Create and Edit Multiple Components Simultaneously
Using Component Manager you can create and edit as many components in a given component file as you want, all at the same time. This allows you to compare the properties, advanced options, selection options, and computation scripts of many variables and dialogs. To manage all the open component editing windows, you can either use the 
Restore All, 
Minimize All, and 
Save and Close All buttons in Component Manager; or you can use the Windows taskbar to switch between open windows.
To edit multiple components simultaneously
- Open Component Manager. (See Open and Close Component Manager.)
- At the Component Manager window, you can either edit existing components or create new ones:
- To edit an existing component, select it from the list of components and click the
Edit Component button. Do this for each component you want to edit. (HotDocs adds the component window to the Windows taskbar so you can more quickly access it.) - To create a new component, click the
New Component button. Do this for each component you want to create.
- To edit an existing component, select it from the list of components and click the
- Make changes to each variable as necessary, using the following tools to help you manage the open windows:
- To bring all open Component Editors to the front, click the Restore All button.
- To minimize all open Component Editors, click the Minimize All button.
- To save and close all open Component Editors, click the Save and Close All button. (Any changes you have made to component properties will automatically be saved—you will not be prompted to save them.)
- To switch between open Component Editor windows, select the component in the Windows taskbar. HotDocs will bring that Component Editor to the front.
- To bring all open Component Editors to the front, click the
If you create new components using Component Manager, they are not immediately inserted into the template—they are only saved in the component file. You must insert the variables into the template. See Insert a Variable Field in a Text Template.
How quickly HotDocs minimizes and restores component editing windows depends on your Windows settings. To restore instantaneously, right-click on the Windows desktop, choose Properties from the shortcut menu, click the Appearance tab, click Effects, and then clear Use transition effects for menus and tooltips. (This process may differ, depending on the version of Windows.)
To change a component in several component files, use Template Manager. (See Introduction: Use Template Manager.)