Template Options

When you work in AcuBench, you are provided with a series of default templates, used as the basis for creating new programs, data layout files, screens, reports, and files. In addition to these defaults, you have the option to create your own custom screen, report, and file templates. Using custom templates can help you to maintain a consistent code structure and program appearance across an application or application suite.

The Template portion of the Tools > Options interface lets you determine how both the AcuBench default templates and your own custom templates are made available for your use. You can even entirely disable the File > New dialog box that allows you to choose the base template for programs, data layout files, screens, reports, and files, such that basic, default characteristics are always used when you create a new program item.

The process of creating templates is discussed elsewhere in this manual. Source file templates are discussed in Using Source Code Templates, screen templates are discussed in Adding Screen Templates, and report templates are described in Adding Report Templates. All files added using this dialog box are displayed in the New File, New Screen, or New Report template group, depending on the template type.

Follow these steps to set Template options:

1. Select the Template category of the Environment options.
2. Use File/New options: Toggle the check boxes in the Use New > File dialog when creating group to control when the File > New dialog is displayed. By default, these are all selected, indicating that a File > New interface containing the available AcuBench templates is displayed whenever you create a new program element.

   When you de-select an option, the File > New dialog does not appear when you opt to create a new element of the specified type. Instead, a default element type is automatically created. The defaults are:

   Program	Standard Program (a program structure file with an empty screen)
   Screen	Blank Graphical (an empty graphical screen)
   Report	Blank Graphical (an empty graphical report)
   File	Source Template (a very basic file with COBOL divisions and AcuBench tags)
   FD/SL	Blank (launches the File Designer, bypassing the Import option)

3. Customize Template interface: To add templates that you have created to the File > New dialog, first select the type of template from the Template for drop-down box.
   1. Click Add and provide a descriptive title for the template that you want to use.
   2. Click the browse button to navigate to the location of the template file, then select the file, and click Open.
   3. Add a detailed description of the template in the large entry field at the bottom of the Add New Template File interface.
   4. Click OK. When you exit the Tools > Options interface, you can use the File > New command to verify that your template has been added to the appropriate interface.

   To remove a template that you have previously added to the interface, select the template icon and click Delete. To modify the title, file path, or description of a template, select its icon and click Modify.

   You cannot change the set of default templates using this interface.