Control When Returns Are Inserted After Instructions in Text Templates

By default, when inserting instructions in a template, HotDocs inserts a return after the instruction. Then, as the instruction is processed and removed from the assembled document during assembly, HotDocs removes the return it inserted as well.

One reason why HotDocs includes these returns after instructions is to make it easier to view template text in relation to the instructions, particularly when the instruction controls the appearance of an entire paragraph of text.

In this example, returns are inserted after the instruction. This keeps instructions on their own lines and makes it easier to view how the instructions relate to the text.

SHIPPED TO

«IF Different Shipping Address»

«Shipping Name»

«Shipping Street»

«Shipping City», «Shipping State» «Shipping ZIP»

«ELSE»

«Billing Name»

«Billing Street»

«Billing City», «Billing State» «Billing ZIP»

«END IF»

In this example, returns are not included after each instruction. This makes it more difficult to see the conditions in relation to the text.

SHIPPED TO

«IF Different Shipping Address»«Shipping Name»

«Shipping Street»

«Shipping City», «Shipping State» «Shipping ZIP»

«ELSE»«Billing Name»

«Billing Street»

«Billing City», «Billing State» «Billing ZIP»«END IF»

In some situations, however, having this return in the template text may actually make the text more difficult to read, for instance, because the instructions control the appearance of text within a paragraph and not the paragraph as a whole.

In this example, the returns after the instructions force text within a paragraph to a new line. This may be confusing to understand.

Health insurance is provided as one of the benefits of your employment with Hobble Creek Publishing. The insurance policy is through TLC Insurance and will cover you, your spouse, and any minor children. Your insurance coverage will begin «IF DAY OF( Hire Date ) = 1»

«Hire Date»«ELSE»

«Coverage Start Date»«END IF»

.

In this example, the returns after the instructions are omitted, allowing all of the text to remain in the same paragraph.

Health insurance is provided as one of the benefits of your employment with Hobble Creek Publishing. The insurance policy is through TLC Insurance and will cover you, your spouse, and any minor children. Your insurance coverage will begin «IF DAY OF( Hire Date ) = 1»«Hire Date»«ELSE»«Coverage Start Date»«END IF».

In most cases, you most likely want returns inserted when merging an entire paragraph, and you want returns omitted when inserting just short blocks of inline text. Whatever your preference, you can choose an option that best suits your needs.

To determine whether (and when) HotDocs inserts returns after instructions

  1. At the HotDocs library, click the Options button. The HotDocs Options dialog box appears.
  2. Click the Template Development folder. The window changes to show several template development options.
  3. Click the Insert returns after instructions in text templates drop-down button and choose an option, based on the following information:
    • Choose Always to have HotDocs always insert a return character after an instruction. (Remember, HotDocs will remove the return during assembly.)
    • Choose Smart to have HotDocs determine whether it should insert a return character or not. It determines how to insert these returns based on surrounding characters (such as paragraph breaks) in the text. (See Understand How Smart Returns are Inserted After Instructions for a complete description.)
    • Choose Never to have HotDocs never insert a return character after an instruction.

WordPerfect 8 and WordPerfect 9 users: Because of some problems with underlying text selection when inserting instructions in a template, you should set Insert returns after instructions in text templates to Always. Selecting Smart or Never will cause errors during assembly.