Templates

Templates are specific Style groupings that you have created so that you can use them over and over. Templates can be created for anything, but common uses are letters, faxes, documents, business cards, newsletters, calendars, etc. One major difference between Styles and Templates is that templates can contain text, images, and settings.

Using Templates

Actually, you use a Template each time you start Writer, the Standard Template is what you see when you open a new document. However, if you would like to make changes to the Standard Template that is easy to do.

Making Font Changes

If you want to make font changes to the Standard Template choose Tools, Options, OpenOffice.org Writer and then Basic Fonts. This will open the fonts so that you can change the Standard template fonts.

Note that you can set the option to work only for the current document. You can also click the Default button at the bottom of the page to restore system defaults.

Creating a New Template

Open a blank document, make all the settings changes to font, type, page settings, etc, and then save the settings as a template by choosing save and then Save as type OpenOffice.org Text Template. Note you will need to select this setting from a list that is available.

One major point to make note of: templates can only be applied to new documents while styles can be applied to text that is in the process of being written so keep this in mind as you write.

Creating a Document with a Template

Select File, New, Templates and Documents and then find the template you would like to use. Click on it and click Open.

This will apply all of the template settings to your new document. Templates are easy to build and easy to use.