Frequently Asked Questions

Please click on a title to show the help text:
* Some items only apply to the Premium service. Where applicable to both, examples assume Premium Service.

• Starting out
  1. Which form set is right for me?
  2. I have never used your service before / I have only used the old service - Do you have a complete set of instructions?
  3. I have installed HotDocs Player and the forms. How do I open HotDocs?
• Hints and Tips
  1. How do I print a blank form?
  2. Can I spell check my form?
  3. How do I Overlay Answer Files and what does it mean?
  4. How do I send the form to people to look at if they do not have HotDocs?
  5. What do the Sort buttons in some of the templates do?
  6. What is the difference between saving Answer files and saving the Form document?
• General Enquiries
  1. What type of printer do you recommend?
  2. What is the HotDocs library?
  3. Why do the forms have to expire?
  4. The file size is too big - it takes hours to download - can I get the forms on CD?
  5. Who has permission to use the forms/HotDocs?
• Problems and Solutions (Installation)
  1. When double clicking on Forms_Premium.exe, I get the error Forms_Premium.exe is not a valid Win32 application. What do I do?
  2. When trying to install the forms, I get errors, and the install program shuts down. How can I install the forms?
  3. I get the error message General Decompression Error. How do I install the forms?
  4. When I click to download files, it says that they could contain viruses. What do I do?
• Problems and Solutions (HotDocs)
  1. When I double click on HD61Player.exe, it tries to reinstall HotDocs.
  2. Why do dates appear in American date format?
  3. Why do I get Cannot Display File instead of the usual Properties on the right hand side?
  4. When I double click on a Form Document file (after saving), it throws up an error and won't open. What is going wrong?
• Problems and Solutions (Forms)
  1. Why do I get a message saying that the forms are going to expire, and what do I do?
  2. I have just downloaded the forms, and they still say they are going to expire. Why is this?
  3. When I double click on my desktop icon, it tries to reinstall the forms.
  4. When I print out a form it has Docucom PDF Trial printed across each page. How do I remove this?
  5. Can I install forms over my network?
  6. The forms print very slowly or Print out Blank. Is there a way around this?
• Further Information
  1. Why does my form not calculate correctly/Why is it not fully automated?
  2. How do I get further technical support?

I have never used your service before / I have only used the old service - Do you have a complete set of instructions?




If you are installing HotDocs/LSC forms for the first time (including if you have the old CUKLAB forms), please use the instructions below.
* We recommend you backup all data before beginning the installation procedure. However, providing you have been saving your data to the default directories (answer files to your Answer Files directory, and forms to your My Documents directory), you should not lose any of your saved data.



1. Uninstall any current version of HotDocs you may have installed:
   [You only need to do this if you already have HotDocs installed on your computer]
   1. Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel.
   2. Double click on Add or Remove Programs.
   3. Select HotDocs 6 Player.
   4. Click on Change/Remove.
   5. Select Remove, click Next, then Finish.
2. Install HotDocs 6:
   1. Download HotDocs 6.1 (SP1) Player to your desktop.
      * You need to log in to your account to do this.
   2. Go to your desktop and double click on HDPlayer.exe.
   3. Click on OK.
   4. Click on Unzip.
   5. After it has unzipped the files click OK.
   6. Go through the on-screen prompts to install HotDocs 6
      * We recommend choosing all of the default settings .
3. Install the Forms:
   
   1. Download the LSC forms Pack (Forms_Premium.exe) to your desktop.
      * You need to log in to your account to do this.
   2. Go to your desktop and double click on Forms_Premium.exe.
   3. The Installation program will pop up a message warning you that you must have HotDocs 6.1 or greater installed.
   4. The Install program will then unzip and load up:
      
      
   5. Click on Install the Premium Forms.
   6. HotDocs 6 Player will open automatically, and prompt you to install the templates to C:\Program Files\HotDocs 6\Templates\CUKLSC_Premium.
   7. Click on OK. It will install the templates.
   8. A message box saying that the templates have been installed will pop up. Click on OK.
   9. HotDocs will automatically close itself.
   10. Exit out of the installation program, and open HotDocs using the shortcut in your Start menu (click here for full instructions).

