An <<*Ask. . .*>> command requires the following elements:

Opening '<<' and closing '>>'  to designate the scope of the command. (Remember: the red, blue, cyan and green colors used in these examples are not important. The color is only for emphasis and clarity.)
 

The term "*AskOptions*", "*AskOptional*", "*AskRepeat*" and "*AskValueInRange* (depending upon the nature of the command) followed by the !groupname!. Of course, this !groupname! will tie the answer to the *Ask* to the related Options/Optional/Repeat blocks in the body of the document. The exception is *AskVariable*, which does not require the !groupname!.

 

information  Okay, why the final '*' (asterisk)? Just like in a regular <<*Options/Optional*>> block, the asterisk closes the administrative section. By definition, the 'administrative section' includes any prompts/questions that are posed in a block being processed that can never appear in the final product.  In an <<*Ask*>> block, all questions, prompts, hint, tips, etc. are all 'administrative text' since none of it remains in the document. Hence the need for the final '*'.)

information  Each Ask command must reside on its own line. It cannot reside on the same line as another Ask command,  nor can any other text be combined with it.

information  The <<*Ask commands, collectively, constitute the Interview phase of document assembly. (We refer to the block of *Ask* commands as the 'Ask Table'.) As such, the commands should appear at the top of the document. The Ask Table can also reside in a separate document that you call in as a 'building block.' You should avoid interspersing *Ask* commands within the document body. Pathagoras will likely not crash if you do, but it is not considered a best practice.

information  *Ask* commands ask and record values for !groups!, the value for which is used further down in the document. They serve no other purpose. Therefore, every <<*Ask* command other than AskVariable must contain a !groupname!. Absent a !groupname!, an Ask is powerless to do anything in the document, and will fail. (You will also get an error message.)