The basics

Pathagoras uses a straightforward ‘find & replace’ scheme for replacing document variables with personal information. Indeed, the IDB system is nothing more than a fancy adaptation of Word’s Find & Replace (Ctrl-H) feature. The differences are these:

•	It works much more quickly than you could perform it manually.

•	It can act on up to 999 individual variables per session.

•	Pathagoras identifies the variables you need to complete by scanning the existing document for bracketed variables.

•	It can handle multiple choice variables and other 'setups' that Find & Replace cannot.

•	It can store your answers. Of course, Find & Replace cannot do this.

The Instant Database module is core to Pathagoras 'plain text' operations. However, because of its nature as a powerful "find & replace" tool, you can use Instant Database for all of your find and replace functions. Press <Alt-D>, type a value at the left and a replacement value at the right for as many items as you wish. Press Next>> and it's done!

Instant Database is activated from the keyboard by pressing <Alt-D>. Here is a screen shot of what you will see.

Figure 1. Instant Database Mask (initial view)

•	The left-most side of the screen will contain the document variables. To populate this section, press the Scan button.

•	The large middle portion will contain the 'replacement' values (personal data) for each variable.

•	To tell Pathagoras to replace the variables at the left with the values typed in the middle, click Next>>.

•	To access a series of helpful tools and utilities, click the Settings & Editing Tools button.

You can resize to your liking most elements on the Instant Database screen. If the 'Variable' or 'Replace With' fields are not wide enough, click <Power Tools> and change the width or height of the screen. Look for the Resizing buttons. If the the width of the Input Form Masks or Matter Data displays are too narrow, or the depth of the dropdown list (i.e., the number of records that can be show at one time) too short, change them. Activate <More Tools> (inside of Power Tools) and make the changes at the 'Miscellaneous Settings' tab.