At a Glance: The Automator Window

Tool Bar

Template Workspace

Menu Bar

 

You can open the HotDocs Automator directly from the your start menu or by opening a form template to edit from a HotDocs Library.

The main part of the Automator window is the Template Workspace where you can use the options on the Toolbar to edit the form template.

At the top of the window is the Menu bar and Toolbar. From the Toolbar you can access the following buttons:

  • HotDocs Library: Opens the HotDocs library (if it's not already open) and brings it to the front.
  • New Template: Creates a new form template file. (The new file won't contain any static text.)
  • Open Form: Opens a form template file for editing, or opens a saved form document for printing or editing.
  • Save Form: Saves the current form. If the form has never been saved, HotDocs will ask for the path and file name to use.
  • Print Form: Prints a copy of the form.
  • Field Properties: Changes the properties for the selected field or fields.
  • Answer Font: Changes the font for the selected field or fields.
  • Detect Field: Detects the borders of the field that contains the cursor and creates the field if it doesn't already exist. If a field is selected, its borders are redetected.
  • Align Fields: Displays the Align dialog box where you can align the selected field or fields.
  • Undo: Undoes the last change you made to fields in the form. (You cannot undo changes made to HotDocs components (variables, dialogs, and so forth) or to answers in an assembled form document.)
  • Redo: Reapplies any changes you have made to the template.
  • Variable Field: Creates a new variable and attaches it to the selected field.
  • Edit Component: Opens the Component Editor for the field that is currently selected.
  • Component Manager: Displays Component Manager, which you use to work with variables, dialogs, clauses, and other HotDocs components.
  • Test Assemble: Test assembles a form document from the template.
  • Fill Tool: Allows you to enter information in the field, such as an answer.
  • Select Tool: Activates the Select Tool. This button allows you to select an existing field so that you can move it, resize it, or edit its properties (including the variable properties).
  • Select Text and Fields Tool: In a HotDocs form template, activates the Select Text and Fields Tool, which allows you to either select a field or select static text in the form. You can select text, copy it, and then paste the text wherever you need it -- for example, in a variable's Prompt or Variable name box.
  • Scroll Tool: Makes the Scroll Tool the current cursor. Use the cursor to grab the current form page and drag it around the window.
  • Zoom Tool: Activates the Zoom Tool, allowing you to increase or decrease magnification of the template.
  • Page Width: Displays the entire width of the current form page in the window.
  • Full Page: Displays the entire length of the current form page in the window.
  • Show Fields: Shows or hides the field backgrounds.
  • Show Variables: Shows or hides the variable names in the fields.
  • Show Thumbnails: Shows or hides a thumbnail view of each page in the form at the left of the window.
  • Previous Page: Moves to the page just before the current page in the form.
  • Next Page: Moves to the page just after the current page in the form.
  • HotDocs Options: Opens the HotDocs Options dialog box where you can specify several preferences that control how HotDocs works.
  • Help: Opens the relevant page of the HotDocs Help File.

You can access further options not available on the Toolbar in the Menu Bar.

To learn more about using HotDocs Automator follow the links below: