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Journals by EmailWhen we were starting the process of hiring for the two positions we just filled, something one of the applicants said inspired me.
In either his cover letter or resume, he wrote that he had experience using snippets and other features of Flare to execute complex single sourcing. That has made me think about how I can do that in my latest project (using RoboHelp 7).
I’m trying to kick the copy-paste habit. Right now I’m writing some procedures that have some common material, and when I have found myself wanting to copy and paste (or just having done so), I realize that if I’m not changing anything between the two instances, it’s a perfect place to create a snippet so that I can change it in that one place and have the change applied wherever I’m using the snippet.
Using snippets is a little tricky with numbered steps, though. I found that as long as I don’t specify a start number in the steps in the snippet, I can insert them in the middle of a procedure and have the numbering come out right. However, to make the numbering work right, I have to insert the snippet right at the end of the previous list item (as if it was going to be part of that item), not as a subsequent list item or paragraph. That does funny things to the numbering.
If I had all the time in the world, I’d go back and do some reworking in a previous project where I know there was duplicate content. But I’m sure that kind of time isn’t to be had, and it really would be a benefit only to me and not to the users directly.
Anyway, we hired Paul, the guy who pointed his use of snippets in his cover letter or resume. So actually, before he even joined the team, I started to receive benefit of his experience. Just his having pointed out what he has done has made me more conscious of how I can use this technique. I’m looking forward to other such things that the new team members can wake me up to. Thanks Paul! 
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