TexasBarBooks Digital Product FAQs


   (Click here for TexasBarCLE FAQs.)


Licensed Users Download and Installation Troubleshooting Usage Tips TexasBarBooks Contact Information


Licensed Users

Who is allowed to use the digital product?

How do I make the digital product available to other lawyers in my firm?

The current owner of a book or manual may purchase additional and entity licenses for the digital product at special prices. An entity license allows a firm to place the digital product's contents on the firm's intranet. To find out more, go to http://TexasBarBooks.net/additional-licenses/.

Return to top



Download and Installation

Why does TexasBarBooks no longer provide the digital product on CD-ROM?

Downloadable digital products allow TexasBarBooks to provide better service: The digital products still contain all the great content you've come to expect from TexasBarBooks in a format that's faster, easier, and greener. If you need a copy of the product on an external storage device, you can easily copy the digital files to CD-R, flash drive, or whatever device works best for you.

How many times may I download the digital product?

Licensed users may download the digital product as many times and as frequently as necessary, subject to the terms in the License and Limited Warranty.

What if I can't find the digital product download Web page?

See the separate tips for finding a digital product's download Web page.

What if the file won't download from the Web page?

See the separate tips for downloading and installing a digital product.

What does the "Windows" executable (EXE) file do?

The Windows-compatible downloadable file for each TexasBarBooks digital product is an executable (EXE) file that, when run, will automatically install the complete digital product on your computer.

What if I want both versions of forms installed on my computer for a manual that has separate Word and WordPerfect installation files?

Simply download and install both the Word version and the WordPerfect version. Only one set of the files common to both installations (for example, the main PDF files of the manual) will remain installed, but all folders and files for both the Word and WordPerfect versions of the forms text files will install, and the links to both versions from the main PDF files of the manual will be fully functional.

Return to top



How do I convert MS Word files to WordPerfect?

As of 2011, WordPerfect is no longer supported for the Texas Real Estate Forms Manual or the Texas Collections Manual. You may convert the MS Word files for these digital products to WordPerfect yourself using the following procedures. Note that anomalies will likely exist in the converted files, and they will require proofreading and minor revision before use.

To convert a single Word file to WordPerfect, follow the instructions below:
  1. Launch WordPerfect.


  2. From WordPerfect's menu bar, select File > Open.


  3. In the Open File window, navigate to and open the desired Word file. To ensure that Word file names appear in WordPerfect's Open File window, make certain that "All Files" is the option selected for that window's "File type" option.


  4. With the selected Word file open in WordPerfect, from the WordPerfect menu bar, select View > Hidden Text.


  5. From the WordPerfect menu bar, select File > Save As and save the converted file with the desired file name at the desired location.
With WordPerfect version 11 or later, it's also possible to batch-convert several or all of the digital product's Word files to WordPerfect in a single process. For instructions and tips on this WordPerfect feature, go to http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Section/Display&sid=1047024315119&gid=1047024354238&cid=1047022720150.

Note: The latest version of forms from TexasBarBooks includes all instructions formatted as red-colored hidden text instead of included as comments. To view or hide the instructions, from your WordPerfect menu bar, select View > Hidden Text. To delete a red boxed instruction (or another entire red paragraph of instructions), quadruple-click any part of the text in the paragraph and, after the paragraph has been selected/highlighted, press your keyboard's Delete or Backspace key. By selecting the entire paragraph in this manner, even the border surrounding the instruction text should be selected and deleted along with the instruction text itself.

Return to top



Troubleshooting

What if my PC has trouble running the "Windows" executable (EXE) file?

If you do not have full administrative privileges on your computer, first contact your network administrator for assistance. If this is not the source of the trouble, see the FAQ immediately below.

What if I prefer not to run the EXE file or if my network administrator cannot get it to run properly?

You may download the ZIP file instead. Then, manually extract the entire digital product from the ZIP file and save the extracted parent folder (and all its contents) at the desired hard drive location. (See the extraction instructions below.)

Will both the EXE file and the ZIP file work on either Windows or Macintosh systems?

Although the "Mac" manual installation ZIP file will work on either Windows or Macintosh systems, the "Windows" EXE file is not Macintosh-compatible. Note, however, that if the ZIP file is used to install the digital product on Windows systems, the product must be manually extracted from the ZIP file to function properly. (See the extraction instructions below.)

What if the PDF file's links to the editable text files don't work?

Two problems could prevent the main book's links from launching external documents such as the word-processing files included with many of the digital products. If neither of these procedures corrects the problem, contact TexasBarBooks at (800) 204-2222, ext. 1499; in Austin, at (512) 427-1499; or at books@texasbar.com.

What if I can't use the new TexasBarBooks Navigational Toolbar?

