Calculation function documentation

[Rick Thompson]

This is not as much a wish as simple feedback to GS from stats I find interesting. The ability to understand the calc functionality, or lack there of, has been addressed many times, so I am not trying to re-addressing it now. While someone has recently made a book addressing this topic, and while it must be great, it is still not right for software costing this much to lack built-in instructions for the user that they can use. I was fortunate enough to obtain a copy of "Tapping the Calculation Menu" by the great Duane Valencia which was not made for users, but dealers (or so I was told?) and have posted a link www.thompsonplans.com/files/TappingCalcMenu.pdf every now and then when someone post a question asking fro help. The file is on my web site, so i can check the downloads, which I just did and it is interesting to me, and surprising.

Over just this past year it was downloaded 1116 times, averaging nearly 100 request per month or 3 times a day. The low months are around 50 per month, and peaking at 261.. obviously a month I posted it.

That says there is a lot of people trying to figure this thing out... and can't.

So, my wish, once again, is for a calc function that is intuitive (ie.. direct linking the data base to composites and objects), and documented. I don't mind providing the link since I know how it was stumbling in the dark trying to figure it out, but people should send Duane a nickel or two for his effort, which as helpful as it is, merely attempts to explain a poor system.

[Gerald Hoffman]

HEAR! HEAR! As a long time user of ArchiCAD I am still not using the Calculate function ( which is always advertised by GS and which people who don't know better would assume is easy to use ), because I lack what I know will be significant time to master the the degree necessary to not either get me into trouble with inaccurate quantities or make me look foolish which probably wouldn't be that difficult.

I vote Essential ( twice if I could )

[Laura Yanoviak]

Gerald wrote:
I vote Essential ( twice if I could )

I voted Essential for you. As it currently exists, it really requires a full-time staff position to master the calculation functions (to get any real functionality out of it on a regular basis).