I have installed HotDocs Player and the forms. How do I open HotDocs?



1. Go to Start > Programs > HotDocs 6.
2. Right click on HotDocs 6 Player.
3. Go to Send to > Desktop.
4. You should now have a link on your desktop.
5. If the forms are there, that's it. Otherwise, double click on this NEW link, go to File > CUKLSC_Premium.
   ***IF THIS DOESN'T EXIST SEE BELOW***
6. Close HotDocs (this will then remember the library you went in to).
7. Double click on this new link to access HotDocs from now on.

Now if you open HotDocs, you should have the new, working forms.

***If CUKLSC_Premium doesn't exist on the File menu, then you haven't installed the forms yet. Try following the instructions in the original email again, and if you get stuck, please contact us.***

Which form set is right for me?




Standard LSC Forms:
The Standard LSC form set has been created for users of the LSC forms who either print out blank forms, or who just wish to have fill-in-the-blanks forms - whether it is because they use them infrequently and don't mind the extra hassle, or because they like to be in control of exactly what is being printed.

Click here for a full description of the Standard Forms.



Premium LSC Forms:
The Premium LSC form set has been created for users of the LSC forms who want it all. These forms contain considerably more functionality - including 'Sort' buttons, calculated fields, and are in HotDocs PDF format (allowing you to convert and distribute forms for use with Adobe Acrobat) - than the standard form set. In addition to these key benefits, you will also receive access to the dedicated LSC Forms telephone support line (charged at National call rates); faster reaction times for email support requests; and a more helpful interface when using the forms.

Click here for a full description of the Premium Forms.

Please email us at formsales@capsoft.co.uk for further assistance.

How do I print a blank form?



• Open HotDocs Player.
• Double click on the form you wish to print.
• You may need to select New Answer File and click on OK (depending on which form you are using).
• If you cannot see the form in front of you, click on the Form Document tab at the bottom.
• Go to File > Print Document....
• Select HotDocs Print Function, and press OK.
• In the Output section, select Form Only (blank form).
• Select OK.

Can I spell check my form?




Yes. From either the interview or the Form Document you can:

• Go to Tools > Spell Checking;
• Press F7;
• or Click on the Spell Check button, , in the top toolbar.

Why do I get a message saying that the forms are going to expire, and what do I do?




The forms on this website automatically stop working around 3-4 months from the date they have been downloaded, users should then return to this web site and download the required forms again. This process has been introduced to ensure that all LSC forms users are using the most valid and up to date forms at all times. The reason it has been relaxed slightly for the Premium customers is because they will receive emails notifying them when the LSC issues a new forms release.



I have just downloaded the forms, and they still say they are going to expire. Why is this?




If you have only just downloaded the forms, and they still say that they are about to expire, it could be because your old file has not been overwritten correctly by Windows. To find out if this is the case, try this:

• Right click on the file and go to Properties.
• On the box that pops up (about 2/3 of the way down) is a section labelled Created:.
• Check that this date is recent - if it is not, delete this Forms_Premium.exe file, and redownload the forms from the website.

If, however, the file has today's date, you should check that it was definately this file that was installed, and not an older one on your computer, and that the file has been installed correctly.
To check this, reinstall the forms, and ensure that it comes up with the following message (or similar):



What type of printer do you recommend?




We strongly recommend an HP Laserjet printer with over 24MB of RAM. One of the reasons for this is that most inkjet printers lack the ability to print an entire form, whereas laserjet printers allow for wide margins and can print on a greater percentage of the paper.

When double clicking on Forms_Premium.exe I get the error Forms_Premium.exe is not a valid Win32 application. What do I do?




This error is usually caused when the full forms pack has not finished downloading. Right click on the file and go to Properties. Look at the file size. It should be over 7MB. If it is not, you will need to delete this file, and download it again.

When I print out a form it has Docucom PDF Trial printed across each page. How do I remove this?




