430EX question

Hi,

I have a question about the 430EX (not EX II).

When in Manual mode, and I set the flash output, the flash tells me the effective flash range (based on current aperture and ISO).

Is it possible to input the range (distance from flash to subject) and have the flash tell me the necessary aperture (based on current ISO and flash power)?

Or maybe, I suppose, I might like to give distance to subject as my input and have the flash tell me the necessary power based on current ISO/aperture.

Maybe that's what ETTL is already doing.  The background here is I'm reading "Understanding Flash Photography " by Bryan Peterson, and he's using a Nikon SB900 which seems to be flexible in this way.  So I'm wondering whether the 430EX gives me that flexibility too.

Thanks,

-ira