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In the last e-mail you received from me, the headline announced 'Pathagoras 2016.1: No New Features'. That was because, rather than releasing another group of program 'improvements,' I decided to step back from the development side to do a bit of clean-up. I have continued on that path. Since the last newsletter, I have scrubbed down existing screens and rearranged buttons and links into more logical and intuitive groupings. I looked in the nooks and crannies to see what I could throw away or relocate. It was a good 'spring' (fall/winter) cleaning. Many users offered some great tips and suggestions as well, all of which I have taken to heart.
I have also taken this opportunity to label each element of the Pathagoras Features drop down menu. Now you can see what each button is supposed to accomplish without clicking it. (It's a great review of the important features of the program.) And I have added a new button cluster in the Pathagoras ribbon categorizing features as 'Beginner', 'Intermediate' and 'Advanced.' This gives you an easy access pathway to learning the program.
I have also been working on the Pathagoras Manual, making it less wordy and more 'bulleted'. This is a bit more challenging given the size of the Manual. But already I have shaved off about 20 pages. It could have been more, but I have replaced much of the removed text with more images, with the mantra that 'a picture is worth a thousand words' firmly in mind.
This version does add a few backstage changes that some may wish to know about. *Aliases* (star variables) are now stored in an Excel file by default, vice the 'csv' file previously used. (C:\program files (x86)\IDBs\multichoice.xlsx). Pathagoras plays so well with Excel that I have decided there is no reason not to take advantage of that natural relationship. When you see how easy it is to edit, add and delete *aliases* with the spreadsheet method, I think you will be happy with the change. (But to be honest, most won't even know it has happened. It is quite transparent.) Don't worry. I have grandfathered the multichoice.csv files you may have created. You can either keep the 'legacy' version of your aliases or easily convert them to xlsx. Check out this page of the Manual for more info.
I have also added a feature called 'Sub-sets'. This allows you to create a small 'books' from big ones, while keeping your documents in the same folder. It's perfect for when your books (folders or glossaries) contain more documents than you need/want to display for a particular type of document. With this new tool, you can create and display a 'sub-set' of the whole, making a bit easier to find the desired clauses. Check out Subsets as the link.
One last 'biggie'. I have added to Pathagoras the ability to replace 'John Doe' with [Client Name], '123 Main Street' with '[Client Address]', etc., not just in the underlying document, but in all documents in a designated folder. Indeed, you can replace up to 60 distinct personal values with Pathagoras variables in one pass. It uses the Create Variable Assistant with '+[. . .]' markups (very easy). Read more here. This will dramatically speed up your 'Pathagorizing' efforts.
Beta testers requested: I am also working on a new feature that many have been asking for in one form or another. I am calling the feature 'Dot Variables'. These are 'static variables, the values to which are pre-set and stored by the user in an Excel file. They can be referenced in your documents in a style such as [.FirmName], [.FirmName.Attorney] and possibly [.FirmName.Attorney.Bar Number] (The introductory 'dot' is the source of the feature's name.) If a Dot Variable has been assigned, its value will automatically be completed when Instant Database 'scan' routine is invoked. The possibilities of this tool seem limitless, including the return of one, two and three dimensional data, but I am not sure if the application is practical for most customers. I am looking for some feedback from those who see a use for it in their practices. If you see a need and are willing to help beta test this, let me know. I have posted the initial documentation of this feature in the Manual beginning with this link. I am interested in your thoughts on how you see this idea being further implemented.
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| Not a feature, but a response to requests made by many of you for this collaboration tool. I have added a Forum
by which I can answer community questions and by which you can also
participate with ideas and solutions for Pathagoras mates. I am
excited about this forum. The URL to the forum (in case you want to log
into it without referring to this newsletter) is forum.pathagoras.com (it's the same address you likely already know with 'forum.' instead of 'www.')
As always, I appreciate your kind words complimenting the program and
encouraging its development. I also very much appreciate your valuable
suggestions. I am told constantly that Pathagoras offers an incredibly
easy path to document automation, and we strive to keep it that way. |
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If you are within a year of your initial purchase or renewal of your Annual Support Agreement, or are a monthly subscriber, the Pathagoras 2016.1 upgrade is free to you. Just click the button below. At the next page, insert your Serial Number and Pathagoras will let you know where you stand. (If you don't know your serial number, no problem. Just write.)
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If you are still within your initial 90 day free trial period, you can finish up your trial with the latest, greatest version. Log back onto the site (button below) and click any 90 day trial button. If you are beyond the 90 days, but still not sure if Pathagoras fits your needs, think about a monthly subscription to Pathagoras. It's only $25 per month.
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