March 5, 2007 Announcements:

PDF Assembly:

    Two weeks ago, I announced the availability of 'document assembly of PDF files' via Pathagoras DropDown Lists. There is one limitation to this function that we have discovered:  You must have Adobe Reader 7 (or above) installed in order for the image of the PDF file to appear on the face of the document. (Only the first page will appear when a multipage PDF document is called in.)  The fix is easy and free. Just upgrade Adobe Reader and you will be all set.

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DropDown List Upgrades:

    Over the past several weeks, I noticed a few shortcomings in the DropDown List system in general. The shortcomings limited the usefulness of DropDown Lists in settings other than 'text' assembly using Word documents.

  •  the <<Clause Selection Screen>> option could not be invoked on anything other than Word documents. 
  •  the display and operation of sub-folders within the DropDown List was dependent upon the status of "Tree Service" program system-wide.
  • there were inconsistencies and bugs when some of the more esoteric features of DropDown Lists were used.
      
    

    Since my last email to you, I set out to remove the above limitations and to otherwise 'perfect' the DropDown Lists. Now (if my goal has been met), DropDown Lists are fully functional in every evironment, and are 'bug free.'

    
        
  • The final results that I achieved were somewhat unexpected. Many of you will find that it is now actually easier to assemble documents using DropDown Lists as your starting point than via the 'traditional' Clause Selection Screen.
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  • DropDown Lists are now, as far as I can tell, the greatest thing since sliced bread. You must create a few DropDown Lists for yourself, and try them if you have not.
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      With DropDown lists, you can:

    
  • assign any folder containing just about any content to a List. (Click the Create DropDown List entry in the Pathagoras dropdown menu and follow the prompts.) Documents, .txt files, .rtf files, images, spreadsheets, PDF files (and others) all can be processed using DropDown Lists.

  • click in any element in the List into your current document simply by pointing and clicking. It is as easy to insert the fully formatted content of a document into an active document as is to change the font on a word.

  • If List Tree Service is 'on,' quickly select a file from any sub-folder beneath the parent folder.

  • Convert any list into a Clause Selection screen so that you can quickly select and then assemble multiple entries.

  • Pick and choose files from up to 10 folders, plus all sub-folders within those folders, when assembling documents.

Never has it been so easy to have such easy access to such a wide variety of files from such a wide variety of sources!

Read more about DropDown Lists in the Help System: http://www.pathagoras.com/help/index.html?dropdown_lists.htm



A Clause Selection Screeen improvement:

    Many of you have commented that the panels in the Clause Selection Screen are too narrow for some clause names to fully (or even mostly) display. I have added a button to the Clause Selection Screen that will allow you to expand the two panels. This should help. Look for the "<-  ->" button in the lower right side of the screen. Click it to expand the total screen width by 30 pixels (and each panel by 15). While infinite expansion is technically possible, I have set a limit to 3 clicks. Methinks that should be plenty. Let me know what you think. (A Shift-click on the button will return it to the original settings.)

    Call or write with any questions or comments.

    And please pass the word! Thanks.