Whenever Pathagoras encounters text enclosed within "<<" and ">>" (double angle brackets, or 'DABs'), it will attempt to process what it finds in between those brackets.

•If Pathagoras encounters an <<*Options*>>, <<*Optional*>> or <<*Repeats*>> block during a document assembly session, it knows to process the block in accordance with rules associated with each kind of block.

•If Pathagoras sees '!' marks on each end of the DAB text, it presumes you want to return the numeric value of the '!groupname!' associated with a Repeat call. Pathagoras will return the spelled out value of the number assigned to that !groupname! (See this link for how to return other formats for a Repeat !groupname!.)

•If there are no special characters (asterisks or exclamation marks) Pathagoras will assume that the DAB text represents a document call. Pathagoras will attempt to locate the target document following Pathagoras' Order of Search rules. If located, Pathagoras will insert the text of the called document in place of the call. Document calls is the primary topic of this and the following sections.

   If Pathagoras encountered <<c:\office forms\real estate\Listing Agreement.docx>> in your document, Pathagoras will locate the document named 'Listing Agreement' in the designated folder, and insert a copy of it into the document in place of the document call.

   Likewise, if Pathagoras saw just <<signature block>> within a document (path or extension), it will hunt down the document 'signature block.doc (or .docx) on your computer following the 'Order of Search' rules. If and when found, Pathagoras will insert the appropriate text into your document in place of the call.

  Any reference to any text or image can be placed between angle brackets. It can be a fully qualified document name (as in the first example), an unqualified document name, a glossary term, or a prefix/suffix named clause. Further the reference need not be to just documents, although if not a document (the default file type), you must add at least an extension so Pathagoras will know the type of file you are seeking.

   So, with the above firmly in mind, you can use <<document name>> references to insert:

•Documents

•Images

•PDF files

 

informationNOTE: Document calls can be nested within <<*Options/Optional* . . .>> commands. So long as the 'resulting' text (after the Option or Optional is selected) is a <<document call>>, Pathagoras will find it. Here is an example:

<<*Options(radio)*Order Amount:$0 - $100/$101-$200/$201-$500/$501+*<<Full charges>>/<<20pcnt discount>>/<<50 pcnt discount>>/<<Free shipping>>>>

Each of the terms within the nested DABs represents the appropriate document to be inserted after a choice is made to the <<*Options* . . .>> block.