August 13, 1998 by Brandon Miquel SRP: $399 ($99 Educational) Adrenaline Software Charts Pro Pros: easy to use, intuitive, impressive graphs in minutes Cons: manipulating graphs with textures is slow, limited to pie and bar graphs      The key to a successful presentation is the manner in which the information is presented. Statistics and numbers are uncaptivating, and do not hold your audience's attention. Charts, graphs and other visual aides help put things in perspective and are essential for any presenter. Adrenaline's Charts Pro 1.0 literally adds a whole new dimension to the graphs created by such programs as Microsoft Excel and ClarisWorks: the third dimension. While these programs provide 3D graphs that look like 2D graphs with a few slanted lines added, Charts Pro provides 3D-rendered graphs using models and textures. Best of all worlds      The Charts Pro interface is remarkably intuitive and easy to use, and even without reading the manual you will be able to make a graph in minutes. The data is entered by dragging and dropping, or copying and pasting it from a spreadsheet or text document. Charts Pro then breaks down the data from the file and produces a 3D graph that can be manipulated by adding models and textures to each individual bar on the graph, adding a texture to the background, or editing the attributes of the text and the graph itself.      Artists may want to try their hand at creating their own 3D models for their graphs, but for everyone else, a variety of premade models are included, as well as dozens of textures. Of course, like most 3D programs, Charts Pro allows you to rotate the graph on any level, zoom in and out, and add a number of light sources to create desired effects. Unfortunately, while rendering an image took only seconds, making basic changes while you're manipulating the graph can take a few seconds to take effect. This makes scaling and zooming an arduous process, but this situation can be remedied by taking care of the set-up of your graph before bringing 3D objects and textures into the picture.      The most striking feature of Charts Pro is its ease of use. Anyone will be able to take their data, work with it in Charts Pro for a few minutes and end up with a graph that looks remarkably professional, without even cracking open the manual, which covers every feature of the program. The design is such that you can walk through the process step by step and only consult the manual for advanced features such as lighting and transparency. Homerun performance      Charts Pro is able to turn anyone's numbers into impressive and eye-catching presentation material. Why use bars for your graph of Apple's profits when you could use, say, an Apple logo? With this program you'll be making graphs that rival USA Today's in minutes. At $399 ($99 educational), ChartsPro is a bit expensive, but considering the difference it will make in your presentations, you can consider it more of an investment than an expense. © 1998 The MacNN Review