Note: The TexasBarBooks Navigational Toolbar is currently available for the Texas Family Law Practice Manual, third edition, the Texas Real Estate Forms Manual, second edition, and the Texas Collections Manual, fourth edition.

If the toolbar installed properly and you need instructions on how to use it, view the video tutorial at http://TexasBarBooks.net/tutorials/.

If, however, you suspect the toolbar did not install properly, or if it did not install at all, try to determine if one of the following might be the source of the trouble: If none of these procedures corrects the problem, contact TexasBarBooks at (800) 204-2222, ext. 1499; in Austin, at (512) 427-1499; or at books@texasbar.com.

Return to top



Usage Tips

What does the digital product contain?

Except for Texas Probate Forms Builder, the digital product contains an exact representation of the printed book in PDF.

Depending on the book, the digital product also contains— Some products also include the full text of selected CLE articles from the TexasBarCLE Online Library or forms available from state and federal agencies as PDF files. Many of the books' digital products also include relevant Texas codes in their entirety.

Texas Probate Forms Builder is a HotDocs-based document assembly template set adapted from the entire Texas Probate System, third revised edition, and includes all instructions, letters, forms, worksheets, and lists. Forms Builder assembles documents in PDF, Word, or WordPerfect.

For user convenience, the digital product for the Texas Probate System, third revised edition, also contains individual PDF files of the Probate Chart, the Master Information List (MIL), the Probate Information List (Form 1), the Texas Lawyer's Creed (Form 99), the Worksheets, the Checkplan, and the Significant Date List (SDL).

The digital products' PDF files are fully word-searchable. Texas and federal case and statutory citations are linked to the Casemaker database online. Tables of contents, internal cross-references, and indexes are hyperlinked to allow for easy, rapid navigation to substantive topics of interest.

Note: The editable text files are intended to be used only in conjunction with the practice notes (forms manuals), special instructions (the Texas Probate System), or PJC Comments (Texas Pattern Jury Charges series) to ease the task of preparing documents in your office. Reading the practice notes, special instructions, or Comments and reviewing the forms, charge language/instruction, or other corresponding guidelines in the publication are essential to ensure proper preparation of documents.

What software is required to use the digital product?
What tips do you have for taking full advantage of the features of the PDF files?
How are the editable text files organized?

Note: For the forms manuals, reading the practice notes and reviewing the forms in the manual are essential to ensure proper preparation of the forms. Likewise, for the Texas Probate System, third revised edition, reading the special instructions and reviewing the corresponding documents in the system are essential to ensure proper preparation of the text files, and for the Texas Pattern Jury Charges series (PJCs), reading the PJC Comments and reviewing the charge/instruction language in the book are essential to ensure proper preparation of the jury charge.
Editable text files in WordPerfect have ".wpd" extensions; Word, ".doc" extensions; and RTF, ".rtf" extensions.

How do I access the editable text files from within my word-processing software?

To access the editable text files from your word-processing software, execute that software's File, Open command; locate and open the text file folder; if that digital product's text files are further subdivided, select and open the appropriate subfolder; and finally, select and open the desired file.

To open PDF forms in a PDF forms folder (if present with a given digital product), launch Adobe Acrobat/Reader, Foxit Reader, or similar software designed to view PDF files.

Note: The editable text files for Bracing for Impact exist only as attachments to the PDF file of the book and cannot be navigated to using a word processor's File, Open command. Instead, open the PDF file of the book and launch the text files either from the PDF file's bookmarks or from the pages of the PDF file that reference those text files.

How do I customize the editable text files for use in my office?
How do I use the comments inserted in the editable text files?

Notes: Comments are a feature that allows the user to annotate the electronic version of a document with information that does not affect the pagination of a document and does not print on the finished document. We use this feature to enable you to view nonform language such as boxed instructional text from the manual on screen while you edit the forms.

The following items from the forms in the manual will appear as comments:
How do I use the new TexasBarBooks Navigational Toolbar?

Note: The TexasBarBooks Navigational Toolbar is currently available for only the Texas Family Law Practice Manual, third edition; the Texas Real Estate Forms Manual, second edition; and the Texas Collections Manual, fourth edition.

Preparing forms in your office using the editable text files just got a lot easier. With the TexasBarBooks Navigational Toolbar, you now can—
View the video tutorials at http://TexasBarBooks.net/tutorials/. (You may also navigate to the video tutorials by double-clicking the "Toolbar Tutorial" shortcut in the digital product's "WORD" and "WP" folders.)

How do I install the Navigational Toolbar on more than one computer?

See the separate instructions for installing the Navigational Toolbar on network computers.

Return to top



TexasBarBooks Contact Information

What if these FAQs don't answer my question?

Feel free to call or e-mail us:


(512) 427-1499
(800) 204-2222, ext. 1499
books@texasbar.com