| InstructionA command in a script or template that performs a special task, such as inserting a template or asking a dialog at a specific place in the interview. |
Description |
| ADD TEXT TO MULT_CHOICE_VAR; CLEAR MULT_CHOICE_VAR |
These instructions allow you to modify options of a Multiple Choice variableA type of component that merges a predefined answer in the document.. The CLEAR instruction removes all the current options, and the ADD instruction adds options to the variable. |
| ASCEND VAR; DESCEND VAR |
The ASCENDThe process of sorting answers in alphanumeric order, from 1 to 9, and from A to Z. (See also descend.) You can also sort items in a template library, clause library, and answer library. instruction sorts lists of answers (gathered using a REPEAT instruction) in alphanumeric orderThe process of designating the sequence in which form template fields are asked in the tab order. Establishing this order in a form is important for users who directly fill the form document., from 1 to 9, and from A to Z. The DESCENDThe process of sorting answers in reverse alphanumeric order, from 9 to 1, and from Z to A. (See also ascend.) instruction sorts lists of answers from 9 to 1, and from Z to A. |
| ASK DIALOG |
The ASK DIALOGIn template development, represents the component in which the developer groups variables and other components. In document assembly, represents the group of questions in the Interview tab of the assembly window where users enter their answers. instruction allows you to control the order in which dialogs appear in an interviewA series of dialogs, each containing one or more questions which HotDocs generates from the variables you add to your template. The template's user must answer the questions in the interview before HotDocs can assemble a custom document. You can view the interview by clicking the Interview tab of the assembly window. The left pane of the assembly window displays an outline of the interview. As the user answers questions, the outline tracks the user's progress through the interview.. (See Control When Your Dialogs Appear.) |
| ASK VAR |
Sometimes a variable needs to be asked by itself. You can use the ASK VAR instruction so that during the interview, HotDocs displays the variable in its own default dialog. |
| ASSEMBLE "FILENAME" |
You can use the ASSEMBLE instruction to add templates to the assembly queueA dialog box that shows a list of assemblies—pending, current, and completed. Users can open the Assembly Queue by clicking Assembly Queue in the assembly window toolbar. It is most useful when users have selected multiple templates for assembly.. Unlike the INSERT instruction, an ASSEMBLE instruction waits until the current documentThe file that is created after a template has been assembled. is assembled before starting the next assembly session. |
| CONCEAL VAR |
This instruction, which you use in a dialog scriptOne or more instructions and/or expressions that generate a value or execute some kind of procedure., keeps variables from appearing in the Select From Answer Source dialog box of an answer source. |
| DEBUG |
This instruction steps through the templateA word processor or form document that has been converted to HotDocs format so that it can be automated. When in template format, changeable text in the template can be replaced with variables. Other instructions can be added as well, such as instructions that create lists, condition text, and insert other templates. or script fieldA place in the template that denotes where users' answers should be merged, or where a specific instruction should be executed. In a text template, a field is denoted by chevrons. In a form template, a field is denoted by a colored box that is overlaid on the form's static text. by field or line by line. It helps you determine why the template you are automating (or the script you are writing) is producing results you don't expect. |
| DEFAULT VAR TO VALUE |
This instruction suggests a valueIn an interview, it represents a user's answer. In a script, it represents data that must be used in executing the script. (The value can either be a literal value or a user's answer.) for a variable if the variable is unanswered. |
| ERASE VAR; ERASE DIALOG |
The ERASE instructions let you clear answers in a dialog. Specifically, ERASE VAR clears answers for a specified variable in a dialog, while ERASE DIALOG clears all answers in the dialog. This may be useful when you are using a temporary dialog to store lists of answers from two or more dialogs. |
| FILTER COMPUTATION_VAR |
The FILTERA script that removes unrelated or unwanted answers from a list of answers. For example, perhaps there is a list of a client's children but only the names of minor children should be merged. A filter can extract just this data from the list. instruction filters out certain entries from a repeated listTwo or more answers to one question merged in the document., based on conditions you specify. |
| FORMAT "LIST_FORMAT" |
The FORMAT "LIST_FORMAT" instruction allows you to create a sentence-style list within a computation. (If you create the REPEAT instruction using a REPEAT field, you can specify the list format by choosing a style from the Format drop-down list. See Punctuate a Sentence-Style List.) |
| GRAY ALL; GRAY VAR; UNGRAY ALL; UNGRAY VAR |
