AppleWorks 5.0 review
By Andrew Roughan
Copyright (c) 1995 Apple Users' Group, Sydney
Republished from Applecations, a publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia.
Since securing the rights to the AppleWorks products from Claris, Quality Computers have enjoyed considerable success with the 4.x series of releases implemented by Randy Brandt and Dan Verkade. The latest commercial release, AppleWorks 5.0 looks set to continue that success.
Last month's magazine included a list of the new features so this month I'll go through some of the major additions in more depth.
Outliner
The word processor now has a full function outliner. The Outliner allows you to plan your document and then develop it in stages. Body text and sub-levels can be hidden or expanded as desired.
When saving your document AppleWorks remembers how you left the Outline and will redisplay it the same way next time your document is opened.
Outliner Example
I used the Outliner to help write this article. I used the print to clipboard feature to capture the outline of this article for inclusion here:
1.0 AppleWorks 5.0 Review
1.1 Outliner
1.1.1 Outliner Example
1.1.1.0.0.1 Levels
1.2 UltraMacros
1.3 AfterWork
1.4 MouseText
1.5 Graphics
1.6 Desktop Organiser
1.7 The Documentation
1.8 In General
2.0 Requirements
3.0 Availability
Levels
The Outliner has support for six levels of depth. The levels can be numbered in a variety of ways.
There does not seem to be an easy way of skipping a level although I did manage it by cutting the appropriate markers from the zoomed document view.
To insert a topic it is necessary to first add one and then move or copy it to the correct place.
UltraMacros
A complete version of the Timeout UltraMacros program is now included. Appleworks 4.0 has the capability to "play" macros which have already been compiled, now 5.0 allows you to write and compile your own macros.
Unfortunately due to a contractual obligation, no documentation for UltraMacros is included. Quality Computers suggest that UltraMacros 4 be purchased separately for the documentation and sample files. The compilation capability was primarily included so that you can compile macros that have been published in magazines and books.
AppleWorks 5.0 comes with 10 compiled macros to get you started.
AfterWork
AppleWorks now includes the AfterWork screen saver and five sample modules. The full AfterWork package which has 21 modules is available separately.
MouseText
Support for the Mousetext character set has been added to almost all areas of AppleWorks. You can use these characters to add folders, ticks, and windows to your documents or database forms.
Graphics
AppleWorks 4.0 introduced the Timeout Paint module as the first AppleWorks element to use graphics. Now AfterWork screen saver modules also use Double HiRes graphics for some of the effects.
You can also display various graphic formats from within the Data Base single record layout. AppleWorks 5.0 will load and display a graphic when <Open-Apple>-B is pressed on a category which contains the filename.
Desktop Organiser
The nine files which were most recently loaded and their locations on disk, are now remembered. This allows easy re-loading of files which are used frequently. Unfortunately, a file which you create from scratch and then save will not appear in the list because files are only added to the list when they are loaded from disk. Apart from this inconvenience, I've found the Desktop Organiser to be indispensable.
The Documentation
The 96 page Delta Manual is well written. The new functionality of AppleWorks 5.0 is covered thoroughly. Step by step tutorials are used where necessary. However, being a "delta" manual, only changes that have been made since AppleWorks 4.0 are documented.
If you purchase AppleWorks for the first time you will receive an AppleWorks 4.0 manual and the AppleWorks 5.0 Delta Manual.
My AppleWorks 5.0 upgrade came with the AppleWorks 4.0 Quick Reference card so it appears as though I'll be searching through the Delta Manual for the new features.
In General
AppleWorks 5.0 has increased ease of use and functionality in many areas. Last month's magazine has a lot of the new features listed. Those which I like the most are: the "Add Files" macro allows the addition of a file to the desktop from within any module; comments can now be added to both Word Processor documents and Spreadsheet cells; and text files are automatically given left and right margins of 0.0 when they are loaded.
I did encounter a few problems while using AppleWorks 5.0; namely spelling checker crashes, and phantom left margin = 1.0 formatting. What annoys me most is that I haven't yet determined what causes the problems.
Although AppleWorks 5.0 is not 100% stable, past experience with AppleWorks 4.0 has shown that free updates will be made available as necessary. In the meantime, save often!
Requirements
Appleworks 5.0 requires:
enhanced Apple //e, //c, or //gs
256k of memory
3.5" disk drive
ProDOS compatible clock for AfterWork screen saver
Availability
AppleWorks 5.0 arrived almost simultaneously in Australia with its release thanks to the efforts of Jeff Schuurman at II Series Software (02) 606-9343.
AppleWorks 5.0 $199
Upgrade from 4.x $110
Upgrade from 3.0 $149

THIS CONTENT COPYRIGHT © 2007, APPLE MACINTOSH USERS' GROUP, SYDNEY
Permission has been obtained to make this material available on the Internet.

Permission is hereby granted for non-profit user groups to republish this content.
PLEASE CREDIT THE AUTHOR AND THE SOURCE: Applecations, publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia

THIS PAGE COPYRIGHT © 2007, ANDREW ROUGHAN