Template Files
Template = Default Document Settings
What exactly is a Template?
Did you ever use a box of stationery to write pen letters? Correspondence? No? But you know what stationery is, right? It's not blank paper and it's not binder paper. It's printed with a pastel picture of something you like, something that represents you in some way.
In Design Intuition, the concept is a bit more abstract, but roughly the same: Template files contain settings you like to start your designs with. When Design Intuition opens a New document, it first opens a Template file and then renames it as "Untitled." From your point of view, you can think of a Template file as a "box of design document stationery." In a way, Template files are a lot like style sheets: they store settings common to a set of files that, collectively, comprise a project or a "method of work."
What are these settings?
- Scale.
- The view and the choice of 2D or 3D rendering.
- Precision and coarse grid spacing and color.
- Measuring system and measurement units.
- Color and visibility of dimensions.
- Origin color and location.
- Visibility of names.
- Opacity.
Why is there more than one Template file?
You can think of the Inspector as having more than one distinct box of stationery, each represented by a file. Next to each file is a check box which, when marked, indicates the file is the default Template. This is the file Design Intuition uses for each New document. You might choose different Templates for different projects, or different clients or for, well, who knows?
If you don't like the default settings, you have two choices: (1) choose a different Template file or (2) open the current default Template file, alter it, Save As Template (with a nice catchy name) and then choose it as the default.
How do I Set the Default Template?
In the Template Files preferences tab, expand the list containing the templates you wish to use for every document you create. Click the radio button to the left of the template you wish to use as the default. All new documents will now use the template you've set.
Can I create my own Template?
Yes. You can create your own template simply by creating a document, opening the File menu, and selecting Save as Template. You can also use the Finder to add a Template file to this library. If you do so, you will need to tell Design Intuition to synchronize the inspector with what is on disk. To do so, simply click on the Refresh List From Disk button near the top of the Template Files preferences tab.
NOTE: If you ever click on the Reinstall Factory Default Template, whatever files Design Intuition installs for you will be reverted to their installed condition. For this reason, if you want to change one of the provided Template files, you may want to save it under a different name, using the Save as Template menu item.
How do I Change the Settings in an existing Template File?
In the Template Files preferences tab, expand the list containing the Template you wish to use, then double-click to open that Template file. Make whatever changes you like (change the View, Grid spacing, axis Colors, etc.). Save the file. As mentioned above, if this is file installed by Design Intuition, you may want to save it under a different name, using the Save as Template menu item.
Can I Apply a Template File to My Current Document?
Surprisingly, yes! In the Template Files preferences tab, expand the list containing the Template you wish to use, then select that Template. Enable the Apply Template to Document feature by checking the Enable checkbox. Click the Apply button. The Template you selected is applied to the document. None of the objects in your document are affected by the change. Note, however, that objects included in the selected Template will not be placed into your document.
What does "Reinstall Factory Templates" do?
Use this to revert all installed Template files to their factory default condition. It does not remove any Template files you've added.