The error will cause your printed pages to come out something like this:



This problem can occur if the Docucom driver has not be installed or registered correctly. It can be solved as follows:

1. Uninstall HotDocs.
2. Restart your computer.
3. Reinstall HotDocs.

Why do dates appear in American date format?




There is a setting in HotDocs which can be set to display dates as "mm/dd/yyyy" (American), rather than "dd/mm/yyyy" (British).
This is very easy to fix:

1. Open HotDocs Player.
2. Go to Tools > Options.
3. Select the second folder down (Interviews and Dialogs).
4. Within Answer entry, change Date detection from Month Day Year to Day Month Year.
5. Click on OK.
6. Changes will take place once you restart HotDocs.

When I double click on my desktop icon, it tries to reinstall the forms.




When you install the LSC forms in HotDocs, a shortcut to your desktop is NOT created - double clicking on this file means, to HotDocs, that you want to reinstall these forms. If you want a desktop icon to HotDocs Player (and thus the forms) follow these steps:

1. Left click on Start > Programs > HotDocs 6
2. Right click on HotDocs Player.
3. Left click on Send To > Desktop (create shortcut).
4. If you look on your desktop, you should see a shortcut to HotDocs Player.
5. This shortcut will continue to work even after you update your forms.

When I double click on HD61Player.exe, it tries to reinstall HotDocs.




This file installs HotDocs on you computer. If you have already installed HotDocs, opening this file makes HotDocs think that you want to reinstall it. If you want a desktop icon to HotDocs Player (and thus the forms) follow these steps:

1. Left click on Start > Programs > HotDocs 6
2. Right click on HotDocs Player.
3. Left click on Send To > Desktop (create shortcut).
4. If you look on your desktop, you should see a shortcut to HotDocs Player.
5. This shortcut will continue to work even after you update your forms.

Why do I get Cannot Display File instead of the usual Properties on the right hand side?




This happens because we have used Web Archive files to display some of the new properties pages. These files require that you have Internet Explorer 5.5 or greater installed. To check your version of Internet Explorer:

• Open Internet Explorer
• Go to Help > About Internet Explorer.
• If the version is lower than 5.5, you will need to visit Microsoft's website to update it.

I get the error message General Decompression Error. How do I install the forms?




Sometimes Winzip self extractor experiences problems, and throws up this error. In this case, try this:

1. If you do not already have it, you will need to download Winzip from http://www.winzip.com (instructions for this can be found on the Winzip site).
2. Right click on the Forms_Premium.exe file (on your desktop), and go to Open using Winzip.
3. Extract the hdi file (Forms.hdi) to your desktop.
4. Open HotDocs Player (go to Start > Programs > HotDocs 6 > HotDocs Player).
5. Click on File > Install Templates....
6. Find the Forms.hdi file, and click on Install.
7. A box will come up asking to install the template set. Click on OK. It will install the templates.
8. A message box saying that the templates have been installed will pop up. Click on OK.
9. Move all mht or htm files to your HotDocs Program Folder (for example C:\Program Files\HotDocs 6\).
10. You are now ready to use the forms.

What is the HotDocs library?




A HotDocs library is the collection of LSC templates, which you can see when you open HotDocs Player. Within this library, you can open a document or form for assembly. A HotDocs library file has a .hdl extension. Please note that a library file only contains the library data – i.e. information on where forms and templates are located – it does not contain the forms and templates themselves.

Can I install forms on my network?




If you have several people who want to access LSC forms, installing the forms on to a network drive makes it much easier to maintain the library of forms. Before setting up LSC forms on a network, you must ensure that all PC's on which you would like to use the forms have HotDocs Player software version 6.1 or higher installed. To save time, you can copy the installation files for HotDocs Player 6.1 to a network drive, then run the installation from there on each PC.

Once you have installed the HotDocs Player on each PC, you can then begin installation of the LSC forms. If you have already installed the LSC forms locally on your hard disk, you must perform all steps below to successfully install the forms on your network. If you are installing LSC forms for the first time, you can skip directly to step 6 in the instructions below.

