Trying to learn Mastercook - Right Now!

[helios7]

Its a rainy afternoon, why not? But I'm getting frustrated. It DOES get easier - doesn't it?

I'm importing a couple recipes that I've collected from the board. That seems to be going well. They're there when I search for them.

My question is - everytime I try to do a nutritional breakdown, it comes up zero! And the ones I'm entering are actually from people who have already done a breakdown (theirs becomes a step in the instructions). Any hints?

[PamE]

Which version are you using? If you are using the latest -- version 7 -- in the Recipe Edit screen, select that Nutrition tab. It will list the ingredients it does not recognize. If it doesn't recognize the ingredients, then it can't give you an accurate NA. For example, the program knows what "sugar" is but it does not know what " sugar" or "sugar " is. Notice the spaces in there?

Although MasterCook has over 6,000 ingredients there are some it doesn't recognize. For example, it knows what "fresh minced ginger" is but it does not know what "minced fresh ginger" is. You can either add new ingredients or you can create synonyms based on existing ingredients in the Ingredient List. (Select Ingredient List from the Tools menu.) Or, you can list the ingredients in the recipe as they show in the Ingredient List. They will auto-fill as you type directly into the Recipe Editor. Or, you can link an ingredient it does not recognize to one of those in the Ingredient List.

It is also important that you list the number of servings in the Servings field. Are you doing this?

There is so much about this program that it will take you awhile to figure it all out. Basically keep in mind that the Ingredient List is the very heart of the program. Your recipe ingredients need to match what is found in the Ingredient List.

The Ingredient List also has an ingredient hierarchy system, so don't go deleting ingredients just because they show zero for the different values. See this: Use Caution When Editing the Ing. List (http://community.vugames.com/WebX?14@@.eeca2bb)

[PamE]

And, keep in mind that you must list the ingredient amount and unit by what MasterCook recognizes for the particular ingredient. For example, MasterCook knows "fresh sea scallops" by weight only. So, if you list a volume amount, 1 cup of fresh sea scallops, MasterCook is not going to be able to calculate that for you. You need to list the ingredient by weight in the recipe: 1 pound fresh sea scallops. And, if you left off the "unit" and just had it as: 2 fresh sea scallops, it's going to assume that each one of those weighs 10 grams, as listed in the Ing. List, and will calculate the NA based on that. To be more precise, you'd want to list by exact weight: 1 pound fresh sea scallops.

Most ingredients it knows by weight and volume, like milk.

Generally if you keep an eye on that Nutrition tab, it will give a heads up about ingredients it's unsure of.

[PamE]

The F1 key on your keyboard will really come in handy for you! :D MasterCook's Help is context sensitive. So, if you are viewing the Search screen when you hit the F1 key on your keyboard, up will pop help about using Search. If you are in the Printing screen when you hit that F1 key, up will pop help regarding Printing, etc.

[helios7]

Thanks for the tips!

I think I've got it a little bit more figured out.... I think the formatting was wrong. I was trying to import using Auto-fill and it was putting things in the wrong places. Now I'm pasting the title and identifying as such - it seems to like that better.

I don't know what version I have, but its not the newest one I don't think.

Wow. Another tip! Thanks so much Pam. Good to know about the F1 key. That will come in very handy I expect.

[PamE]

Well, we really should try to figure out which version you have. You can find out by selecting ABOUT MASTERCOOK from the Help menu. It will tell you which version number you have. Let me know. :)

[helios7]

You're a genius.

6.2

[PamE]

Well, you are all set to go then! I was thinking you might be using a version 5.x product that needed patching, but you aren't. ;)

[helios7]

Its going much better now. I won't say I've got the hang of it, but I'm beginning to get the flow of it.

I'm sure I'll be back once I start planning menus and sorting out shopping lists but for now (entering recipes) I think I'm starting to get it.

Thanks again!