Who knew that Conditional Text could be quite so exciting as I am currently finding it?
See if you can follow me, here:
I am using the same block of text (a.k.a., "text inset") in two different chapters, one entitled System Configuration, and the other Users and Groups. Cross-references within that text inset were originally all pointing to the same page, except the first chapter needed them to point to page, say, 20, and the second chapter needed them to point to, for example, page 125.
How to resolve this conundrum? Would I actually be reduced to using two separate blocks of text, individually maintained, just to get different cross-references?
No!
Conditional Text!
Condition 1: I am a text inset, and I live inside Chapter I.iii, System Configuration! I will point to page 20!
Condition 2: I am the exact same text inset, but I currently reside in my summer home, Chapter III.i, Users and Groups! I will point to page 125!
God damn. As much as I hate writing technical manuals, every now and then I will have an epiphany on the level of the one I just experienced, re: Conditional Text, and I feel all right again.
Then, of course, I realize that I just got so excited over the concept of Conditional Text that I actually called my boss over to show it off, and THEN I wrote an entire diary entry praising it, and I get very concerned as to my overall mental well-being.