Templates

Multiple components make up a FrameMaker template. These components include paragraph formats, character formats, master page layouts, reference pages, and cross-reference formats. Both unstructured and structured templates require careful planning and upfront design before you create a template.

    About unstructured templates

    A template is a document that stores properties that are used in more than one place. You can create a document from a template to give it all the template properties, or you can import specific properties from the template later. Templates give your documents consistent layout and formatting.

    Templates can store the following properties:

    • Paragraph, character, and table formats that work with formatting information in the element definitions

    • Page layouts that determine the number and position of columns on pages, and background items such as running headers

    • Reference pages that store repeatedly used graphics and formatting information

    • Variables you use as placeholders for text that FrameMaker updates

    • Formatting information for cross-references, equations, and conditional text

    • Definitions for colors you can apply to text and objects

    • Document-wide settings, including footnote properties, custom marker types, and feathering options for line spacing

    • Specifications for combined Japanese and Western fonts (on Japanese-language systems)

    About structured templates

    Structured FrameMaker comes with Structured Templates for letters, memos, faxes, envelopes, reports, outlines, newsletters, books, FAQs, and single source books.

    Structured templates can store the following properties:

    • Element definitions that specify allowable contents, attributes, and formatting for elements

    • Paragraphs and characters that work with formatting information in the element definitions

    • Variables you use as placeholders for text that FrameMaker updates

    • Formatting information for cross-references and conditional text

    • Definitions for colors you can apply to text and objects

    Note: If you’re working with structured files, an application developer can set up special documents that handle the translation to and from the structured application. These documents can include a template that formats the structured files in FrameMaker. This template is applied automatically when you import from the structured application.