1. Open HotDocs Player, then select Tools > Options.
2. Select the File Locations folder.
3. Select the keyword CUKLSC_Premium from Reference Path window.
4. Click on the Delete button.
5. Select Yes, followed by OK to return to the HotDocs library.
6. Create a folder on your network server and name it lscforms.
7. When you install your first LSC forms pack, HotDocs Player will ask you where you want to install the forms. Follow the instructions for installing the forms, entering the full path to the network folder, which you created in Step 6 above.
8. Save the library file to the network folder that you created in step 6. To do this, select File > Save As... from the HotDocs menu, then browse the folder that you created in step 6, type in the name CUKLSC_Premium (make sure you type the correct name, or you will lose some of the functionality), then click Save.
9. Go to the next PC, on which you would like to use LSC forms and open the LSC forms library. Start HotDocs Player, Select File > Open, then browse to the file CUKLSC_Premium, which will be in the folder you created in Step 6. When you have selected this file, click Open.
10. At the LSC forms library, select Tools > Options. Select File Locations. Click Add button to add a new keyword to the Reference Path section, type CUKLSC_Premium (make sure you type the correct one, or IT WILL NOT WORK). In the box marked Path, enter the path to the network folder that you created in Step 6. Finally, click Yes followed by OK to return to the LSC forms library. (If you have previously installed the LSC forms locally on the PC, the key CUKLSC_Premium will already exist. If this is the case, simply edit the value displayed in the Value box so that it displays the path to the network folder you created in Step 6.
11. Repeat Steps 9 & 10 for every PC on which you wish to use the LSC forms.

Why do the forms have to expire?




We never know for certain when a new set of forms might be released by the LSC - we are given about 1-2 months notice before the forms become mandatory. Because of this, if we do not keep resetting the form's expiry date, we run the risk of our users using out-of-date forms. These forms could be rejected by the LSC, and returned, causing unnecessary delays. We believe that the effort involved in having to update the forms every so often is less than the potential consequences of sending out-of-date forms.



The file size is too big - it takes hours to download - can I get the forms on CD?




Premium users can (at any time) request the forms with HotDocs Player on CD at a cost of £20. Please note that this is in addition to the subscription fee, and must be paid every time a CD is requested (ie every update, as required).

This service is not provided to Standard Forms users.

What do the Sort buttons in some of the templates do?




The Sort buttons were created so that you do not have to enter your information in chronological order. After you have entered your information (on a form with this ability), you just need to move on to the next dialog, and click on Sort. Your rows should now be in chronological order.

What is the difference between saving Answer files and saving the Form document?




Answer files only save the actual answers which you have typed in.
Saving the answers by going to File > Save Answers As.... The advantages and disadvantages of saving as an Answer file are as follows:

• Save disk space.
• Reuse these answers in other forms.
• Newer versions of forms may use different variable names, meaning that your answers could be 'lost'.

Saving the Form Document can be done by going to File > Save Document As.... The advantages and disadvantages of saving the Form Document are as follows:
• These are not dependant on having a copy of the relevant form template, and can be opened with a fresh install of HotDocs Filler (even if a set of forms has not been installed).
• After saving, fields will no longer automatically calculate values.
• We advise saving the Form Document when you have completed filling out a form, and need an electronic copy for your permanent records.

There is no problem with saving BOTH the answer file and form document each time.

How do I Overlay Answer Files and what does it mean?




If you use the same answers over and over again (for example your Solicitor's firm name and address), you can save a set of answers to use as Overlay Answers. To populate the form with these answers:

1. Open up your form for assembly as normal.
2. Select your answer file as normal (if your answer file contains answers which are also in the overlay file they will be replaced).
3. Go to File > Overlay Answers.
4. Find the answer file you wish to use to Overlay and click on Select.
5. Note that your original answer file is still the one in use.

How do I send the form to people to look at if they do not have HotDocs?




In order to distribute the forms to others who do not have HotDocs installed, you need two things:

• You need to ensure that the user who wants to view the form has a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader. This is free software which can be downloaded from Adobe.
• A copy of HotDocs PDF Advantage (an add-on to HotDocs Player). This is a free optional download available only to Premium subscribers. To obtain a copy of this, log into your account, and follow the instructions.

