Component Copying
Component copying (copying components from one component file to another) enables you to use existing components in the context of a template different than the one for which you initially created them; copying components enables you to reuse components without creating any association between the copies of the components or the two component files–component copying actually creates one or more new components in the component file into which you copy the components. For example, suppose you are creating a few templates for a bank's lending team where every template deals with a different form of loan requiring different information; however, they all require the same customer details. In this case you could create variables called CustomerName, CustomerAddress, etc. in one template, and then copy them into the other templates' component files. You could then tweak each version of these components to work for the template it corresponds to, for example, changing the format style.
Be aware that when you copy a component from one file to another, because the copy process actually creates a new component without any association to the original, if you later make changes to or the original component, the changes only apply to that component. This is the opposite of what happens when you update a shared component—in that case, the change applies in both template contexts.
Overview
From Component Studio you can copy components from one component file into another without creating any association between the two components or the two component files.
When you follow the instructions for copying components from one file to another (see Common Tasks below), not only can you copy any component, if that component has any dependencies, that is, if that component refers (through its properties) either directly, or indirectly to another component, those dependencies also get copied and pasted into the new component file. For example, if you copy a dialog, HotDocs also copies all the variables and other components you placed on that dialog. This would also include any child or parent dialog references. Copying a computation also copies all components to which that computation may refer.
This does NOT include linked components; in other words, copying a variable does NOT copy the dialog that variable links to (such a link has meaning for HotDocs as it constructs interview definitions, but not for how HotDocs copies a component).
Common Tasks
Component copying refers to the following task: