HELP please - Instructional Templates are Blank

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drutgat
Published Writer
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Joined: Sep 12, 2010 1:40 pm

HELP please - Instructional Templates are Blank

Postby drutgat » Oct 30, 2010 7:08 pm

Hi,
I recently upgraded from MMS 2000 to MMS 6, and am having a problem with Instructional Templates.

I am trying to choose an instructional template, so I go to:

Format - Load Styles From - Template - Instructional Templates - Options for Loading Element Styles (here, I am careful to make sure that all of the 4 options under 'Load from Layout' are chosen because I want all of the elements from the Instructional Template to be included in the new document).

I then click 'Continue loading Element Styles' to complete the process.

But, with most of the Instructional Templates, nothing appears in the document (although with several of the templates, I get a bracket, or a number 1., but that's about it).

This function worked fine in MMS 2000, so I am wondering how this can be rectified.

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

drutgat
Published Writer
Posts: 51
Joined: Sep 12, 2010 1:40 pm

Re: HELP please - Instructional Templates are Blank

Postby drutgat » Oct 30, 2010 11:05 pm

Now, things are getting really strange.

I figured out that I can 'see' the list of Instructional Templates if I go 'File' - 'New from Template' - 'Instructional Templates'.

So, I used one of those templates as a model to create my own template and after every change I made (which has taken the last 4 hours), I was careful to go 'File' - 'Save As Template'.

However, when I go to 'Open', nothing is displaying (same problem as mentioned in my first message).

And although 'File' - 'New From Template', *does* let me see the template file that I created in list of 'Instructional Templates', when I go to open the file the screen is blank.

This is extremely frustrating.

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Chris Huntley
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Re: HELP please - Instructional Templates are Blank

Postby Chris Huntley » Oct 31, 2010 9:07 am

Here's how templates work:

If you want to save the format of the document WITHOUT content, use the Save As Template command.

If you want to save the document WITH content, save the file normally, THEN rename the file (NOT in Screenwriter) by changing the filename extension to .DEF). I believe that is the part you did not do.

So take that document file you created and change the file extension to .DEF. THEN, when you open the "template" it will have all the document content I suspect you're looking for.
Chris Huntley
Write Brothers Inc.
http://dramatica.com/
http://screenplay.com/

drutgat
Published Writer
Posts: 51
Joined: Sep 12, 2010 1:40 pm

Re: HELP please - Instructional Templates are Blank

Postby drutgat » Nov 21, 2010 10:05 am

Hi Chris,
Sorry to get back to you about this so long after you left your message. I think that I did this, and it did not work, but will try it again and let you know.

Thanks for your reply.


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