Developing Conditional Content

Apache OpenOffice 4.1 Writer Guide

Chapter 14: Working With Fields

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• Introduction to Fields
• Quick and Easy Field Entry
• Using Document Properties to Hold Metadata and Information That Changes
• Using Other Fields to Hold Information That Changes
• Using AutoText to Insert Often-Used Fields
• Defining Your Own Numbering Sequences
  • Create a Number Range Variable
  • Use AutoText to Insert a Number Range Field
• Using Automatic Cross-References
  • Inserting Cross-References
  • Available Formats
  • Preparing Items as Targets for Cross-Referencing
    • Using Bookmarks
    • Setting References
• Using Fields in Headers and Footers
• Using Fields Instead of Outline Numbering for Appendix Numbering
• Tricks for Working with Fields
  • Keyboard Shortcuts for Fields
  • Fixing the Contents of Fields
  • Converting Fields into Text
• Developing Conditional Content
  • Choose the Types of Conditional Content to Use
    • Conditional Text
    • Hidden Text
    • Hidden Paragraphs
    • Hidden Sections
  • Plan Your Conditional Content
    • Choose or Define a Variable
    • Define a Logical Expression (Condition) Involving the Selected Variable
  • Create the Variable
    • DocInformation Fields
    • User-Defined Variable Field
  • Apply the Condition to the Content
    • Conditional Text
    • Hidden Text
    • Hidden Paragraphs
    • Hidden Sections
  • Change the Value of the Variable
• Using Placeholder Fields
• Using Input Fields and Input Lists

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Developing Conditional Content

Conditional content is text and graphics that are included or excluded in your document, depending on a condition you specify.

A simple example is a reminder letter for an overdue account. The first and second reminders might have a subject line of “Reminder Notice”, but the third reminder letter might have the subject “Final Notice” and a different final paragraph.

A more complex example is a software manual for a product that comes in two versions, Pro and Lite. Both product versions have much in common, but the Pro version includes some features that are not in the Lite version. If you use conditional content, you can maintain one file containing information for both versions and print (or create online help) customized for each version. You do not have to maintain two sets of the information that is the same for both versions, so you will not forget to update both versions when something changes.