non-context-sensitivity, the package performed exactly as advertised. There were even some cases where the ability to select menu items for the help that Help provided (even when the menu selections would otherwise have been dimmed) enabled me to learn about certain topics “on-line” for which Excel’s native help window would have driven me to the manuals.
The Help data file contains a remarkably complete index with cross-references to other, related topics. Each index selection consists of a hierarchical menu starting with a “what is it?” explanation of the command or function. Quite a thorough job. The Topics dialogue, on the other hand, does not seem to have any rhyme or reason for its organization. I rarely found it necessary to use this dialogue, however.
There are some hardware considerations, though, of which you should be aware. You will need a hard disk to properly run the Help package. The 778K data file goes into your System folder and the DA itself is installed in the usual manner using Font/DA Mover, Suitcase, or Juggler. Help Software recommends that you install the HelpDA directly into the Excel program if you are a MultiFinder user. DA Handler, the desk accessory manager that governs the use of DAs when MultiFinder is active, does not allow Help to access its help data file. I do not use MultiFinder very often, but I followed Help Software’s MultiFinder advice and installed the DA directly into my Excel program; the Help menu item only is displayed when Excel is running or, when MultiFinder is active, when Excel is the “front window” (active application). In the “regular” Finder, there are no anomalies or unexpected system crashes from installing it thusly. The only downside to installing such a large DA (57K) is that the Excel program is now too large to drag directly to a floppy disk. It must first be compressed using Stuffit or Packit or other archiving utility. Remember to keep your master disk locked and in its “original” condition. Only install DAs or fonts into copies of your master programs!
Help really drags when running on a Plus or SE; yet it is still faster than referring to Excel’s manuals. An accelerated or 68030-based machine speeds things up enough to prevent any foot-tapping impatience. Keyboard control is non-existent; not a criminal offense, but somewhat stupid. The Mac Plus’s cursor keys have been around since 1986, right?
The entire Help for Excel manual is nineteen pages long including licensing agreement and table of contents (seven topics). Installing or using the DA and data file is admirably easy. Except for the warning about MultiFinder use (described above) you won’t refer to the manual again.
Please note that Help for Excel, as it is purchased, is written for Excel v2.2; if you use v1.5, you either must upgrade to v2.2 (v2.2a is the latest) or send back the Help disk to Help Software for a free exchange for the v1.5 Help DA and data file.
Help for Excel is an example of an end-user “application” of their HelpDA help file generator. If you have a number of users of a particular program in your office, the HelpDA generator permits you to write and/or add to existing HelpDA help files. Help Software also suggests the use of their generator for a help file for a program that you may write. This use, however, is beyond the scope of this review. If you are a programmer you may want to contact Help Software for more information.
Help for Excel is the help window with which Excel probably should have come right out of the box. The concept and execution is worthy enough to garner it a rating of 7.5 on the 1-10 EPMUG scale. One point each was subtracted for the lack of speed on pre-68020 machines and no keyboard control, and .5 point for the obtuse Topics dialogue.
Help for Excel is from Help Software, Inc., 10659A Maplewood Ave., Cupertino, CA 95014, Tel #408-257-3815, AppleLink: D0793
