This works like most other spreadsheets for the Macintosh. There are some major differences however. These are noted below. This section also contains information on how to customize the spreadsheet to suit your individual needs.
Specific spreadsheet operations
1. The top row underneath the column number labels is reserved for text titles for the underlying column. This row is not used in calculations, but only as an identifier for that column.
2. The main body of the spreadsheet will only accept numbers. No text can be typed in these cells. No illegal numbers will be allowed either (eg 2 decimals points). But any legal real number (including negative numbers) is accepted.
3. There are only 30 columns and 1000 rows. These limits cannot be exceeded. Consequently, if you are typing data at the bottom or top of a column, or at the extremes of a row, be aware that trying to type beyond these limits will cause the selection to jump to the opposite extreme of the spreadsheet. Also, only continuous selections (ie rectangular adjoining blocks of cells) can be made. Discontinuous selections are not supported. The spreadsheet will only open previously saved SchoolStat™ data files. If you need to import data formatted in other applications (eg Excel), then you can either use the clipboard ± Scrapbook, or save the file as a text file and import it into the Results window, then cut and paste it into the spreadsheet, as long as the numbers are separated by TABS, not just spaces. You can force this upon any space de-limited data by selecting all the block of space-delimited numbers in the Results window, and using the Copy As Table command under the Edit menu. The array can then be pasted into the spreadsheet.
4. If you preselect the exact number of cells you need for your data. When you reach the extreme cell in any column or row of your selection, you will then find the selected cell wrap to the next cell within your selected block of cells. This speeds data insertion and allows you to concentrate on entering the correct numbers (the hardest part of statistical analyses).
5. The blank cells are actually not empty. They contain a value preset in the Preferences... dialog box. At shipping this value is a large negative number. If you find some of your data seems to disappear when you type it in check the value to see if you have accidentally typed in the "empty" cell value. The problem with this is that if more than 1 such value appears in a column consecutively, then SchoolStat‚Ñ¢ will label that column as ending at that row, and any further data values will be ignored. There are 2 solutions, either change the value for the "empty cells" to make your large negative number(s) valid, or ensure that no more than 1 consecutive data point in any column equals the "empty cell" value. Note also that the empty cells will not be used in the computations (as from v1.0.3) and pairwise deletion is the default for any algorithms which need exactly equal samples (eg Correlation, Linear Regression, Sign Test, Wilcoxon Paired, or Paired t-test items).
6. All test analyses use the data from the spreadsheet including the contingency analyses (which is different from the older Hypercard version of SchoolStat‚Ñ¢).
7. Columns are selected by clicking the top row identifier. They can be copied and pasted en bloc in other columns. Try not to leave empty columns between your data since SchoolStat‚Ñ¢ checks for 2 empty columns and then stops looking for filled columns beyond.
8. Navigation tools: The top left arrows will take you quickly around the spreadsheet, ie to the top left, right, bottom left or right respectively. The other navigation tools (eg scroll bars) or autoscrolling behave normally.
Customizing your spreadsheet
This is done by the Sheet Setup... menu item (under the File menu). This dialog allows setting of the display features of the spreadsheet without altering the Results Log's text characteristics such as number of decimal places (see Preferences...).
Show Selection Size will put the number of rows and columns, and page number in the title bar when you drag a new selection.
The Cell Width sliding control allows you to increase or reduce the width of the columns for accommodating larger numbers. The justification of the spreadsheet data can be centred or right justified by clicking the appropriate radio button.
In the Preferences... option, the Empty Cell Value determines which number when placed in the spreadsheet, will appear in a cell as empty. You can alter this if the currently set value conflicts with your own data sets.
