This episode features Mini Office II, originally released in 1987 by Database Software. This was a UK productivity suite release.

Podcast: Download

Box and Supplement Scans

The box cover:

 

Ad from February 1989:

 

 

Mini Office II in Action

Booting

Splash screen:

 

When booting from 130XE, a RAM disk is installed:

 

Main Menu

 

Word Processor

Menu:

 

 

Editor (40 column mode):

 

Switch to 20 column mode (why?):

 

Have to switch disks:

 

Editing in 20 column mode (ugh!):

 

Words per minute display:

 

Preview text:

 

Notice preview is in 80 columns:

 

Display options:

 

Disk directory:

 

Load file:

 

Save file:

 

Printing:

 

Clear memory:

 

Find text:

 

No Start Block marker error:

 

Out of memory error (Note free counter underflow):

 

Out of memory during search:

 

Spreadsheet

Spreadsheet menu:

 

Editor (4 columns by 20 rows default):

 

Set number of decimals:

 

Cell Justification:

 

Column Width:

 

Clear cell:

 

Lock cell:

 

Insert row or column:

 

Delete row or column:

 

Direction.  You can change the direction the cell cursor moves between entries:

 

Enter and edit formula:

 

Goto cell:

 

Zero cells:

 

Cell calculator:

 

Save file:

 

Load file:

 

Help screen:

 

Print menu:

 

Message during printing:

 

Print part of spreadsheet:

 

Setting printer codes:

 

Disk directory:

 

Export/Save graphics data:

 

List formulas to printer:

Create new spreadsheet.  Confirm first:

 

Display options menu:

 

Exit.  Need to insert the disk to reload the menu:

 

Syntax error entering cell data:

 

Database

Menu:

 

Disk directory:

 

Record structure definition:

 

Create new database:

 

Edit data records:

 

Load/Open database:

 

Close database:

 

Disk Utilities:

 

Copy database:

 

Extend Database:

 

Copy Marked Records:

 

Print menu:

 

Print all records:

 

Search Menu:

 

ad

 

Sort records:

 

Error when trying to perform an operation without a database open:

 

Graphics

Graphics Menu:

 

Disk directory:

 

Load data:

 

Edit data:

 

Bar Chart

Set scale:

 

Initial plot:

 

Data menu (Note right side):

 

Set widths:

 

Set negative axis:

 

Set 2D:

 

Set text:

 

Save/Load menu (Note right side):

 

Save:

 

Load:

 

Printing (hey look, the Atari 1029 makes an appearance):

 

Alter screen colors:

 

Save dataset:

 

Line Chart

Many customizations are the same.  Completed charts with different options on and off:

 

Save:

 

Printing:

 

Pie Chart

Completed chart:

 

Chart with exploded pieces:

 

Isolating a segment:

 

Look ma, no labels:

 

Saving:

 

Printing:

 

Error being handled for bad input:

 

Label Printer

Menu:

 

Edit Label Format menu:

 

Edit label:

 

Save:

 

Load:

 

Open data file for “mail merge” type input:

 

Set field print formats:

 

Field assignment within label:

 

Print menu:

 

Printer code definition:

 

Printing:

 

Exit:

 

Communications

Menu:

 

Edit Macro Keys:

 

Customised Protocols menu:

 

Communication window:

 

Communication window with buffer on:

 

Buffer/Disk Options menu:

 

Disk directory:

 

Load buffer:

 

Transmit file:

 

Receive File:

 

Windowed mode:

 

Copy File:

 

View Buffer:

 

Wipe Buffer.  Confirm first:

 

Save Protocol Configuration:

 

Load Protocol Configuration:

 

Exit:

 

Error trying to save an empty buffer:

 

Files

The main menu is on both sides of the disk, as is DOS and the RAM disk handler.  The individual programs that make up the suite are distributed between the two sides.  It doesn’t matter which side of the disk is booted.

Side 1:

 

Side 2:

 

Printing

Print all DB records in card format:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-db-printall.pdf

Print all DB records in column format:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-db-printall-h.pdf

Print all DB records in column format with selected columns:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-db-printall-h-sel.pdf

Print marked DB records in card format:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-db-printmark.pdf

Print single DB record in card format:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-db-printrec.pdf

Print DB search result records in card format:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-db-printsearch.pdf

Print Graphics Data Set values:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-gf-printdataset.pdf

Print Graphics Bar chart:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-gf-printbar.pdf

Print Graphics Line chart:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-gf-printline.pdf

Print Graphics Pie chart:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-gf-printpie.pdf

Print Labels test layout:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-lp-test.pdf

Print Labels from Data Set:

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-lp-print.pdf

Print Spreadsheet formulas (list):

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-ss-listform.pdf

Print Spreadsheet (full):

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-ss-printfull.pdf

Print Spreadsheet (partial):

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-ss-printpart.pdf

Print from Word Processor (sample DOS 2.5 manual):

https://inverseatascii.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/s4e09-prt-miniman.pdf

 

Instructions

The manual?  I couldn’t find one.  If you have one, please scan it and upload it to the Internet Archive (https://archive.org).

 

Show Links:

• Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_Office_II
• Polish Wiki: http://atariki.krap.pl/index.php/Mini_Office_II
• 8 Bit Forever: http://gury.atari8.info/details_software/954.php
• Page 6 Review: http://www.page6.org/archive/issue_28/page_25.htm
• Author of Ads: http://www.triumphoverchallenges.com/mini-office-2-for-database-software-europress/
• Inverse ATASCII Season 1 Episode 6: https://inverseatascii.info/2014/12/16/s1e6-synapse-synfile/

Intro music is an excerpt from a chip tune by Wizwars named 8 Bit Raceway.  It is used under Creative Common license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States.