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We have been continuing our Spring cleaning of Pathagoras. New (and returning) users have expressed great appreciation for how our new look has made it easy to learn to use the program and to create some quite fancy documents in very short order.
- Most welcome seems to be the 'Beginners', 'Intermediate' and 'Advanced' Guides accessible through the Pathagoras toolbar. The quick access, compact displays, and improved description of the features, are notable improvements over the previous tutorials.
- Some have suggested (and we have implemented) new 'tips' scripts so that when the cursor is hovered over a particular button more information is provided, or options allowed.
- Others have suggested adding more right-click menus and actions at strategic locations. Done. (E.g., check out the right click menus in the Libraries and Books screens.)
Thanks to all who have made suggestions on how to improve the look and feel of Pathagoras. Keep those cards and letters coming. You guys always have such great ideas!
Some of the suggestions and program changes since the last mailing are more substantive. Indeed, so substantive, and so plentiful, that an upgrade in the version is warranted. So we announce here the release of Pathagoras version 2016.2.
Here are some of the newest improvements and additions:
- Clause Selection and Instant Database Screen Improvements:
Width sliders: When
document names (for the Clause Selection screen) or variable names (for
the Instant Database screen) are wider than the initial display, you
can now grab a 'slider' in the lower right side of the screen and
increase the width to view the entire value. (To set a default opening width,
you would still use the resizer buttons to set the default. Make sure
the click the 'lock' button.)
Right click options: You can now right click on books in the Document Assembly screen to reset, rename or repoint those books. You can right click on the informational bar at the foot of the Instant Database screen to repoint to a common location of your IDB records.
- Default Values for *Aliases* and Multiple Choice Variables:
It is now possible to set a 'default value' for your multiple choice lists. When the choices come from an *Alias* or from a hard coded list, just type a '#' in front of the value you want to be the default. When the list is displayed in the Instant Database screen, the item marked as the default will appear in the field. You can still select any of the other choices, by when you use one choice more than the others, it's nice not to have to make a selection every time.
- Mail Merge Improvements:
The power of 'plain text' mail merge takes another step forward. Using the power of Excel and the ease of use of Pathagoras, you can now create en masse any number of highly personalized letters or reports.
Mail merge with just Word tools allow you to personalize letters with names and a few individualized values. If your recipients need significantly varying content, including distinct text passages, charts, images, etc., Pathagoras can oblige.
When Pathagoras was first introduced, users would ask if even simple mail merge was possible. We had to say 'No.' Beginning with version 10, we introduced simple mail merging. It was a hit, but still not very 'different' from what Word already offered.
Now we can say 'Yes, with a vengeance.' We even have the audacity to suggest that it provides the most powerful mail merge routine available. One user has over 450 contacts. Each contact requires unique text, charts and images. Pathagoras can handle that with ease and remarkable speed.
Another 'better than Word' feature. Let's say you want to save each individually merged document. You cannot in Word, at least not in an automated fashion. But you can with Pathagoras. And it's all done with plain text variables and a simple link to an Excel spreadsheet.
Read more at this link.
- DropDown List improvements: Excel connectivity
Not a new feature, but an improvement that practically qualifies as such. You can now quickly link your document to an Excel spreadsheet (or portion thereof) with DropDown List speed and elegance.
- *Aliases* as DropDown Lists:
You can now add one (or more) of your *Aliases* to a DropDown List. (Aliases are single word references to a long list of items. E.g., *States* representing the 50 United States of America; *Attorneys* representing all the attorneys in your firm, etc.) Assigning an alias to DropDown List and you will be able to two-click in any item in the list. See this page in the Manual.
- Sentence assembly with *Aliases*:
Got a bunch of words or short phrases you typically use to create sentences for reports? For lawyers, it might be the prayer clauses in pleadings. For medical professionals, it might be a listing of medications, or descriptions of observations or behaviors.
Pathagoras' *Alias* tools make it easy to display and select one, 5, a dozen, a hundred, etc. elements from an *Alias* list and quickly insert those selections into your text. Create (or finish) a sentence, a numbered list, a bulleted list, anything you want. Extremely fast and extremely elegant. One beta tester called it 'beautiful.' See this page in the Manual.
- New (and some old) Alt-G calls:
- Meeting(Alt-G) will start a GoToMeeting session
- Last(Alt-G) will recall the last document called via Pathagoras.
- Lastpath(Alt-G) will open the last folder you worked with.
- (quicklink name)(Alt-G) will open folder assigned to QuickLink name. See 'QuickLinks' in Manual
- (#)(Alt-G) will open folder assigned to 'SmartPath' number in PathSmart module.
- (document name)(Alt-G) will insert text of named document. Requires that named document be present in one of your DropDown Lists.
- New (and some old) Date-Variables:
- [Date of Contract]
- [Date of Contract(ext)]
- [Date of Contract(num)]
- [Date of Contract(num4)]
Some oldies but goodies.
Just a reminder of some fantastic Pathagoras tools that you may have forgotten:
- 'Sub-sets'. Create 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 at the link.
- Pathagorizing a folder (vs. a document) at a time: 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. Replace up to 60 distinct personal values with Pathagoras variables in one pass. Read more here. This will dramatically speed up your 'Pathagorizing' efforts.
- 'Dot Variables': These are 'static variables stored in the same file as your *Aliases*. They can be referenced in your documents in a style such as [.FirmName], [.FirmName.Attorney] and possibly [.FirmName.Attorney.Bar Number]. 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.
- QuickLinks: This is a really ‘cool’ application introduced last fall. Imagine that you have assigned the folder 'Clients' in which you store your clients’ documents to the QuickLink word ‘clients.’ To access the folder, simply type
“clients” anywhere on an editing screen and press Alt-G. Instantly, the folder called 'Clients'
appears. No navigation. Want to hone in on a particular clients folder? Just type 'clients/jo' Alt-G and all folders (Jones, Johnson,Jordan etc) will be displayed for you to choose. (How is this document
assembly? you may ask. Well, Pathagoras’ roots are actually based in super-fast folder
navigation -- hence the ‘Path’ in Pathagoras. We extended the fast navigation concept into document
assembly, and all associated with that. But we have not lost touch with our
roots.) Read more about QuickLinks here.
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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 2016.2 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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