[scribus] Importing user created templates

[Ken Springer]

Hi, Martin,

See my replies below.

On 2/18/17 5:55 AM, ZASKE Martin wrote:
> Since this list is so helpful, I took some time and found this:
>
> Scribus 1.5.2 running in French on
>
> Windows 10 Pro 64 bit running in English and German
>
>
>
> I make a document and then save as template (all naming approximative
> because of the French gui) CTRL+ALT+S
>
> Scribus is first asking me to chose a folder and is proposing this:
>
> C:\Users\my_username\AppData\Roaming\Scribus\templates

Same here, unless you do as tomas suggested, and in preferences tell 
Scribus to look in a different folder for templates.  In that case, the 
folder that opens will be the one specified in preferences.

> I even made a subfolder (inside \templates) and named it
> my_templates_for_testing
>
> Next Scribus is asking me a name for my new template and I get creative
> naming it my_first_template. I can even fill many more details like
> categories, dimensions, author-name etc etc; all this also very obvious
> and helpful to offices with many different templates or shared
> responsibilities.
>
> When I now want to create a new document from my own template I just
> select new-from-template in the file-menu  CTRL+ALT+N
>
> It is giving me a nice window with folders on the left and little
> pre-view-thumbs. And guess what, my own fresh folder is listed on the
> left right among the existing default folders (brochures, flyers,
> letters, etc.) but it is not giving my self-chosen name, but is called
> something generic in French (modèles personnels).

A little bit different, here.  I don't get any folders, I get the 
Scribus category list.  You can choose a category when you are selecting 
the file name during the save template process.  If I leave category 
blank, the template I created shows up in "Own Templates".

> This is no problem for me, still very obvious, but potentially a problem
> for users who want to create a massive and deep structure of personal
> template folders-and-subfolders with their own naming.

It is a bit different that what the majority of Windows programs have 
done over the years.  You selected the directory, created new folders, 
and gave the file a name all in the same window.  But you didn't get any 
options such as choosing the category, more info, author, email, etc. 
That information, AFAIK, is usually found in the document's properties.

Some users may find the Scribus way a bit unsettling at first, 
especially those users who do little to learn about using their computers.

Neither right or wrong, just different.

> Once I have created my new document from the template, it shows an
> interesting name on the window-title-bar until I first save it,
> reminding me of its origins.
>
>
> All this looks very obvious and "right" to me. I also keep running a
> 1.4.6 on my machine in parallel and a recent pre-compiled 1.5.3. My
> Windows is far from a fresh install, having seen many experiments and
> adventures. So well done Scribus-team!

What I want to do is import a template or templates that were created in 
Scribus on another computer.

I was hoping it could be as simple as locating the templates on the 
source computer, then copying to the correct location on the destination 
computer.

But no such luck.  And there seems to be no "import" function, similar 
to Libre Office, to add the templates to the Scribus install you are 
currently using.

An example of what I mean...

I use a computer at work, and I create a template at work.  I want to 
use that template at home.  It would be nice to just copy the template 
created at work to my home computer.

But it doesn't work.  Your template, even after copying, does not show 
up in the normal templates list.  As I write this, it occurs to me that 
if I have put the default template location of the home computer into 
preferences, it might show up.  But maybe some templates would show up 
twice.  Something for someone to test at some point, I suppose.

My workaround for this is to open the template I want to import by 
double clicking on the template in File Explorer (Windows 10).  After 
the file is opened, go through the entire Save as Template, and it's now 
imported.  This may also work by opening the file from within Scribus 
and then saving as a template.

Cumbersome and time consuming, but works.

Interestingly, if Scribus is already running, the workaround above 
causes another instance of Scribus to run, and you wait for fonts to be 
loaded, etc., rather than the file being loaded into the instance of 
Scribus that's already running.


<snip>


-- 
Ken
Mac OS X 10.11.6
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"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
      and it's gone!"