Multiple Choice Variable Editor

In an interview, a Multiple Choice variable enables a template user to select an answer from a list of options you define. If the Multiple Choice options you define are not descriptive enough on their own, you can create a prompt for each option, and if you want HotDocs to place something other than the option text into the template, you can add alternate text for each option.

To access the Multiple Choice variable Editor, you can:

In this topic Hide

  1. Common Tasks
  2. Component Toolbar
  3. Component Identity Properties
  4. Options Tab
  5. Display Tab
  6. Additional Information Expander
  7. Behavior Tab
  8. Notes Tab
  9. Tools Pane

Common Tasks

Among others, the Multiple Choice Variable Editor enables you to perform the following common tasks:

Component Toolbar

Basic component actions appear in the component toolbar, above the component properties.

Button What it Does
Test Displays the selected component in the HotDocs Test Browser.
Rename Displays the Rename Component dialog that enables you to rename your component.
Duplicate Displays the Duplicate Components dialog that enables you to create a copy of this component in the component file.
Tools Shows or hides the Tools pane on the right.
Delete Displays the Delete Component dialog that enables you to delete the component. You can also view a list of templates or components that currently reference the selected component and you may have to fix after deletion.

Component Identity Properties

At the top of the editor you can see the name that HotDocs uses to identify this multiple choice variable and the configuration type.

Property Name What it Does
Name Enables you to view and edit the name of your component. This field is editable for a component that is not referenced by a template or other component; otherwise, a non-editable box containing the name of the component. If non-editable, use Rename in the component tool bar.
Configuration

Enables you to choose whether you end user can select one or multiple options from the list during an interview:

  • Select one item– limits your end users to choose a single option from the available choices
  • Select multiple items– enables your end users to choose more than one option from the available choices

Options Tab

The Options tab enables you to create the options list for the multiple choice variable and how a template user's selection is processed by HotDocs:

Property Name What it Does
Options table

Enables you to add a list of options, longer prompts, and text to place into the final document for each option, as well as text or URL options to help your end user in choosing an option.

Contains the following columns:

  • Option – enables you to name the options you provide your end users
  • Prompt – enables you to give your end users a longer prompt to help them with their choices
  • Default alternate text list – (Only appears when you select Use alternate text for each option) enables you to provide the text you want HotDocs to place into the assembled document instead of the text of the option the template user selects for every instance of the multiple choice variable in the template
    • Information symbol – enables you to provide Additional Information (Text or URL) to help your end user in choosing an individual option

    If you do not provide a prompt, text HotDocs uses the text in the Option column in the interview. If you do not provide default alternative text HotDocs replaces the placeholder with the text in the Option column.
    Use alternate text for each option Displays the alternate text column in the Options table and the alternate text list box below to enable you to either create your own alternate text lists or use one of the alternate text list components included with Author.
    Default alternate text list (Only appears when you select Use alternate text for each option) Enables you to select an Alternate Text List component (either one you previously created or one supplied with Author) to populate the Default Alternate Text column. You can use the Edit button to edit your selected component. If you type the alternate text directly into the column you can see HotDocs create a new Alternate Text List component for it and add it to the drop-down list.
    Include "Other" (Only available for the configuration option: Select one item) Adds an additional option to the bottom of your options list labeled "Other" and an answer field for template users to type in their own answer.
    Include "None of the Above"

    (Only available for the configuration option: Select multiple items) Adds an additional option to the bottom of your options list labeled "None of the above" that the template user can select.

    Display Tab

    The Display tab provides you with properties that enable you to change how a component's answer field appears during the interview:

    Property Name What it Does
    Prompt Enables you to provide more instructive text for helping a user answer a question during the interview. The text you add here appears in the interview in place of any text you add in the Title property.
    Style on regular dialogs Enables you to select the visual style of the multiple choice variable that is displayed in the interview:
    • If you choose the configuration option: Select one item
      • Buttons (single column) – presents the options as a single column list of radio buttons—circular holes that can contain white space (for unselected) or a dot (for selected). Each button is accompanied by a label describing the choice that the radio button represents.
      • Buttons (multi column) – presents the options as a multiple column list of radio buttons—circular holes that can contain white space (for unselected) or a dot (for selected). Each button is accompanied by a label describing the choice that the radio button represents.

