There are other methods available in Pathagoras which mimic the 'Repeats.' They offer more controlled results in terms of 'variable naming.' However, this may be more information that anyone needs. Read on only if the above 'Repeats' functions do not serve your needs.

   The easiest and most straightforward solution is to prepare substantially identical clauses to the one you want repeated. Each clause differs from the others in that they reflect 2, 3 or 4, etc., of the element sought to be repeated. This solution requires no coding on your part. It just requires that you to save additional clauses to reflect the desired ends.

   For example, in a Will, you might have the following alternative clauses reflecting from zero to four children:

wil120a:

There were no children born of this marriage.

 

wil120b:

There was one child born of our marriage, namely [Child1Name] born [Child1DOB].

 

wil120c:

There were two children born of our marriage, namely [Child1Name] born [Child1DOB] and [Child2Name] born [Child2DOB].

 

wil120d:

There were three children born of our marriage, namely [Child1Name] born [Child1DOB], [Child2Name] born [Child2DOB], and [Child3Name] born [Child3DOB].

 

wil120e:

There were four children born of our marriage, namely [Child1Name] born [Child1DOB], [Child2Name] born [Child2DOB], [Child3Name] born [Child3DOB] and [Child4Name] born [Child4DOB].

 

  When you are assembling a clause, simply select the appropriate 'family size' clause from the list of clause options. This technique is straightforward and easy to implement.

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    The same result can be achieved by using a combination of two powerful Pathagoras functions, namely MultiChoice *Lists* and {Simplified Options}.  A MultiChoice *Lists* is just a string of alternative text, separated by slashes ("/") and stored in the MultiChoice *List* table. (Creating and editing these *Lists* is very simple.)

 

Instead of saving the permutations as separate documents (in the fashion described above), you can save them as part of the MultiChoice *List* collection:

 

  Step 1: Create a MultiChoice *List* called, for example, "children." Include the following variables as its value:

There were no children born of this marriage/There was one child born of this marriage, namely [Child1Name], born [Child1DOB]/There were two children born of this marriage, namely [Child1Name], born [Child1DOB] and [Child2Name], born [Child2DOB]/There were three children born of this marriage, namely [Child1Name], born [Child1DOB], [Child2Name], born [Child2DOB], and [Child3Name], born [Child3DOB]/There were four children born of this marriage, namely [Child1Name] born [Child1DOB], [Child2Name] born [Child2DOB], [Child3Name], born [Child3DOB] and [Child4Name], born [Child4DOB]/There were five children born of this marriage, namely [Child1Name], born [Child1DOB], [Child2Name] born [Child2DOB], [Child3Name], born [Child3DOB], [Child4Name], born [Child4DOB] and [Child5Name], born [Child5DOB]

 

  Step 2: Insert the following text in the source document:

There were [number of children] children born of our marriage, namely {*children*}.

  When the document is assembled, Pathagoras will pause at the Options text {*children*} and present the options contained in the *children* list. Select the appropriate one.

   This technique is further illustrated near the bottom of the MultiChoice *Lists* page on this site.

    The same result can also be achieved by using Pathagoras regular <<*Options*>> formula with questions assigned, and setting up a appropriate MultiChoice *List* for 'children' as described above. The MultiChoice *List* for children is identical to that which is described immediately above, but the text introducing the <<*Options*>> block which introduces the questions is a little more complex. Here is an example. Try this:

<<*Options*One Child/Two Children/Three Children/Four Children/Five Children**children*>>

 

    A similar result can also be achieved by using Clause Sets. Clause Sets are virtual documents that contain pointers to clauses, the entire collection of which represents a complete document. You can design individual clauses and then a Clause Set to represent a complete document for (following the above example) 'no children', 'one child', and 'multiple children'.

 

    Here is one more example to illustrate 'repeats.' It is similar to the first example above.  Each clause is created following the same format, with the name of each document reflecting the number of repeats desired. So, let's say you want to prepare for cases where you have multiple buyers and sellers to a real estate deal.

 

Save documents named, e.g., 'Buyers1.doc' with the content:

[Buyer Name] of [Buyer Address], party of the second part.

 

a second document called 'Buyers2.doc' with content:

[Buyer1 Name] of [Buyer1 Address] and [Buyer2 Name] of [Buyer2 Address], parties of the second part.

. . .

a fifth document called 'Buyers5.doc' with content:

 

[Buyer1 Name] of [Buyer1 Address], [Buyer2 Name] of [Buyer2 Address], [Buyer3 Name] of [Buyer3 Address], [Buyer4 Name] of [Buyer4 Address], and [Buyer5 Name] of [Buyer5 Address], parties of the second part.

 

. . . etc.  (A similar set of terms could be created for multiple sellers.)

 

The source clause might read:

  This Contract made by and between {Sellers1/Sellers2/Sellers3/Sellers4/Sellers5} and {Buyers1/Buyers2/Buyers3/Buyers4/Buyers5}

 

  When assembling the new document using the source clause, Pathagoras will display the {options} text in a selectable list. Select the appropriate item. Pathagoras will find the appropriate clause and insert it where appropriate.