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As explained in earlier sections, a Pathagoras template is not a complete (i.e., "overbuilt") document from which you pare away clauses not needed for the particular customer or client. A template is essentially a blank document that provides the shape for the clauses that will be poured into it. The templates screen gives you quick access to the various 'shape' providing devices. Here we are talking not just about memo forms and letter formats that Word makes available, but your unique templates designed for production purposes that contain headers, footers, margin settings, maybe a introductory image, etc.
Activate the 'Templates’ screen by dropping down the Pathagoras features menu. Click “Templates.” This is what you will see:
The Templates Screen ('Apply' is pre-selected by default)
From the list at the top of the window, choose the template you wish to apply to the currently visible document. The templates screen allows you quick access to any of 3 folders of templates.
Then, select an action you want performed with the selected template.
Useful Information about templates and the template screen:
| • | If the document name of the template is not descriptive enough for you, you can add a description that provides more information as to its use. Just click the ‘Add/Modify Description’ and then type/modify the description of the template in the ‘Description' block. Press <Save> when done. |
| • | As indicated at the beginning, Pathagoras does not define templates in the same way that other programs do. (We believe that Pathagoras is closer to the original intent Microsoft had regarding the use of templates). Templates provide shape. Everything else provides the content. The consequence (all positive) is that what you may have considered a 'requirement’ (that all ‘source documents’ be built as and in “.dot” files) is simply incorrect. Indeed we strongly recommend that all source documents be designed and saved as standard Word “.doc” (document) files. ‘.doc’ files are easier to work with, easier to save and easier to retrieve. (Have you ever tried to save a new .dot files? Word always jumps you to the default templates path, and you have to re-navigate to the folder in which you really want the file.) |
| • | While you can go round-robin with the templates that display in Pathagoras’ Template’s screen (applying each against the current document to see how your text looks inside of the template’s settings), it only works well if the template otherwise has no ‘main story’ text within it. Otherwise, all text of the current document (including text provided by the template’s main story) will be carried forward to the next display. |
| • | The template ‘round-robin’ is particularly helpful in the following situation: Let us say you draft a letter that you anticipate printing onto your quality letterhead. In that situation, you only want the body of the letter to appear on screen. Now you decide that after you print on the letterhead, you now wish to e-mail or fax it. Of course, you could scan the letterhead version (that takes time). The better technique would be simply to ‘apply’ your letterhead template (using the Templates screen) and then e-mail or fax the letter directly from your computer. |
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