How do I build a template?

This topic steps the user through building a simple template in template builder.

What is a template?

A template is a preformatted document that a eSuite applet can load at run time. A template typically provides an end user with a quick and easy way of entering data in a form.

For example, you might create a three-day Expense Report template using the eSuite Spreadsheet, labeling rows 2 - 4 "Travel," "Hotel," "Meals," and labeling columns B - E "Day1," "Day2," "Day3," and "Total." You might then embed an @SUM function in cells E2, E3, and E4 to calculate the total expenses when the user enters them.

The current eSuite release allows you to create spreadsheet and word processor templates and make them available to end users. You do this as follows:

  1. Install the eSuite Webpack and assign the appropriate value to your system's CLASSPATH environment variable.
  2. Open a template builder (SheetTemplate.html or WPTemplate.html). A template builder is an HTML file that instantiates the eSuite AppletContainer applet and, within that, the eSuite spreadsheet or word processor (WP) applet.
  3. Edit the document that the template builder displays. An icon bar (the InfoCenter) is displayed immediately below the document. Use the options that the InfoCenter provides to edit the document.
  4. Save the template to a new HTML file. Use the Save action from the InfoCenter to do this--not the browser's File - Save command.
  5. Create an HTML page that instantiates your template.

Installation and configuration

In order to use a template builder, you need to install the eSuite Webpack release files on your workstation: template builders cannot be run from a web server because Java security features generally prohibit access to the local file system by applets unless they are loaded from workstation local storage, and template files have to be saved locally.

You then need to specify the directory where you have installed the eSuite Webpack files in the Java CLASSPATH environment variable. For example, if you have installed the Webpack files to C:\Program Files\Webpack, then you need to add the directory C:\Program Files\Webpack to the CLASSPATH.

If you are running Windows NT, set the CLASSPATH variable by choosing Settings - Control Panel - System - Environment variables and entering CLASSPATH = C:\Program Files\Webpack in the Control Panel System applet.

If you are running Windows 95, you can set the CLASSPATH environment variable in either of two ways: Run REGEDIT.EXE and modify the value of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Java VM to C:\Program Files\Webpack. Alternatively, you can edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to include the statement SET CLASSPATH=C:\Program Files\Webpack.

Example
Example

See also
Chart settings template builder