Support Templates
Support Templates is a lightweight Windows application designed for support analysts to manage text templates they use in their day-to-day support activities, as well as notes, tips, or any kind of text information you might need to keep up with. The application allows the user to create/modify/delete text templates that they use over and over again in their jobs. For example, if you order hardware and use the same text every time, you likely have it saved in a Notepad, or Word doc, or some other text editor. You have to then find it, highlight it, and either right-click > copy or Ctrl-C. With Support Templates, those text templates are all in 1 place, organized by an alphabetized list of names, and upon selecting the correct one it populates into a text box and you click the Copy button to have it ready to paste into another application. The ability to have them organized by a name list saves time in searching for the document and through the document you previously used.
We've been adding all kinds of great new features into Support Templates over the recent months. Give it a try and let us know how you like it!
What's New?
v.1.2.0.0 (11/28/2019)
Dark Mode option in Settings
Temp window/tab for ongoing notes while allowing templates to be opened and worked in Main window/tab
Template List:
In the left-hand pane is your alphabetical listing of templates. By clicking on one of the templates, it populates the template text into the large text pane to the right of it. The right-click dialog allows you some option to rename and delete the selected template. The list can also be themed with font and background color changes.
Type:
The 'Type' drop-list is where you can select and categorize your templates into the following types:
General
Misc
Note
Tips
Templates
Search Results (new) -- This only has entries if you do a search
These are currently hard-coded with the 5 listed above. Future releases may include more options or possibly custom options (no ETA).
Copy:
The 'Copy' button takes whatever is in the large text pane and places it into the user's clipboard. No selecting is necessary.
*NOTE* If you wish to just copy part of what's in the text pane, then you would highlight the required text then click 'Copy'.
Refresh / Auto-Refresh:
The 'Refresh' button works in conjunction with the 'Auto-Refresh' checkbox. If 'Auto-Refresh' is checked the 'Type:' drop-list will automatically refresh the list of items in the left pane (your list of "templates"). If 'Auto-Refresh' is unchecked, the list of items will not refresh until you click the 'Refresh' button. This feature allows you to change the Type for any template by unchecking 'Auto-Refresh', selecting a template, change the 'Type', then click 'Save'.
Clear:
The 'Clear' button will clear any text that is in the large text pane, deselect from the template list, & clear the 'New Template Name:' box. This is how the user would prepare the application for entry of a new template if the user had a previous template selected.
Backup:
The 'Backup' feature under File allows the user to save a copy of their current set of templates. This can be for backup or for sharing with another user. Clicking the 'Backup' menu option opens a windows dialog box where the user can select where to save the backup templates as well as rename the backup file. *NOTE* The export will be in an XML format. It's important you do NOT modify the XML file in an editor prior to importing as the application is expecting a specific format and may not be able to read the modified XML. Also the user may see strange formatting if it's been edited outside the application.
Export:
The 'Export' feature under File allows the user to select ANY or ALL templates and save a copy of it to their PC. This can be for backup or for sharing with another user. The difference between Export and Backup is that Export lets you choose which templates to save and share. Clicking the 'Export' button opens a selection window where you click the check box of the template(s) you wish to export. Then a windows dialog box displays allowing the user to select where to save the exported templates as well as rename the exported file. *NOTE* The export will be in an XML format. It's important you do NOT modify the XML file in an editor prior to importing as the application is expecting a specific format and may not be able to read the modified XML. Also the user may see strange formatting if it's been edited outside the application.
Import:
The 'Import' feature under File allows the user to import a backup copy of their templates OR import another user's copy of the template file. This allows for the sharing of templates between users (ex. users in a support capacity all need the same set of templates, they can be shared by setting up on one user's PC, then exported, and then imported by the other users). The user can choose to Overwrite (import the XML file as a whole, this will be the user's entire template file) or Insert (import the XML file and add it to the existing template file). When a file is imported, a backup copy of the previous template file will be saved to the user's desktop in the event they wish to revert back or there is some issue with the imported XML. The user would just import the saved backup (it is recommended the backup is moved to another directory or name so that when the subsequent import is done, the backup isn't written over). *NOTE* It's important that the XML is not modified outside the application. Display issues can occur due to formatting or unexpected XML nodes.
Reset Templates:
The Reset Templates (Default) feature under File is used to restore the application to it's original template file, just the 'Welcome' template will exist. This can be used if the user wants to start over or there is possible corruption issues in the template XML. As with the other actions in the application, a confirmation dialog is opened to give the user a chance to back out of the action.
Reset Font:
The Reset Font (Default) feature under File is used to restore the application to it's original font and background color schemes. As with the other actions in the application, a confirmation dialog is opened to give the user a chance to back out of the action.
