Every program has got to be able to distinguish between its commands and the substantive text that a command controls. It's no less true with Pathagoras and its plain text approach. We call the 'non-substantive' areas of a document 'administrative text.'

   Administrative text has the following elements:

1.Boundary Markers. What marks the beginning and end of a command block. In Pathagoras it is << and >> for a 'robust Option or Optional call' and for a Repeat block.

2.The command (*Options* or *Optional* or *Repeat*). The asterisks on each end of the command are an essential part of the command.

3.Any 'arguments' (optional) which refines the command and tells Pathagoras further goals of the command. E;g., *Options(radio)* tell Pathagoras to display the choices with single-select 'radio' buttons; *Repeat(and;)* tells Pathagoras to separate the repeating text with semi-colons and to add an 'and' before the last repeated text. The argument is within the command section (before the second '*').

4.The !groupname! (optional) to tie the answer of the first appearance of the group with remaining appearances of the group further down in the document. (In examples used herein, the groupname is often painted green, but the color is not needed.) If used, a groupname immediately follows the command. <<*Options(radio)*!fruit!*apples/bananas/cherries>>

5.Any Prompts (optional) to offer short text snippets or questions to guide (i.e., 'prompt') the user when making a decision regarding an Options, Optional or Repeat block. By 'short', we mean up to 60 characters (270 characters if the prompts are multiple choice elements, separated by slashes, with no element being > 60 characters).

6.If a !groupname! or prompt has been added to the command block, a closing asterisk must be placed at the end of the last administrative text element to signal its close. If !groupname! and prompt used, the third asterisk goes after the prompt. If a groupnamd but no prompt, the asterisk follows the closing '!' of the !groupname!. (If you have neither !groupnames! nor prompts, this third asterisk is not needed.)
 

   Examples. Remember, the colors in the below examples are for emphasis only. They are not needed for proper structure. You can copy and past any (or all) of the below examples into a Word document. Process them by pressing <Alt-P>.

   The administrative text above is simply the command "<<*Options*" followed by three choices. Therefore, only 2 asterisks are used.

   Now imagine a longer version of the above:

    Without formal prompts, the first 200 characters of each choice will be presented as the text in the 'choices' screen as prompt text. That's a lot of reading. Time to use prompts!

   Prompts are used in the example below. Short, sweet, simple. Note the asterisk at the end of the prompts (i.e., the close of the administrative text):

    If a !groupname! is used, it must appear immediately after the command (and before any prompts). Note that the asterisk (after the prompts) denoting the close of 'all' of the administrative text.

   If you have nested options/optional blocks, treat such blocks independently, and as if the nested block is 'substantive' for purposes of the outer block. So, while, in the below block, administrative text can be seen as spanning almost the entire first line, for purposes of the outer '*Optional*' block (and this rule), the administrative text ends after 'shipping?' and just before the nested '<<*Options* . . . block.

* (et-------------------------------------------

<<*AskOptions.) . . . >> blocks. By 'definition, an 'Ask' prompt in an interview is all 'administrative text'. None of the command will remain in the document after processing. Therefore, it is all 'adminstrative' and the asterisk must appear at the end of the block.

 <<*AskOptional*!Shipping!Are we shipping?*>>

 <<*AskOptions*!ShipType!FedEx/USPS (First Class)/UPS*>>

*Aliases* and Administrative Text: Newcomers (and even not so newcomers) to Pathagoras may become a bit perplexed when *Aliases* (and their stars) are added to administrative text.That's a lot of asterisks at play. The above link will take you to a separate article we have prepare on this topic. It's actually quite easy and logical.

 

As a reminder, the 'prompt' or 'question' in the administrative block can be no longer than 60 characters (270 characters if the prompts are multiple choice elements, separated by slashes, with no element being > 60 characters). Hopefully you can frame your question in that space.