OVER 2 YOU, 028 (03/05/01)

SCRAPBOOK

I have a scrapbook with a separate page for each year dating back to the late 1800's. I would like to make a computer version of the album but the photos and newspaper cuttings are far too large to fit onto one screen and be legible. Do you know of any software I could use whereby I could click onto a particular year from an index to bring up the "full-page" screen, and then click onto a particular item to bring that item to full-screen.  A "turning page effect" would be a nice touch but am I expecting too much?

Bob Eddleston, Mellor Brook, Blackburn

I suggest that he create the scrapbook by making web pages using HTML with a web page authoring program like Microsoft's FrontPage Express. This would allow him to create index pages that "hyperlink" to particular items. When he is done creating the scrapbook, he could even upload it to a website easily.

Brett Springall,

BRIDGE SCORES

I run the handicap system for a small bridge club by entering the weekly scores onto an Excel spreadsheet.  The first column of my spreadsheet is a list of player's names, the second column the latest scores, the third column the previous week's scores. I need to average each player's last five scores which I do by using the IF and COUNT functions.  My formula takes the form if the count of the array B1 to F1 equals 5 then average, if the count of the array B1 to G1 equals 5 then average, etc.  However this dumbo method of working out the averages is very clumsy and is also very restrictive as the number of scores I can pick up automatically is restricted by the number of IFs permitted in a cell.  Can anyone tell me how to pick up and average the first 5 scores in a row?

Jan Elsworth, via email

I compile weekly Scrabble results for a local club using an Excel spreadsheet.

She may find the following ideas of use in calculating average scores over five weeks.

Column A -- names

Column B -- average score

Column C -- number of games played

Column D -- 1st week's score

Column E -- .2nd week's score, and so on to H -- 5th week's score.

For the person whose name is in A6 the formulae are as follows

Column B       =SUM(D6:H6)/C6

Column C       =COUNT(D6:H6)

Jo Soutar,

Jan Elsworth can use the DCOUNT function combined with an IF statement to solve her Excel problem. For DCOUNT, the players names need to be in a row, the weeks down a column. The criteria of 5 results are easily altered, and any number of players and weeks can be handled, just by copying the formulae.
Tony Rix,

To calculate the average of each player's last five scores first copy the table of results to a separate area of the spreadsheet. Use Paste Special with the transpose option so that the most recent results are at the top of the transposed table. Then go to each blank cell and Edit, Delete, Move Cells Up, to consolidate the array until you have five results for each player. To speed up this routine, assign these key strokes to a shortcut key (e.g. Ctrl+d) using Tools, Macro, Record New Macro, etc. and finally Stop Recording. The remaining data can be deleted. Then take the average of the top five scores and transpose this row to a column alongside your original table of results, remembering to Paste Special the Values, not the Formulae. If you do not have Paste Special on your Toolbar use Tools, Customise, click the Commands tab, highlight Edit and from the right-hand pane drag Paste Special to the Toolbar.
E. Howman, ehowman@onetel.net.uk

This solution requires two additional rows for each of the players. The first row counts the number of cells containing scores, the second cumulates the first five scores. I have assumed that the new rows are placed below the row for the player and that the first player's scores are in row 1 starting at column B. The additional rows could be 'hidden' once entered or placed elsewhere in the spreadsheet (with appropriate changes to the formulae).

Set A2 and A3 equal to zero. Insert the formula =ISNUMBER(B1)+A2 into
cell B2 then COPY it as many times as needed along row 2. (Check that
the formula in cell C2 is =ISNUMBER(C1)+B2 and so on across the row).
Insert the formula =IF(B2<=5,A3+B1,0) into cell B3 then copy it along
row 3.  The average score you need is then given by   =MAX(B3:X3)/5
(providing you have less than 25 scores).  Make sure that the empty score cells really are empty and haven't been cleared by entering e.g. a space character. Clear them by using 'delete'.
Bob Herbert,

HOME SCHOOLING

I have taken my ten-year old daughter out of school and want to educate her at home. Can anyone recommend web sites and resources for home schooling?
J. Condon, via email

I can thoroughly recommend the Calvert School, located in Baltimore. I was educated in Britain but now live in the States and have home schooled my son for three years with this program, which is both stimulating and comprehensive. They can be reached at www.calvertschool.org for more information. Though my son did not begin his schooling with them until he was 11, their program starts at age 6, I believe. One caveat: in certain years the history/geography component may be geared towards the Americas but you can always supplement on your own. All other subjects (including literature, science and maths) are pretty universal.  Children all over the world use this school, so you will not be the lone Brits!  Good luck.

