Rules is on the Format menu. Rules allows you to automate the process of styling and formatting the appearance of your information based on the structure of the underlying outline. You can define rules for an entire outline, tree chart, or bullet chart series, or for any of the sublevels in these views.
The collection of rules attached to a specific headline is called a rule set. You can have any number of rules attached to any headline at any level. When you define a rule, MORE places a structure symbol to the left of its attached headline.
Style and format rules attached to the Home headline affect the appearance of the entire outline, bullet chart, or tree chart; they are called global rules. Rules attached to any sublevel affect only that selected sublevel and override conflicting rules attached to higher outline levels (except for font style rules, which are additive). Rules at sublevels are best used when you need a style or format that is an exception to a Home headline rule.
When you choose the Rules command in any view, MORE displays the Rules window. By clicking the outline, bullet, or tree icon on the Rules window, you can create, review, edit, and delete the rules for any of the three views—no matter what view you are currently in. Rules in the list box of the Rules window are always for the current icon selection. The process of creating rules for each view is described in more detail below.
Rules in Outline View
When you select Rules in an outline view, the Rules window is displayed with the following options:
List box Lists the set of rules attached to the currently selected headline. Each rule in the list box has a rule name, a range of levels where the rule applies (relative to the selected headline), and an indicator for whether the rule applies to Headlines or Document windows. Clicking an item in the list box highlights and selects it. MORE displays the selected rule in the Format Rule box in the middle of the window.
Format Rule box Displays a rule selected from the List box or displays a new rule as you define it from the Format menu. The displayed value may be a pop-up menu, or one or two text boxes.
Rule Scope box Sets the scope of the rule with the following:
From Level Applies the rule to a range of headline levels. The first text box to the left of this button sets the number of the beginning level. The second text box to the left of this button sets the ending level. When defining the scope of levels, they are always relative to the selected headline, which is always 0 (zero). The maximum value for To is 999. The words, Level and To, are also pop-up menus. If the desired level number is not on the pop-up menu, click inside the type-in box and type the number you want.
Headlines Selects or deselects headlines, when applying the rule.
Documents Selects or deselects document windows, when applying the rule. When you select Documents, MORE displays an X in the check box. This item will appear dimmed, when it is not available.
View Icons Display rules for a different view than the one currently displayed.
Add Creates a new rule to the list box and applies it at the selected headline. Add overrides previously defined, conflicting rules.
Replace Substitutes the currently highlighted rule in the List box with another rule and applies it to the current selection.
Delete Erases the currently highlighted rules in the List box and removes it from the selected headline. If the deleted rule was a conflicting rule, MORE applies its next-listed companion rule. Should you accidentally delete a rule, you can restore it by choosing Undo Format Change on the Edit menu. If you delete all the rules at the Home headline, MORE will revert to the default set of Home headline rules.
Rules in Bullet Chart View
You can define bullet chart rules with the Scope Tool on the bullet chart palette or through the Rules window. MORE considers the currently displayed chart in the series to be at relative Level-0. You can apply a rule from the current chart (Level-0) through all of its subcharts (down to Level-999). You can apply rules to chart frames, chart titles, chart subheads, draw objects, and caption text.
To define rules from the bullet chart palette, the bullet chart view of the outline must displayed. The bullet chart palette is described below:
Bullet Chart Palette Click the palette Scope Tool to toggle between This Chart and All Charts. When This Chart is selected, MORE applies the styles and formats that you choose from the palette, Bullet menu, and Format menu as a Level 0-0 rule to only the displayed bullet chart. No rule is created. When All Charts is selected, MORE applies the styles and formats that you choose from the palette, Bullet menu, and Format menu as a Level 0-999 rule to all the charts in the series.
Even when you create rules from the palette, MORE will instantly list them in the Rules window if it’s currently displayed. If you want to review or delete existing rules, you must use the Rules window, rather than using the Scope Tool on the palette.
The Rules window has more options for setting the scope of rules than does the rule Scope tool on the palette. When you click the bullet chart icon on the Rules window, the check boxes change to Titles, Subheads, and Draw Objects. So, you quickly can create rules that include the scope of one or more of these chart elements. MORE displays the bullet charts rules in the list box for the current chart if there are any. This does not mean that outline and tree chart rules are gone. If you want to review the rules for the other views, just click the outline or tree icon on the Rules window. Even when you are in a particular view, you still can use the Rules window to create rules for another view.
Rules in Tree Chart View
You can define Tree chart rules with the Scope Tool on the tree chart palette or through the Rules window. MORE considers the currently selected tree node to be at relative Level-0. So you can apply a rule to any node (Level-0) and through its subnodes (down to Level-999). MORE attaches tree chart rules to the headlines in the outline that correspond to the selected tree nodes.
If no node on the tree chart is selected, then MORE assumes that the whole tree chart is selected and attaches rules to only the companion headline of the tree chart summit. If several nodes are selected, even non-contiguous ones, then MORE analyzes the situation and uses as few rules as possible to affect the desired change.
Tree Chart Palette MORE creates a rule for the styles and formats that you choose from the palette, Tree menu, and Format menu. The Scope Tool is sensitive to current selections on the tree chart. For example, clicking the tree chart background to select the whole tree chart changes the Scope Tool to All Objects. Listed below are the available settings for the tree chart Scope Tool:
All Objects Click the background. Creates a Level 0-999 rule that affects all nodes and all connecting lines.
All Nodes Click the background, then click the Scope Tool until this setting displays. Creates a Level 0-999 rule that affects all nodes.
All Lines Click the background, then click the Scope Tool until this setting displays. Creates a Level 0-999 rule that affects all connecting lines.
Selected Objects Click a combination of nodes and connecting lines. MORE analyzes the selections and uses as few rules as possible to affect the desired change.
Selected Nodes Click any nodes. MORE analyzes the selections and uses as few rules as possible to affect the desired change.
Selected Lines Click any lines. MORE analyzes the selections and uses as few rules as possible to affect the desired change.
The Rules window has more options for setting the scope of rules than does the rule scope tools on the palette. When you click the tree chart icon on the Rules window, the check boxes change to Normal Nodes and Clusters. A Normal Node is any node on a tree chart. A Cluster is the lowest level of nodes for any branch on the tree. You can create a cluster rule on only the parent node of the cluster. MORE displays the tree charts rules in the list box for the selected node, if there are any. This does not mean that outline and bullet chart rules are gone. If you want to review the rules for the other views, just click the outline or tree icon on the Rules window. Even when you are in a particular view, you still can use the Rules window to create rules for another view.
Installing Rules in the Library
You can save the formatting and style decisions created by using rules by installing a rule set in the Library. Rules sets can come from any headline, bullet chart object, and/or tree node. Rules sets can also come from the list box of the Rules window.
