HotDocs Tips & Tricks

Have you ever tried to add an Access database as a new “datasource” in Vista64 and Windows7? In most cases, you will go WINDOWS START -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Data Sources (ODBC).  When you click ADD, you will get SQL Native Client and SQL Server.  There will be NO opportunity to add Access or any of the OLDER data types.  These 32-bit datatypes are effectively banished from the system.  Quelle disaster!!!  Well we have a solution, one that is REAL EASY

The HotDocs QUIT instruction specifies that any code in a computation after the QUIT instruction is to be ignored as code. There are two major uses for this instruction.

When it comes to REPEATS in HotDocs, LIMIT is one very handy instruction to know how to use.  As its name suggests, it will LIMIT the number of iterations a repeat can hold, by placing the instruction in the dialog script of the dialog you wish to limit.  Please note that this is entirely different to the number of rows shown on a repeating spreadsheet dialog.  LIMIT will restrict a dialog to have only (for example) 3 iterations, where as the rows shown command will allow a repeat to hold countless iterations, but only show a specified number.

Another HotDocs instruction model that does exactly what it sounds like, FORMAT allows you to specify the formattin of a “list style” RESULT.  Rather than explain, I’ll simply provide 2 examples which demonstrates everything you’ll ever need to know about FORMAT.

The HotDocs instruction “FILTER” is one that I use in almost every system that I’ve designed.  Its purpose is exactly what it sounds like - to filter (a repeat), based upon a certain criteria, so that the data output from the repeat is reduced - only the repeats that match the filter come out.  Like most instructions, it is best explained by example.

Unfortunately, the CLEAR instruction model doesn’t really have any use on its own.  Its job is simple: to remove all the options and option prompts from the specified multiple choice ("MC") variable.  That’s it.  When used in conjunction with the ADD instruction (which adds options & option prompts to a specified MC variable), you end up with a pair of commands that can dynamically build MC variables on the fly, based on whatever data you desire.

The ASK instruction does exactly what it appears it will do - forces HotDocs to ASK (present to user) a specific variable or dialog.  ASK is quite often under utilized, as many developers permit HotDocs to generate a template interview.  For those developers in the know, there is a lot more functionality, flexibility and control possible when you write your own interview.  For those developers who design their own interviews, use of the ASK statement is absolutely critical.

The ascend instruction is used with the REPEAT instruction to sort the resulting output.  Here’s what the official HotDocs help file states:

The ASCEND instruction sorts lists of answers (gathered using a REPEAT instruction) in alphanumeric order, from 1 to 9, and from A to Z. The DESCEND instruction sorts lists of answers from 9 to 1, and from Z to A.

There are two major uses for the ASCEND instruction: in a computation and in a template.

You want to control the number of lines that appear on a dialog that displays in “Spreadsheet” style.  Quite often, the default number of lines visible on a spreadsheet style dialog are aesthetically offensive. We need to control this for two reasons: 1) its ugly; and 2) screen real estate is quite often at a premium.

You need to SET the value of a variable, but want users to be able to edit the value even after it is SET.  HotDocs will GRAY a variable (prohibiting editing) if the SET command is processed on the dialog, and DEFAULT will not overwrite a variable’s value.

A “regular” script to SET a variable to a value (based upon a Multiple Choice variable) probably looks something like this:

IF ANSWERED ( Var_MC )
IF Var_MC = “1”
SET Var1_TE TO “red”
ELSE
SET Var1_TE TO “blue”
END IF
END IF

As soon as Var_MC is answered, Var_TE will acquire an appropriate value, and subsequently GRAYed out - because it is processed dynamically by the dialog script, and whilever those conditions are met, the variable will not be editable.