When you have installed HotDocs PDF Advantage, it is easy to create PDF documents. After completing an interview, there is an additional option, Save a copy of the assembled document as a PDF. Select this, and choose where to save it to.
You can then send this document to whoever needs to view it.

Who has permission to use the forms/HotDocs?




The Forms are liscenced per firm, so you may distribute the form templates only within your Firm. HotDocs Player, however, is free software and you may distribute it as you wish. When you download HotDocs Player, the file is actually (what is referred to as) a self-extracting archive. However, it is too large to distribute on one floppy disk.

When I click to download files, it says that they could contain viruses. What do I do?




If, when trying to download the forms, a window pops up like this one:

Ensure that the website (in the From field) is correct (although the File name could change depending on whether you are downloading the forms or HotDocs Player), then click on Save, and save the file as normal.
Please note that whilst we take every possible precation to ensure that our files are virus free, we still strongly advise the use of Virus protection, and advise that you test all files obtained from the internet for viruses before opening them for the first time.

Why does my form not calculate correctly/Why is it not fully automated?




We are hoping to finish automating the full set of forms in the near future. However, if there is anything about the forms which you think should be changed, or is incorrect or if you have any comments or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us at forms@capsoft.co.uk .

How do I get further technical support?




Premium Customers
By phone: 08707 413 478 (Calls charged at national rate)
By email: forms@capsoft.co.uk (We normally respond within 3 working hours)

Standard customers
By email: forms@capsoft.co.uk (We normally respond within 24 working hours)

We are open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

When trying to install the forms, I get errors, and the install program shuts down. How can I install the forms?

The most common error thrown up is Runtime Error 430. Class does not support Automation or does not support expected interface. There are many other errors, which this will also fix, however. Please note that you should only ever need to do this once per computer (you should not need to repeat this process for your next form download).

• Firstly, ensure you have Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher. You can check this by opening Internet Explorer, and going to Help > About Internet Explorer. If you have an older version, go to the Microsoft website, and upgrade it.
• If this does not fix your problem, try downloading and installing these dll files (click here). These MUST be installed to your System Folder. You may need to overwrite your existing files.
• If neither of these work, please contact us for further information.

The forms print very slowly or print out blank. Is there a way around this?

Some users have found that several of the forms are coming out blank, or that the forms are printing very slowly.

Printing using Adobe Acrobat has been recommended to get around this problem. This is done as follows:

1. Ensure that you have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer. If you do not unsure, go to Start > Programs > Adobe Acrobat/Reader. If this does not exist you probably do not have it installed. If it is here, click on it to make sure that it opens up correctly.
   If it is not installed, visit http://www.adobe.com to download Acrobat reader (for free).
2. By default HotDocs always asks if the user wants to print hpd files (using Acrobat or HotDocs Print functions) whenever you select print. If you do not get this message, open HotDocs, go to Tools > Options, then go to Form Documents, and on the right hand side should be an option to Print pdf-based forms using. Select Always Ask.
3. Now you should be set up - any forms that print blank or slowly can now be printed using Adobe Acrobat (just select this instead of the HotDocs Print Function whenever you wish to print these documents).

When I double click on a Form Document file (after saving), it throws up an error and won't open. What is going wrong?

It could be that your computer is looking for the wrong program to open up the form in. To change the default program used to open hpd forms:

1. Open any folder.
2. Go to View (Windows 98) or Tools, then select Folder Options.
3. Click on the File Types tab at the top.
4. [Windows 98 and NT] - Browse through to find the HotDocs PDF Document (HPD) tab, and click Edit, then select Open, click on Edit, press browse and search for hd6fill.exe under your HotDocs Directory (usually C:\Program Files\HotDocs 6\).
5. [Windows 2000 and XP] - Browse through to find the HPD tab, and click Change, then select HotDocs 6 Filler.
6. Press OK/Done/Close etc to exit out of these boxes, saving all changes where asked.
7. Now you should be able to just double click on your HPD documents to open them.