Attach a Variable to a Field

Once you create fields on the form template, you can assign variables to them. Variables help control the type of answer the user enters. For example, a Text variable lets the user enter text, while a Date variable requires the user to enter a valid date.

To attach variables to fields

1. Edit a form template.
2. Create the field to which you want to attach the variable.
3. Select the field and click the Variable Field button in the Automator toolbar. The Variable Field dialog box appears.
4. Create a new variable or select an existing variable. Your options of variable types include Text, Date, Number, True/False, Multiple Choice, and Computation.

To attach variables to fields using a wizard-like approach, choose Create Variables from the Tools menu. HotDocs scans through the template, looking for fields that do not yet have an assigned variable. One field at a time, HotDocs then displays the Variable Field dialog box for you to create variables for each field. You can also use this tool for linked fields in a fillable PDF template.

Other methods for attaching variables to fields include double-clicking on the field to display the Variable Field dialog box, dragging variables from Component Manager to the template fields, and viewing the Field Properties dialog box for the field and assigning the variable there.

To attach a single variable to multiple fields, for example, to create a run-on group, select and group all the fields before you click the Variable Field button.