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Drop Down List |
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Drop Down List |
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Drop Down List
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Drop Down List |
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Drop Down List |
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'Pathagorizing' using a Drop Down List.
Pathagoras can create a drop down list of existing variables saved in your Instant Database system. This dropdown list works like every other drop down list with which you have worked: 'Point & Click'.
To create the drop down list from the Create Variables Assistant
1. Activate the Create Variables Assistant by pressing <Alt-V>.
2. From the two panel screen that appears, click down the 'Available Masks' drop down list on the right side and select the Mask that contains the variables you wish to insert.
3. Point and click. If you find that you want to insert more than a single variable at a time, check the MultiSelect box that appears in the screen. (Not shown in above image. This option shows only after you have selected the mask.)
As you probably have assumed, a 'mask' is required for the above described feature to work. Go to part 2 if you do not have any masks but want to use an existing data record as the source of variables. We strong encourage you to create a mask. It is surprisingly easy to do. Read more about 'masks' here.)
To create the drop down list directly from the Instant Database screen:
| 1. | Display the IDB screen (press <Alt-D>, or select Instant Database from the Pathagoras dropdown features menu). |
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| Figure 1. Instant Database Screen (initial view) |
| 2. | If you have previously created a mask or have and Instant Database data record which contains the variables that you want to insert into the current document, recall that mask or record by selecting it from the appropriate list in the upper left or upper right corner of the screen. The Instant Database screen will be populated. |
| 3. | Alternatively, you can just display any current document containing variables, press the Scan button in the lower left side of the screen. Pathagoras will locate each bracketed variable in the current document and list what it finds. |
| 4. | Click the Power Tools button at the right side of the IDB screen. Then click the 'Create DropDown list' button in the Editing Tools section. Instantly the items contained in the left side of the Instant Database screen are poured into a drop down list. (If you want the list to appear in alphabetical order, click the alphabetize button at the top of the button column before you create the list. |
Figure 2. The Instant Database screen after the Settings & Editing Tools button is pressed.
To create a dropdown list of the variables in the selected mask,
click the Create DropDown List button.
The Instant Database screen will close. There now resides on your screen a drop down list containing the variables.
To insert variables from the list, put your cursor where you want a new variable to be inserted in the source document. Then, in the drop down list on the screen, point to the desired variable and click.
Notes:
| ► | If you highlight a word or phrase before clicking one an entry in the drop down list, Pathagoras will |
| • | replace the highlighted text with the variable and |
| • | offer to replace all other instances of the highlighted text with the same variable. |
| ► | If your drop down list was based on a pre-existing IDB Mask, scroll down to the end of the list. You will see a group of other helpful features, including: |
| • | Bracket a term. If text is selected, the brackets will surround the highlighted text. Instant variable! (If no text is selected, but the cursor is within a word, then the word is bracketed.) |
| • | Surround the highlighted text block with properly constructed <<*Options*>> or <<*Optional*>> text block markers. |
| • | Replace the current list with the variables from a different mask. |
| • | Display the variables onto a standard IDB screen mask for editing. |