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'Pathagorizing' using a Drop Down List.
A drop down list can be easily created to help move existing variables into your document. This dropdown list works like every other drop down list with which you have worked. It is simply point and click.
To create the drop down list,
| 1. | Display the IDB screen (press <Alt-D>, or select Instant Database from the Pathagoras dropdown features menu). |
 | | Figure 1. Instant Database Screen (initial view) |
| 2. | If you have previously created an IDB mask which contains the variables you want to insert into the current document, recall that mask by selecting it from the list in the upper left corner of the screen. |
| 3. | If no mask exists, and if you have some variables already existing in the current document, press the green Scan button in the lower right side of the screen. Pathagoras will locate each variable in the current document and list what it finds. |
| 4. | Click the Utilities button at the right side of the IDB screen. Then click the Create DropDown list button in the Editing Tools section. Instantly the items listed 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 Utilities Button is pressed.
To create a dropdown list of the variables in the selected mask,
click the Create DropDown List button.
The IDB screen will close. You will see the list of variables in the toolbar area of your screen. (2007 users, you will see the list behind the Add-ins tab.) At this point, it is point and click.
 If you are beginning a new document, and want to use the variables from an existing document, recall the existing document. Scan for the variables in the existing document and create
 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, if you scroll down to the end of the list you will see a group of other helpful features:
| • | 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. |
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