'Create Variables' Assistant

The 'Create Variables' assistant turns what otherwise might be an arduous process of Pathagorizing a document into a cake walk. It allows you to take an existing document, one which might be filled with 'personal data' (names, addresses, sizes, colors, etc.) and quickly convert each piece of personal data into a variable. It is one of those 'must know' features about the program.

To activate the 'Create Variables' Assistant, click the “'Create Variables' Ass't” entry in the Pathagoras drop down features list. This screen will appear.

There are two distinct sections to the CVA. The top section is used to add variables to your text. The 'below the line' the tools can be used to properly and automatically format <<*Options*>> and <<*Optional*>> text blocks. We'll discuss the top section first.

A. The left side would typically be used to convert existing text in a document that is currently 'personal' in nature. For example, let's assume that you wish to Pathagorize a will that was originally written for, and has lots of instances of "James Q. Doe", "Janet R. Doe" etc. Your goal is to convert all personal data into bracketed variables (e.g., "[Client Name]", "[Spouse Name]", "[Children's Names]", etc.). These are the steps:

1.	Highlight the first piece of personal information you encounter (name, address, color, date, etc.)

2.	Display the 'Create Variables' Assistant. (It is the 2nd entry from the top in the Pathagoras drop down features list.)

3.	Check the "Convert highlighted text to a variable" box beneath the [Bracket Text] button.

5.	Pathagoras will ask you to provide a variable name to replace the personal information. Type something like "Name of Customer" or "Address of Client" or "Shipping Date" or whatever is appropriate.(Don't include the bracket. Pathagoras adds that for you automatically.)

6.	Pathagoras will replace the highlighted text with the new bracketed variable. It will then ask if you want to replace all other instances of the 'personal text' with the bracketed variable. In most cases you should say 'Yes.

7.	Continue replacing personal data with variables. The CVA will remain on screen. If it gets 'in the way' you can easily drag it to a corner of your screen.'

If the document contains variable-type names, and you wish to place brackets around the names, press the bracket text only box.

If the personal information is a single word, you need only place your cursor within the word. Pathagoras will expand to include the whole word. Further, if, as you highlighting text, you picked up the space at the end of the last word, don't worry about backing it out. Pathagoras will automatically back it out for you.

B. The right side of the top section is for those situations where you want to add variables contained in a mask. A mask is an existing collection of variables. If you have previously created a form, and have existing variables spelled the way you want them, you should use a mask to 'Pathagorize' future documents. They are very easy to create. (See Masks.) Assuming that you have a mask which contains the kinds of variables you want for the on-screen document:

1.	Select the desired Mask from the drop down list at the right. The 'Create Variables' Assistant will load the variables in the mask into a dropdown list.

2.	Locate the dropdown list in the menu area of the Word screen. The list name will be the mask name followed by the word "mask." (Word 2007 users: the list will be behind the Add-ins tab, along with other Pathagoras tool bars.)

3.	Then, simply ‘point and click’ in the list to move a variable from the list into your document.

II. The 'below the line' tools allow you to prepare <<*Optional*>> and <<*Options*>> text blocks. (If you are not familiar with how Optional and Options text, be sure to familiarize yourself first with the <<*Optional*/*Options*>> text blocks section of this Manual.)

3. If you want to add a Group Name (so that all Optional text block throughout the document will be processed together), check that box and provide the Group Name.

4. Click Next>>. "<<" and ">>" markers are placed around the selected text and if selected, the Group Name is added as well.

Figure 2. When <<*Optional*>> selected, the screen offers
additional choices ('group name' and 'short question' corresponding
with advanced features available with <<Optional>> blocks.

B. <<*Options*>>: 'Options' text is that text which provides the user with two or more (up to six) selection from which to choose.

1.	Highlight the text which reflects the choices you have composed. (The choices should be separated from each other by forward slashes ('/').

2.	Display the CVA. Check the <<Options>> control. The menu is expanded to look like Figure 3.

If you wish Pathagoras to display 'short questions' in lieu of the entire optional text section when the Options block is encountered during document assembly, check the Add 'short questions' box. Select then number of short question holders you want reserved (same as the number of options you have provided).

4.	Select 'Checkboxes' if you want the user to be able to select more than one of the options. Select radio if you want to limit the user to choosing a single option.

5.	Press the Next button. Type your 'short questions' in the places indicated.

There you can select whether to add just the opening and closing "<<" and ">>" markers, or place holders for questions you may want to use to guide the user.

Figure 3. The Expanded Variable Creation Assistant Screen.
(Expanded after the <<*Options*>> radio button was selected.)

Don't be afraid to make a 'mistake' in creating [Variables] or <<*Options/Optional*>> text blocks. After you press an action button, Pathagoras will display an "Undo" button (not shown here). Click it once or twice to take you back to your original text. You can then start over with a different approach.