Section 18. Use a Template

18. Use a Template

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

2 Create a New Document

16 About Styles and Templates

SEE ALSO

34 Use AutoCorrect to Improve Your Typing

Templates contain formatting for complete documents. All the OpenOffice.org programs support templates. If you create a new document without specifying a template, Writer uses the Default template style to create the empty document and to set up initial font, margin, and other formatting- related details.

The Templates and Documents dialog box lists all the templates available to you. You often work with templates, selecting and adding them, from the Templates and Documents dialog box.

KEY TERM

Templates and Documents dialog box An organizer of templates and styles that enables you to use and organize your templates.

18. Use a Template

1.	Request a Template Select File, New, Templates and Documents to open the Templates and Documents dialog box. Click the Templates icon to see folders of templates such as My Templates and Presentations (for Impress, see 86 Use an Impress Template ).
2.	Choose a Template Decide which template you want to work with. If you've recently installed Writer or have not added new templates, you may see only two templates: Presentation Backgrounds and Presentations . These are for Impress; OpenOffice.org does not include any Writer templates beyond the blank default document template. NOTE Writer organizes templates in folders. The name of the folder tells you the kind of templates that are inside. The Default folder may contain multiple templates, but a blank default template is used when you select File, New to create a new document. TIP Click the Preview button atop the Templates and Documents dialog box to see a graphic thumbnail image of a blank document created with the selected template.
3.	Create a New Template

Feel free to create your own templates! For example, you might write many memos, so you can create a memo template. Create the model for the template, including the title, recipient, and subject areas, but don't add memo-specific text. Keep the text general. Feel free to include instructions to the user of this template, such as [Type Body of Memo Here] .

You can create a document using a Wizard (see 2 Create a New Document ), personalize it with your information and formatting, and then save it as a template. Voila your own custom template, compliments of OpenOffice.org!

When you select File, Templates, Save , Writer opens the Templates dialog box, where you can assign a name and category folder for your template (such as Default ). The next time you create a new document from a template, your new template will appear in the list.