H. Dekker,

SAILING  

I intend to sail -- mainly in the Med -- with my laptop and mobile phone, and wonder if anyone has any advice of how to access Internet and E-Mail on the boat?

B. H. Portsmouth, via email

Readers going for a long sail will find www.psion.com/mobile very helpful, both on the specific products and, more importantly, on the more general question of connecting up using mobile and local phones when overseas. To answer the next question; yes, it is possible to use Psions for e-mail and (just about) for surfing of straightforward web sites. The screen is very fiddly, but there is the advantage for sailors that battery life is days rather than hours. 

Ian Macpherson,

I thought you might wish to hear directly from someone who has had a similar problem.  My cousin from Glasgow is nearing the end of what he called "the year of the big sail". He left Scotland last spring on his yacht "Cybele of Clyde" and sailed for the Med. There he spent six months cruising around the Greek, Italian, French and Spanish coastlines with his wife, being joined for various "legs" by friends who flew out to meet them. They then set sail for the West Indies via the Canaries and the Azores, and are now cruising around the Virgin Islands as I write.  He hopes to sail back to Scotland this June.

He has kept us updated with regular "newsletters" written on his laptop of all the wonderful places they have visited. I think he has a satellite phone but we have also had e-mails from various "cyber cafes" during the trip so he could probably advise you on how useful it was!  I know there were several periods where he was uncontactable, as he could not get a signal - he could tell you more. He also issued all on his "CC" list with various instructions before he left in case we wanted to e-mail him - things like always choose "plain text" when writing to him; not sending attachments etc etc. All designed to save on his bills! He will no doubt have other tips to pass on!

I will e-mail him (in plain text!) to tell him I have sent you this letter so he will know how you heard of him! His e-mail address on the boat is mcih43@dial.pipex.com and his name is Alistair (and Anna) McLennan.  Of course you may already have sorted your problems in which case - have fun!

John Simonett,

BARN CONVERSION

I have recently bought a barn for conversion and I would like to find some software that would enable me to design the interior "virtually". For example putting in furniture, kitchen, bathroom etc. Ideally I would like to download something over the Internet and I must be able to enter the actual floor plan of the building and be able to save this as a record, so that if I want to change the design around, I can do without having to reload the floor plan. Does anybody out there know of any such program? 

R & M Heys, via email

It is not necessary to get special software. Draw a sketch first then use the Drawing tool in Word. Draw a plan of the barn to scale. If it is rectangular click on that shape in the toolbar, drag to any size, right click on it, select Format AutoShape on the menu and size it precisely. Add extra lines and shapes details as necessary to show windows, doors, switches and drains etc, save it as a Master Plan. Now you can save it again, using F12, and call it Plan A. Use AutoShapes to draw in furniture, sink units showers etc, left click to move them around. Save it again and call it Plan B, and rearrange as required. Print out as many possibilities as you need and let the lady of the house decide.

Bill Batt, Sunderland

CAN YOU HELP?

Does anyone know of a program that will let you to print the fretted chord symbols (e.g. for guitar or other fretted musical instrument) allowing you to make your own chords for either 4 or 6-string instruments?

Fred Pearson, via email

As a good salesman but poor computer operator I am looking for a published software package that would allow me to produce copy orders from my laptop quickly, ideally so I may leave a copy with my customer before leaving his premises. What I need is a program that would allow me to build a database of customers connected to a program of product codes, descriptions and prices so by inputting a customer code, product code and quantity I would be able to produce a complete order with a few key strokes. I can't find anything at the likes of PC World, can any one out there help please?

Mike Boon, via email

Can you tell me if you know of a PC software diary/schedule package, which will specifically produce a hard copy of a diary that can be printed off in hard copy format suitable to be put into a Filofax (Personal size paper)?  What I am looking for is a diary that I can maintain on my PC, but print off to update a hard copy every now and then.

Nigel Morton, via email