Pathagoras.com

Optional Text

Summary:

Pathagoras' checkbox screen provides the ultimate in optional text selection. You can select one, several or all items from a variety of sources. But sometimes you just want to start with a whole document and then pare out (automatically, not manually) the clauses that you don't want or need. <<*Options*>> and <<*Optional*>> text allow you the means to build potentially very complex forms which do just that. And true to Pathagoras' style, it is all done with plain text. No fields, no formulas, no coding.

Introduction:

     The primary device used by Pathagoras for selecting clauses to insert into the document is the 'checkbox screen.' There, you can display every clause in the particular book onto a single form. By checking-off the appropriate clauses, you can create 'clause by clause' a perfect document for you client or customer.

     But repetitively checking off the identical clauses to create practically identical form and boilerplate documents is not a 'best practice.' Recognition of this led to the development of clause sets. With clause sets, a simple "I Love You " will or other 'identical' documents can be precreated using an appropriate selection of the available clauses. With a clause set, the user needs only select a single item in order to create an entire document. Click here for a fuller explanation of Clause Sets.

     Other documents are almost, but are not quite 'cookie cutter' forms. For these, the user might start with a standard text or clause-set 'base' document, but the user can also be provided one or more 'optional text' selections. During document assembly when an optional text section is encountered, Pathagoras will stop and ask the user "Include this text?" or, if multiple choices were provided, "Select among the following options."

     The kind of document described above is frequently referred to as a 'template,' but don't confuse it with Word's '.dot' template files.

     Optional text is created and marked in the same way you create and mark terms in a clause set (using "<<" to introduce the clause and ">>" to close it. To enable Pathagoras to identify the block as optional text is the inclusion of the term "*Options*" (no quotes, but asterisks mandatory) immediately to the right of the opening "<<". Thus: "<<*Options*". The options which then follow are just typed to the screen, each separated from the next by simple forward slashes ('/'). You can (optionally) provide descriptive text for the actual options. You would do this if (1) the optional text is very long and therefore needs to to 'shorted' so that they can be presented in the selection screen. or (2) if the options are 'clause references' (rather common for clause sets) which 'demand' some explanatory text. If used, the descriptive text should immediately follow the word *Options* and should be closed by a third asterisk. e.g.,

"<<*Options*One Child/Two or More Children/No Children*

<<wil120a>>/<<wil120b>>/<<wil120c>>

>>

You can also simply provide purely “Optional text.” Purely optional text means that that either the text (all of it) between the "<<" and ">>" markers is used or not used.  Instead of typing <<*Options* . . . .>>", type <<*Optional* . . .>>"

 

     The experienced user will recall that the InstantDatabase module also allows you a powerful way of providing for and selecting among multiple-choices. Slashes also separate the choices. “I leave my entire estate to my [husband/wife/pet canary].” But there are distinct differences as to how and when the two features are used:

  • The optional text discussed on this page is selected at the time of document creation, not document personalization.
  • With Instant Database multiple-choice, the selections are saved with the client's data, not in the primary document. (That is because the options in the IDB module were in the nature of variables. Choices made are closely associated with the client or customer -- color, sex, number, etc.)

     With the feature described in this screen, the selections are intended to be made at 'build' time (while the proper clauses are being selected), not when the document is being personalized.

 

Here is fuller example illustrating the above features. (Sorry, but it’s another ‘lawyer’ example”) You really can, however, ignore the text of the underlying document. Just study the markups. The markups are highlighted as follows:

blue (short optional text 'subjects', nice to have and in many cases necessary, especially when the optional text blocks are long or, as in the above example, they are clause references. But the 'blue text is not required).

red separator 'slashes.')

green (just explanatory comments).

CERTIFICATION OF RESOLUTION OF MOTION TO QUASH

     The motion to quash the subpoena duces tecum in this matter has been resolved. I hereby certify as follows:

<<*OPTIONS* 1. Disclosure Authorized--Filed Records to be released./ 2. Disclosure Allowed—Full medical record to be provided by Health Care Provider./ 3. Disclosure Denied--Records to be Returned to Health Care Provider. / 4. Partial Disclosure Authorized--Non-disclosed records returned to HealthCare Provided. / 5. Partial Disclosure Authorized--Health Care Provider to provide listed records.*

(The only 'mandatory' part of the above section to enable the 'options' routine is '<<*Options*' The remainder -- the blue text --is optional. As you hopefully will see, the short descriptions of the various options can be helpful. The closing asterisk is mandatory if short descriptions are use. If used, the short descriptions will be presented on a series of selectable buttons, up to 5, from which the user may choose. If no short descriptions are provided, as such of the actual text of the actual clauses as will fit on the buttons will be placed onto the selectable buttons)

    The motion to quash has been resolved and the disclosures sought in the subpoena duces tecum have been granted; therefore, the health records previously delivered to the clerk of the court will not be returned to the health care provider; /

    The motion to quash have been resolved and the disclosures sought in the subpoena duces tecum have been granted. Since no health records have previously been delivered to the court, the health care provider shall comply with the subpoena duces tecum by filing the health records designated therein with the clerk of the court by the return date on the subpoena or five days after receipt of this certification, whichever is later. /

The first option is typed immediately next to the final asterisk in the label area. (You can add punctuation, tabs and Enters.) Each multiple-choice text item (phrase, paragraph, multiple paragraphs, etc) is separated from the others by a plain-text slash.

    The motion to quash has been resolved and the request for disclosure sought in the subpoena duces tecum was denied. Therefore no health records need be disclosed. All health records previously delivered to the clerk will be returned to the health care provider. /

    The motion to quash has been resolved and the limited disclosure has been authorized. Only those records described below shall be disclosed:

(list records here)

    Health records that were previously delivered to the court for which disclosure has been authorized will be turned over to the moving party; all health records for which disclosure has not been authorized will be returned to the health care provider. /

    The motion to quash has been resolved and limited disclosures sought in the subpoena duces tecum have been granted; since no health records have previously been delivered to the court, the health care provider shall produce those records specified as follows:

(list records here)

    The records must be produced to the clerk's office by the return date on the subpoena or five days after receipt of this certification, whichever is later.>>

The options list is ‘closed’ by a '>>'.
======================

Simple ‘optional text’ (the example below) is noted by the word *optional* (not "*options*" just inside of the opening ‘<<“ marker. Simple ‘optional text’ is in the nature of ‘use it or not’, all or nothing text. No multiple choices are provided.
Although not shown here, descriptive text or a questions can be provided. Type it immediately to the right of the word '*Optional* and close it with a asterisk. E.g.,"*Optional*Include Certificate?*

<<*Optional*

CERTIFICATE

I hereby certify that a true copy of the foregoing Certification to Health Care Entity was mailed to [counsel for] [Defendant] [Plaintiff] in this matter, [name of counsel] or [name of pro se defendant or plaintiff], [address], by first class mail, postage prepaid, on [date].

_____________________________

[Name of Counsel]>>

Make sure the optional text block begins with "<<" and ends with ">>".

Notes:

  • 'Optional' and 'Options' text can both reside within the same document.
  • There is no limit to then number of options or optional sets that you can include in a document. (But no more than 5 options per set.)

Plain text optional text. Available exclusively with Pathagoras.

Thank you for visiting Pathagoras.com - Come back again soon.