<<*Ask*>> Elements

   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!.

 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 '*'.)

 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.

 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.

 *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.)