Step 2 of the HotDocs Author workflow: Add placeholders

Field Editor: Multi Select Variable

You can use the Multi Select Variable options in the HotDocs Field Editor to create and edit placeholder fields for Multi Select variables.

To view the field properties for a Multi Select variable's placeholder field, in the Field Editor select Add a placeholder > Multi Select Variable.

Common Tasks

Field Type

The Field Type section of the HotDocs Field Editor displays whether the currently selected HotDocs Field is a placeholder field or an instruction field. This section appears when you select an existing field in the template.

Multi Select Variable Editor

When you select Add a placeholder > Multi Select Variable or click on an existing Multi Select variable's placeholder field in the template

you should notice that the placeholder field displays the key word LIST on the far left. This is meant as a visual cue that what HotDocs replaces the field with during document assembly is a list of values, rather than the single value that most variables yield during document assembly. In addition, you should be able to view and edit the following properties:

Property Name	What it Does
Variable	Enables you to select an existing variable using a drop-down list or type in a new one. Click the edit button to use the pop-up variable editor and access the same component properties you see in the variable editors in Component Studio. If you select a field that is missing a component, HotDocs notifies you that there is no component, and you can then add a component using the drop-down list or the edit button.
Key column (of Built in Table)	(Only appears when the option source is a Built in Table) Enables you to type the values you want to replace a placeholder field in the assembled document. In addition, unless you designate otherwise using the Option labels property, the values you type in the Key column also become the list of options the selection variable presents in the interview. The table contains the following: Key – enables you to type the values you want to replace a placeholder field in the assembled document. In addition, unless you designate otherwise using the Option labels property, the values you type in the Key column also become the list of options the selection variable presents in the interview. Insert above button – enables you to insert a new row just above your current selection Delete button – deletes the row containing your current selection If you need to present values in the interview different from those you need to place into your assembled document (e.g. choices of Male or Female in the interview to yield his or hers in the assembled document) you can do so using the pop-up Single Select Variable Editor. From the editor, you can click the Add Column button, enter the data you need, and then use the Option label property in the Display tab to designate which column of data you want to present to your template users.
Option source	Enables you to use a drop-down list to select an existing option source (such as a Fixed Table component), or type to create a new one. The option source provides the text for the list of options you present to your template user in an interview (and can contain other related data).
Linked dialog	Enables you to link this component to a dialog using a drop-down list and an edit button.
Assembly value	Enables you to select the column of the option source that contains the values you want HotDocs to replace the (currently selected) placeholder field with during document assembly.
Format	Enables you to set the format HotDocs uses when an answer replaces the (currently selected) placeholder field during document assembly. You can select a format using the drop-down list or type in a custom format. The type of format available in the drop-down list correlates to the type of variable you select in the Assembly Value property. The capitalization of the format overrides the capitalization of any list format you may select.
List format	Enables you to choose the list format you want HotDocs to apply to the list of answers HotDocs replaces the associated placeholder field with during document assembly, regardless of how you instruct HotDocs to form the individual answers using the Format property above. You can either select a list format using the drop-down list or type in a custom format. The capitalization of the Format property overrides the List Format property's capitalization. For example, if you set the List Format property to a, b, and c and the Format property to LIKE THIS, the assembled document formats the answer using the punctuation of the List Format property and the capitalization of the Format property so the final result is APPLES, ORANGES, and BANANAS. If you have previously set a Default Format for the variable (using the Multi Select Variable Editor, you will see the format grayed and italicized in the Format property for the placeholder field in the Field Editor. If you choose a new format, this overrides the variable's Default Format property setting, but only for this specific instance of the placeholder field. In addition, when you override a Default Format, any other variable property defaults (Unanswered Text, Font, Padded width, Answer Alignment, Pad Character) HotDocs copies the values you set in Component Studio into the corresponding properties of the current instance of the placeholder field level. If you change your mind, you can use the Revert button (located in the Advanced Properties) to reset any default properties you override back to the defaults you set in Component Studio.