These instructions, which are used in a dialog script, control whether components in a dialog appear grayed or ungrayed, depending on answers a userThe customer, client, or person who assembles documents from templates. (See also template developer.) enters. GRAYAn instruction used in a dialog script to disable a variable unless the user answers another variable a specific way. For example, questions asking for children's name can be grayed until the user answers a question indicating he or she has children. (See also UNGRAY.) ALL dims all components in the dialog, while UNGRAY ALL makes all of the components active again. Likewise, GRAY VAR dims a single componentA template resource file that displays or stores information about the user input/answers to merge in the final document. Examples of components include variables, dialogs, dialog elements, merge text groups, and formats., and UNGRAY VAR enables the component again. |
| HIDE ALL; HIDE VAR; SHOW ALL; SHOW VAR |
These instructions, which are used in a dialog script, control whether the user is able to see variables in a dialog. The HIDEAn instruction used in a dialog script to hide variables in the dialog. (See also SHOW.) Usually this instruction is conditioned so that questions in the dialog hide and show dynamically, based on answers the user enters. ALL instruction hides all variables in the dialog, while SHOWAn instruction used in a dialog script to show variables that have been hidden in the dialog. (See also HIDE.) Usually this instruction is conditioned so that variables hide and show dynamically, based on answers the user enters. ALL reveals the variables again. Likewise, HIDE VAR hides a single variable, and SHOW VAR reveals the variable. |
| IF EXPRESSION; ELSE IF; ELSE; END IF |
You can make sections of templates or scripts conditional by using IF instructions. A conditional section will be included only if a condition you specify is true. The ELSE IF instruction allows two or more conditions to be included in an IF instruction. The ELSE instruction establishes a final condition for an IF instruction, specifying that if all preceding conditions are false, the following information should be included. It must be the last item of the IF instruction. |
| INCREMENT NUM_VAR; DECREMENT NUM_VAR |
The INCREMENT and DECREMENT instructions cause HotDocs to increase or decrease a number variableA type of component that merges a numeric value in the document., usually a counterAn expression that keeps track of the current number of repetitions in a repeated dialog. Each time a new repetition is added, the COUNTER is increased., by the value of 1. |
| INSERT "FILENAME" |
This instruction inserts a clausePredefined sections of text that can be selected and added to an assembled document. Usually clauses are grouped together in a clause library so users can choose which ones they want to insert, although some clauses are merged in the document automatically., a clause libraryA window used to display and organize templates. The library does not store the actual files—instead, it contains shortcuts (or links) to the files, which are stored on disk. In addition to the template library, HotDocs also uses an answer library, which is more commonly known as Answer File Manager., or a template into the document currently being assembled. When HotDocs encounters an INSERT instruction, it immediately processes the instruction and inserts the template, clause, or clause library into the current document. If there are variables to be answered, HotDocs presents them before finishing the interview of the main document. |
| LANGUAGE CODE |
This instruction tells HotDocs to format numbers and dates in a particular language. |
| LIMIT NUM |
The LIMIT instruction limits the number of times a dialog can be repeated. It is placed in the script of the dialog that must be limited to a specific number of repetitions. |
| OMIT VAR |
The OMIT VAR instruction, which you use in a dialog script, keeps variables from appearing in the Edit Answer Source dialog box of an answer source. |
| PLAY "MACRO" |
The PLAY "MACRO" instruction plays a word processor macro after the document is assembled and either sent to the word processor, printed, or saved. |
| QUIT |
The QUIT instruction allows you to close the variable without losing the work you have done. Normally, HotDocs will not save an invalid computation. The only way to exit an invalid computation is to click Cancel, which erases the script. The instruction is usually placed at the beginning of an unfinished or invalid computation. |
| REPEAT DIALOG; END REPEAT |
A REPEAT instruction gathers lists of answers and merges them into a document. |
| REQUIRE ALL; REQUIRE VAR |
The REQUIRE instruction requires users to answer questions in a dialog before they can advance to the next dialog in the interview. |
| SET VAR TO VALUE |
This instruction lets you specify a given value for a variable’s answer automatically, rather than allow the user to specify an answer. With the SET instruction, you can transfer names and other values from one variable to another. |
| WHILE EXPRESSION; END WHILE |
The WHILE EXPRESSIONA command in a script that retrieves a special value. Expressions help calculate dates, sums, and so forth. instruction allows you to repeatedly process (or loop through) an answer or set of answers until a certain condition is met, such as a certain answer is found or a limit is reached. |