Creating templates for Pages

[SouthernAtHeart]

iPad 2, Pages, & iCloud.

How do I save my own custom documents as a template so that when I tap new, then blank document, my template will be in the list with all the other templates?
Thanks,

[Sponsors]

[twerppoet]

You can't. There is no way to add to the templates Apple includes.

There are several workarounds.

The most obvious is to just place your custom documents in a folder named Templates, and remember to duplicate them, instead of opening them.

Another method is to save the custom documents in the cloud using a service like DropBox or Box.net, then download a new copy when needed.

A useful idiosyncrasy of the iTunes File Sharing feature is that if you export a document to iTunes, you can import a new copy from the same source. As long as you don't connect the iPad to iTunes and deliberately delete the files in the File Sharing page, they will stay on the iPad.

None of these methods create true templates. To the best of my knowledge there is no way to create and store your own templates in the iPad version of the iWorks apps. At least not yet.

[SouthernAtHeart]

Thanks,
...in time maybe there will be...

[twerppoet]

We can hope. After all the OS X version let's you make and save your own templates.

[Bob Maxey]

A topic I often bat around.

Take a look at a Pages template. Navigate to the templates folder and have a look. Templates are complex; each template--including the "blank" document template-- has about 20 folders and four or five files. In each folder there are many files. So far, I have not found a way to create legitimate Pages templates because they are so complex. Bob is working on a way to create legitimate templates and he has had a little success. Only thing is, you must jailbreak to access these files in the Pages application.

If I work it out, I'll post directions.

[twerppoet]

I can't remember, do you have a Mac and the OSX version of Pages, Bob?

If so:

When you right click on a Pages template you can choose to Show Package Contents. I'm wondering if the file/folder breadown is similar or the same. If so, it might be a clue to doing what you want.

[Bob Maxey]

I can't remember, do you have a Mac and the OSX version of Pages, Bob?

If so:

When you right click on a Pages template you can choose to Show Package Contents. I'm wondering if the file/folder breadown is similar or the same. If so, it might be a clue to doing what you want.

I run a Windows box and I use Pages on my iPad. I will not buy a Mac just to run Pages. I can adapt to the inconvenience and for now, I'll use existing documents as templates. It would be nice if I could create real templates, however.

Some of the folders in the template folder are localization files. You will see folders like "fr.iproj" and "de.iproj." Then there are strings files, images, and files like "TSCHDefaultDataStackedBar.plist." So I need to examine each file or find a better reference.

Anyway, it is amazingly complex, not at all like a Word Template.

[twerppoet]

No, I wouldn't expect to you buy a Mac just for that. I just couldn't remember if you had one, and if you had, whether you'd explored the relationship between the two versions.

The Mac iWorks templates look like files, until you open the packages. This is true of a lot of seemingly simple files on the iMac. I'm thinking the only difference on the iPad is that it does not include the ability to see the template/packages as files. That makes me think there must be an overall package standard that Apple uses, and that somewhere in the deep dark abyss of developer documentation that standard should be explained.

Not that it is necessarily readable by simple souls like me, or useful to your project. Just a thought that may or may not help.

Anyway, if you want I'll see if I can extract and PM you an OS X version of a templates folder structure. I've already discovered they can be imported on the iPad just like a regular pages document, so there has to be some kind of compatibility going on.