    The buttons in a multi column style are populated in the following manner:
    HotDocs first considers the total number of options. If there are two to eight options, HotDocs will split the options evenly into two columns (with the first half of the options being in the left column and the second half in the right column). If there are more than eight options, HotDocs will split the options evenly into three columns (with the first third of the options being in the left column, the second third in the middle column, and the last third in the right column).

      • List box – presents the options you specify as a list contained in a box that is always visible. The list box displays a scroll bar as needed.
      • Drop-down list – a control that attaches a drop-down button (arrow) to the right of the answer text box, that when clicked, displays (drops down) as a list contained in a box. When the template user selects an answer, the display reverts to its inactive state, only displaying the selected answer in the answer text box.
    • If you choose the configuration option: Select multiple items
      • Check boxes (single column) – presents the options as a single column list of check boxes—square holes that can contain white space (for unselected) or a black square (for selected). Each check box is accompanied by a label describing the choice that the check box represents.
      • Check boxes (multi column) – presents the options as a multiple column list of check boxes—square holes that can contain white space (for unselected) or a black square (for selected). Each check box is accompanied by a label describing the choice that the check box represents.
      • List box – presents the options as a list contained in a box that is always visible. The list box displays a scroll bar as needed.

    Clicking The X button to the right of the options clears any choices made.
    Width on regular dialogs Provides you with options for setting the width of a variable's answer field in a non-repeating or series dialog:
    • Automatic – instructs HotDocs to use the default answer field width based on the field type and attributes
    • Full – instructs HotDocs to use the full width available to display the answer field
    • Exactly – instructs HotDocs to make the answer field the exact width you specify. One unit is about equal to the width of the character 5.

    For Text variables, field widths are calculated by looking at the Maximum number of characters setting. If you don't set this, HotDocs assumes 30 characters. For Date and Number variables, HotDocs figures out the longest field required to accept the date or maximum number. For Multiple Choice and True/False answer fields (or group boxes), HotDocs uses the width required to show all the options.
    Spreadsheet dialogs Provides you with options for setting the width of a variable's answer field in a spreadsheet dialog:
    • Automatic – instructs HotDocs to use the default answer field width based on the field type and attributes
    • At least – instructs HotDocs to make the answer field the width you specify or larger as needed. One unit is about equal to the width of the character 5.
    Title If a component appears in a default , enables you to give your component a title that appears in the interview outline and in the dialog title bar. If the component appears in a , the title only appears when you don't provide text in the Prompt property.

    Additional Information Expander

    The Additional information expander, located at the bottom of the component editor, enables you to open the additional information pane so you can edit the additional information property:

    Property Name Explanation
    Additional information Enables you to provide supplemental help text (or an external URL) to help your template users better understand how to answer a question in an interview. Template users access this information by viewing the additional information pane in the interview interface.
    • Text – enables you to type helpful information in the text box which is displayed in the additional information pane in the interview

    You can use HTML and CSS in the text box to format the text that displays in the additional information pane in the interview. As such, if you want to preserve angle brackets in your text (for example, <Your Name>) you must use the codes &lt; and &gt; to insert the brackets (for example, &lt;Your Name&gt;).

    • URL – enables you to type a URL for a website in the text box (be sure to include the http:// protocol in your link). This link is displayed in the additional information pane in the interview.

    To provide you a quick way to know if this pane contains any content, the content (if any) is summarized to the right of the pane's label.

    Behavior Tab

    The Behavior tab provides you with options that enable you to change how a component behaves during the interview and assembly:

    Property Name What it Does
    Ask automatically Causes HotDocs to ask the variable in an interview as long as the following conditions are also true:
    • The answer for the variable is used within the template (for example, tested in an IF instruction or referenced in a field that places a template user's answer into the text of the final document during assembly)
    • The variable has been asked before in the interview

    If you previously linked the variable to a dialog, Ask automatically also causes HotDocs to ask that dialog within the interview.