Save:
The save button is used to:
Create new templates
Modify existing templates
Creating new templates: With no existing template selected, the user would enter the text they wish to save in the text pane and then enter a new template name in the 'New Template Name:' box at the bottom of the window. Then clicking 'Save' will create a new template in the list pane on the left side of the application.
Modifying existing templates: With a template selected, the user would modify the text in the text pane and then click 'Save'. This will overwrite the existing template text with the newly modified text.
Delete:
Clicking the Delete button will allow the user to remove the selected template from the application. Once it's deleted it cannot be restored. The only way to retrieve it would be by restoring a backup copy of template file (if it'd been exported before the deletion).
Rename:
Clicking the Rename button allows the user to change the saved name of an existing template. To do this, the user would select an existing template, click the Rename button, then change the name in the Rename dialog box. The existing name populates into the pop-up dialog box.
Font Size:
This allows you to change the font size in the main text box where your template text displays. The changes you make will be retained the next time you open the application.
Font/Background Settings:
The template list, the main text box, and the description box all allow the user to customize the font type/color/size and the background color. This gives the user more control over how the application looks.
Settings:
Under Tools > Settings, you can now customize the application even more.
A Default Template Type option allows the user to select which template the application will default to when it's opened (and when you clear search results).
Auto Backup allows the user to have the application automatically create a backup of the template XML file upon launch every X number of days and setup where the backup will be saved. This auto-backup feature was added to help avoid losing template files when pcs/laptops are replaced. The result of the auto-backup will be displayed in the main text box after it occurs, advising the user of where the backup is and what it is named.
Default HotKey allows you to assign a hot key combo to bring the ST window to the foreground and be the active focus window. By default, Control-E is already setup while ST is open. You can use Control / Shift / Alt as hot key combos.
Mode let you set the application into Dark Mode. This will give you a pure black look to a majority of the app. There are limitations on Windows Apps built in Visual Studio so it's a not as pure of a Dark Mode as some applications are but it's close. Please note that the template list pane, the main and temp tab panes, and the description pane default to white (or whatever color you previously saved). These panes are user customized so the Dark Mode flag will NOT modify those panes. Those are for you as a user to control.
File > Open:
New with v.1.11.1, you can now open text files (.txt) in Support Templates. They will display just like you opened it with Notepad. This gives you the ability to use Support Templates even more as well as save a text file as a template file!
Updates:
When an update is available you will see new red text indicating an update is ready to install. Click that button/text and that opens the About window. Click 'Check for new version' and follow the prompts to install.
Be aware that company policies may block installation of updates.
About:
Clicking the About button will open a dialog box that displays the current version of the application as well as a link to this Help document.
Credits:
Misc credits to:
http://www.iconarchive.com/
For the icons starting in v1.8.2
FAQs:
Where do I download the application?
Go to the following URL and click to install the app: http://www.mreswebsites.com/windowsapps/SupportTemplates/publish.htm
How do I only copy a portion of the text to my clipboard?
In the main text window, select the portion of the text you want to copy and click the 'Copy' button. It will only add the selected text to the windows clipboard.
How do I make a backup of my templates?
Use the Backup button to create a backup of the XML file that holds all of your templates.
How do I upgrade from a previous version of Support Templates to the newest version?
Go to About and click 'Check for new version'. If a new version is available it will prompt you to install it!
How do I change the type of an item?
Uncheck 'Tools > Auto-Refresh'. Then select the item you want to change > Select the new type in the 'Type' drop-list > Click 'Save' > Confirm the process in the pop-up window.
How do I change the color of the font and/or background of the template list, the large text box, and the description box?
Right click in either the template list or text box and select either Font or Background Color to make the required color changes.
Color changes are retained and will carry over to the next time you open the application.
Can I make changes to the content of an item?
Yes. Just select the item to modify > make any changes you wish > then click Save > and Confirm the process in the pop-up window.
Can I import just a portion of someone else's XML file?
YES! This has been added to the current versions of the application!!
You can choose to import the file and insert it into your existing file or overwrite yours to just use their file.
A backup is done when either option is chosen.
Can I include images in my template?
No. This application is meant for basic text. It does allow for tabs and other text things like bullet points but not images.
Does this application us a lot of memory?
No. This application is very lightweight and runs very smoothly on modern PCs.
Are there ads in this application?
No. This application does not use ads in any form or manner.
Is it free?
Yes. I'm not charging for this application. You can donate to my PayPal.me account (in 'About') if you wish to support my coding efforts but that's completely optional. I want everyone to use this because it's helpful to them.