cross reference vs variables

[Mike Wickham]

> Just to mix things up, the next question will appear in the form of a 
> statement.
>
> There is very little difference between cross-references and variables.
>
> Discuss.
>
> Deirdre

One advantage of variables is that you can't delete them accidentally. More 
than once, I have deleted a section of text and not noticed that it 
contained a cross-reference or cross-reference marker referenced from 
somewhere else. Deleteing either one breaks the cross-reference, leaving an 
unresolved cross-reference. But if I delete text that contains a variable, 
big deal. I only deleted the text, because the variable definition still 
exists to work everywhere else it has been, and ever will be, used.

There are lots of differences between cross-references and variables. Use 
cross-references to link to somewhere else you want the reader to go. "See 
figure x on page nnn" for example.

Use user variables for data you may want to change. For example, some create 
user variables for product names because the final name of the product may 
change before it goes into production-- like the way Microsoft called a 
product "Chicago" before it was eventually released as Windows 95-- or maybe 
the product is sold to others to be resold under different proprietary brand 
names. So changing the definition of a variable can instantly change the 
product data sheet for "Joe's Snake Oil" to one for "Rebecca's Magic Elixir" 
without having to search and replace for every location of that phrase.

Mike Wickham