    When you clear this option, HotDocs prevents the variable question from appearing in an interview unless the variable is used in a dialog that is specifically asked.
    Warn when unanswered Enables you to have HotDocs display a warning message if a template user attempts to finish the interview without answering one or more questions.

    If you clear this option, the End of Interview dialog still reports the question as unanswered; however, HotDocs does not display a warning message.
    Save answer Enables you to cause HotDocs to store the answer in the answer file. You can uncheck this box when you only need the answer to provide a value to a local variable and do not want HotDocs to store it for later reuse.
    If answer is irrelevant Enables you to specify whether HotDocs shows, hides, or disables variables that a template user's choices cause to be irrelevant within an interview.
    • Default – causes the variable to use the default setting, which you define at the Template Properties dialog box Interview Behavior tab
    • Gray – causes the variable to appear grayed out if the template user does not include it in the document (this is the default option for all variables)
    • Hide – causes HotDocs to hide the variable if the template user does not include it in the document. If the template user changes the answer file and the variable is now needed, HotDocs shows the variable in the dialog.
    • Show – causes the variable to always appear in the dialog, regardless of whether it's used or not
    Default format Enables you to set the format for every placeholder field that references this component throughout the template. Setting a format enables you to define the pattern HotDocs uses to format answers or other values in assembled documents; for example, you can use the 'LIKE THIS' text format to capitalize all letters in a name, the 'nine' number format to spell out a numeral, or the pattern 'dd/mm/yyyy' to format a date answer as text.

    Setting a default format does not override any formats you have already (or will) set for an individual placeholder field using the HotDocs Field Editor.
    Default unanswered text Enables you to specify what text you want HotDocs to place into the final document when a template user leaves the variable unanswered. This text overrides the Unanswered variable placeholder you can select in the Template Properties dialog box Assembly Behavior Tab.
    Pad answer to fixed number of characters Enables you to change how answers are displayed in the assembled document by altering the padding of the answer according to the characteristics you specify using the following properties:
    • Padded Width – enables you to specify, by selecting a fixed number of characters, the width of the area in the assembled document that contains an answer
    • Answer alignment – enables you to specify the alignment of the answer in the area of the assembled document that contains an answer:
      • Left – the answer appears first, followed by the appropriate amount of pad characters
      • Right – the appropriate amount of pad characters appear first, followed by the answer
    • Pad character – Enables you to specify which character HotDocs uses to pad any spaces left over if the answer doesn't use all the width you specify in the Padded width property. If the answer is shorter than the padded width, HotDocs inserts the necessary number of pad characters.

    The default fill character is a space.

    Notes Tab

    To provide you a quick way to know if this tab contains any content, you can see a + symbol on the tab if there is a note.

    As you create components, you may want to include notes to remind yourself of decisions you made when creating the component. For example, maybe you need to remember information about restrictions you applied to a Number variable, or remind yourself of the purpose of the component in the template.

    The notes tab enables you to type any notes you want about the component and its role in the template.

    This information is not visible in the interview; it is for the author’s reference only.

    Tools Pane

    On the right side of the component editor you can view a tools pane containing various (Components, Models, Used in, or Field Editor) tabs for this component.

    You can use the Tools button on the Component toolbar to show or hide the tools pane.

    Used In Tab

    When you select a component in the Components column of Component Studio, you can look in the Used In tab to see the list of other components or templates (if there are any) that use the component you select. Double-clicking an item in the Used In tab opens that item for editing and places focus on the first reference to the component you selected.

    Field Editor Tab

    When you select a text-based component property that can contain fields, the Field Editor tab appears in the Tools panel. Any HotDocs fields you add to the text that appear in an interview. When a template user provides an answer for that placeholder field in the interview, the answer appears in the component's interview display text.

    The Field Editor works in this context just as it does in a DOCX template or in HotDocs Composer.

    If you use a placeholder field in a component's interview display text, you must ensure the template user provides an answer for that placeholder before the interview displays the component containing the placeholder field.