Templates - Suggestion

[Murfee]

Hi, I know that this is the first version of templates and really like that users can choose a folder for their own creations. I am not sure if there are plans to add built in ones, if there are can they be exportable and deletable within the new file window. 

Not all users will want built in templates and drive space could be an issue for some that only have a small drive just to run apps. 

If they can be exported then the user could move them to somewhere for future use. A lot of users would be fine removing them from within the app itself but for some this might not be so easy.

It might be nice to offer free templates when the retail 1.8 version is launched, then users can decide where to store them.

[fde101]

Some software is now keeping the templates online and downloading them within the app the first time they are used.

[Murfee]

5 minutes ago, fde101 said:

Some software is now keeping the templates online and downloading them within the app the first time they are used.

Are they permanently stored within the app after first use or are they only downloaded temporarily when the app launches? If temporary then this might be a problem if a user is working without an internet connection...yes that happens 

 

[fde101]

3 minutes ago, Murfee said:

Are they permanently stored within the app after first use or are they only downloaded temporarily when the app launches? If temporary then this might be a problem if a user is working without an internet connection...yes that happens 

Different programs have different variations, but I believe most of them keep them cached locally long-term after first retrieved.  An option to download all of them right away for offline use might be helpful unless there are a very large number of them (which is the case with some of those apps, thus the reason not to download them locally as part of the app install); in any case there could be an option to download local copies individually if the user wants them, and that would happen automatically upon the first use.

I'm not saying Serif should or will go this route, just tossing it out there as something that is starting to happen in a lot of cases and is not an unreasonable approach.  It would allow for a large library of templates to exist without bloating the size of the initial download of the program for people who are unlikely to use more than a small number of them (if any); users could selectively download the ones they are interested in.

[Murfee]

User choice is the key to this, I personally do not want a permanent library within the app, I would like the ability to store pre made templates in a folder of my choice and then add or remove as needed into my template folder.

[obef]

Hello,

Why not use the same approach that MS Office has, a dedicated directory for templates, separate from the application; with a TAB dedicated within the dialogue "New document"...from which you can choose the desired template.

Ciao

[R C-R]

At least on my Mac, in the 1.8.0.518 beta build there is one built-in template named "SF Symbol." It is the only item in a template category named simply "Templates." In this reply to a separate topic I started, @Old Bruce identified its location (the /Applications/Affinity Publisher Beta.app/Contents/Resources/templates folder).

I assume it is the same for every Mac user running the 1.8.0.518 beta build -- if not, please say so.

Anyway, this particular template is only about 24 KB so its impact on drive storage space is minimal. As I mentioned in a reply in the other topic, it seems like an odd template to build into the app, so maybe it will be replaced with a different one in the next beta build, but I am just guessing about that.

In the meantime, it is possible to delete it, or to rename it with a different extension (like "SF Symbol.aftemplate.old") if it its presence really bothers you, & also to copy other .aftemplate files you have created into that folder so they appear in the template category named simply "Templates," but doing that means you will not be running the beta as delivered, so please do not do it if you intend to report any bugs in this (or later) builds in the beta forum.

I mention the copy hack only because it would provide a way to share .aftemplate files you have created across multiple user accounts on one Mac in the retail release, so it could be considered a feature request if for example implemented as as an explicit option for the File > Export as Template ... menu item.

[Murfee]

Hi @R C-R

I agree it is an odd template. It could just be a place holder to indicate that the functionality is possible. This particular template doesn’t concern me as I doubt it will be in the release version. I am just wary of the possibility that we could get a full library of built in templates in the release version, some of which could contain graphics, then file sizes will be larger.

As it is at the moment the built in template appears first, if there is a reasonably large internal library there would be a lot of scrolling before you got to your own templates. The ability to export any built in ones then delete them from the library just as we can with Assets & Styles would be a good solution. 

I think that the new document window is a very nice step forward, it just needs a bit of refining before release. 

[Old Bruce]

11 minutes ago, Murfee said:

As it is at the moment the built in template appears first, if there is a reasonably large internal library there would be a lot of scrolling before you got to your own templates.

Just go to your own templates; My Templates is in the folder I created for them called Affinity Templates this menu is on the top left of the New dialog window.

[Murfee]

24 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Just go to your own templates; My Templates is in the folder I created for them called Affinity Templates this menu is on the top left of the New dialog window.

Well I clicked everything except the right box to access this .... Thanks Bruce  

 

[R C-R]

20 minutes ago, Murfee said:

As it is at the moment the built in template appears first, if there is a reasonably large internal library there would be a lot of scrolling before you got to your own templates. The ability to export any built in ones then delete them from the library just as we can with Assets & Styles would be a good solution. 

Yes, that is something I would like to see in the 1.8 retail version as well, both because of the scrolling issue & the possibility that a built-in template library could bloat the installed size of the app with templates most users would never have a use for.

9 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Just go to your own templates; My Templates is in the folder I created for them called Affinity Templates this menu is on the top left of the New dialog window.

Yes, that can be done, but the current default behavior is to open the window in the "All" display mode with the "Print" menu item preselected, which means an extra step to click on the menu to open it & then to select the currently (?) designated user template folder.

It would save a step to just click on the "Templates" button, except that shows the built-in "Templates" section first, above the "My Templates" one, so if there are multiple built-in templates in future releases, it still could require more scrolling than is necessary to get to those a user creates & actually finds useful.

[R C-R]

6 minutes ago, Murfee said:

Well I clicked everything except the right box to access this ....

Which is one of the reasons I would prefer it if we could jump directly to the "My Templates" section by clicking the "Templates" button, with the built-in "Templates" section shown after the "My Templates" one instead of before it.

Alternately, add a "My Templates" button to the right of the existing one, or if nothing else, at least name that "Templates" section more descriptively, for example as "Built-in Templates" or maybe "Templates (built-in)" to make it more obvious what they are & why they are there.

[Old Bruce]

To say it is an odd template is putting it mildly, first off I don't have the SF font and what is there is weird, just weird.

 this is the bottom right corner.

[nwhit]

37 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

To say it is an odd template is putting it mildly, first off I don't have the SF font and what is there is weird, just weird.

 this is the bottom right corner.

Guessing it's simply a Placeholder to allow the feature to show and be tested in this early beta (first time for the Template feature). 

[nwhit]

3 hours ago, R C-R said:

Which is one of the reasons I would prefer it if we could jump directly to the "My Templates" section by clicking the "Templates" button, with the built-in "Templates" section shown after the "My Templates" one instead of before it.

Alternately, add a "My Templates" button to the right of the existing one, or if nothing else, at least name that "Templates" section more descriptively, for example as "Built-in Templates" or maybe "Templates (built-in)" to make it more obvious what they are & why they are there.

Agree. As per my comments in the thread on the new "New" window/feature, think it's important that the default is for the Recent Items and Templates sections to be collapsed/not showing initially. Also that the Templates section show a user's own Templates first since it is more probable that if they have created templates, that is what they are more likely looking for in that section.

[fde101]

6 hours ago, R C-R said:

both because of the scrolling issue

Currently there is a selector for "All", "Presets" and "Templates".

There should probably be one for "All", "Factory", "System" or "User" next to it.

Or alternatively, "All", "Online", "Downloaded", "System" and "User" if an online template library is used.

That should take care of the "scrolling issue" whether they provide a significant library or not.

[Patrick Connor]

This thread is locked

Now 1.8 has been released please post in the suggestions forum anything from this thread that is not implemented as you wish.