Publish Templates as Auto-Assemble Files (HDA)

A HotDocs auto-assemble (.HDA) file is a compressed file containing a template and its related files (component files, clause library files, and so forth.) When you assemble an auto-assemble file, HotDocs copies the template and related files into a temporary folder, then begins assembling. After assembly finishes, HotDocs deletes the files in the temporary folder. This is useful if you are distributing templates on the Internet, an intranet, or on a network and you don’t want users to have copies on their local drives. (See Introduction: Upload HotDocs Files to a Web Server.)

If you select multiple library items to publish, you can either publish each item as its own auto-assemble file, or you can group items together in a template set. When an auto-assemble file contains a group of templates, assembly proceeds as if the user had selected multiple templates for assembly at the HotDocs library window.

Additionally, you can publish your templates for use with HotDocs 2006-2008. This allows you to keep your templates backwards compatible. If you select this option, HotDocs opens and saves the component file in that version.

To assemble an auto-assemble file, you can either pass the file to HotDocs using a command-line option, or you can add the auto-assemble file to a HotDocs library. If users access an auto-assemble file while browsing the Internet or an intranet, the browser will start HotDocs and pass it the auto-assemble file. If you are using a Web browser other than Internet Explorer, you may need to register HotDocs to work with the Web browser. (See Register HotDocs to Work with Web Browsers.)

To publish templates as auto-assemble files

  1. At the HotDocs library, select the template or templates you want to publish and click the Publishing Wizard button. The Publishing Wizard dialog box appears, showing the Publishing Options information.
  2. Select one of the following from the Publish as group:
    • Individual auto-assemble files (HDA)
    • Template set in a single auto-assemble file (HDA)
  3. If your template contains any INSERT or ASSEMBLE instructions, select Include templates used in INSERT and ASSEMBLE instructions.
  4. If you want to make the published template(s) compatible with HotDocs 2006s-2008, select Make published files compatible with HotDocs 2006-2008.
  5. Click the Browse button next to the Local folder for published files field to specify the folder where you want HotDocs to save the published files.
  6. Optionally, if you plan to upload the published files, click the Edit button next to the Web destination for published files field and specify the URL of the server to which you want to upload. (When HotDocs finishes publishing the templates, it will start the uploading process. See Introduction: Upload HotDocs Files to a Web Server.)
  7. Click Next. The File Security dialog box appears.
  8. Optionally, specify any security options and click Next. (See Protect Published Files for details.)(If publishing individual auto-assemble files, skip to step 9.)
  9. Enter a name for the HDA file in the File name for published HDA file field, and then enter a title for the file in the Template set title field.
  10. Click Next. The Additional Files dialog box appears.
  11. If you want to include additional files (such as resource files), click Add Files, then select the desired files. (See Add Additional Files to a Published Set for details.)
  12. Click Finish. HotDocs publishes your files and returns you to the HotDocs library.

If you publish multiple template sets, you can save the settings you specify during the publishing process so that the next time you publish, the options are already specified. (See Save Publishing Settings.)

Once these files are published to this temporary folder, you should move them to a more permanent location. If you publish additional templates or other files that use the same file names, HotDocs will overwrite the previously published files.