Template Management¶

Version: 1.10.0

Create and manage reusable XML templates, XPath snippets, and code patterns to speed up your work.

Templates power the New File dialog

Templates you create also appear in the guided New File dialog (filtered to the matching file type), so a brand-new document can start from a template instead of a blank page. You manage your own templates in the Settings → Templates card. See Creating templates for the New File dialog.

Overview¶

Template Manager Overview The XML Editor with the Template Development panel and the Templates toolbar action

Templates let you create reusable document structures with placeholders for content that changes. Instead of typing the same XML structure repeatedly, save it as a template and fill in the blanks each time.

Key Features¶

Template Creation¶

Feature	Description
Visual Editor	Create templates without writing code
Parameters	Define placeholders that get filled in later
Preview	See what your template will produce
Categories	Organize templates into groups

XPath Snippets¶

Pre-built XPath expressions for common tasks: - Find elements with specific attributes - Search for text content - Select elements by position

Template Types¶

XML Document Templates¶

Create complete document structures with placeholders:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<${rootElement}>
    <header>
        <title>${documentTitle}</title>
        <version>${version}</version>
        <created>${createdDate}</created>
    </header>
    <content>
        ${contentPlaceholder}
    </content>
</${rootElement}>

The parts in ${} are parameters you fill in when using the template.

Schematron Rule Templates¶

Ready-to-use validation patterns:

<rule context="${contextPath}">
    <assert test="${testExpression}">
        ${errorMessage}
    </assert>
</rule>

How to Use¶

Creating a New Template¶

Open Template Manager from the toolbar
Click "New Template"
Choose template type
Write your template with ${parameter} placeholders
Define what each parameter means
Test with sample values
Save with a descriptive name

Using a Template¶

Open the template library in any editor
Browse or search for the template you need
Select the template
Fill in the parameter values
Insert the generated content

Managing Templates¶

Action	Description
Edit	Modify existing templates
Duplicate	Copy a template to create a variation
Delete	Remove templates you no longer need
Export	Share templates with others
Import	Add templates from others

Creating templates for the New File dialog¶

Your own templates are managed in Settings, in the TEMPLATES card, and are then offered in the New File dialog whenever you create a document of the matching type.

Set the templates folder¶

Open Settings (gear icon at the bottom of the activity bar).
In the TEMPLATES card, use Browse… to choose the folder where your templates are kept (leave it empty for the default location).
The change takes effect right away - no restart needed.

Add or change a template¶

In the TEMPLATES card you will find a list of your own templates with three buttons:

Button	Action
New	Create a template. Fill in Name, Category, Description, File type, and Content.
Edit	Open the selected template to change any of its fields.
Delete	Remove the selected template.

Each template is saved as a .template file in the templates folder. The File type you pick decides where the template shows up: it appears in the New File dialog only when that same file type is selected.

Use it when creating a file¶

Click New on the toolbar (Ctrl+N), or New file in the Explorer panel.
Choose the File type that matches your template.
Open the Template list - your template appears alongside the built-in ones.
Select it; if it has parameters, you are prompted to fill them in.
Optionally choose a Save to location, then confirm to create the document.

Parameter Types¶

Type	Description	Example
Text	Any text value	Document title
Number	Numeric values	Version number
Date	Date values	Creation date
Yes/No	True or false	Include header?
Choice	Pick from a list	Document type

Keyboard Shortcuts¶

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl+T`	Open Template Manager
`Ctrl+Shift+T`	Insert Template
`F5`	Refresh Template Library

Tips¶

Template Design¶

Tip	Description
Keep it simple	Smaller templates are more reusable
Clear names	Use descriptive parameter names
Default values	Provide sensible defaults to speed up usage
Add descriptions	Help yourself remember what each template does

Organization¶

Tip	Description
Use categories	Group related templates together
Consistent naming	Follow a naming pattern
Document templates	Add notes about when to use each one

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