Create a new topic template

Topic templates allow users to produce individual content components that follow a common structure. For example, you can set up a reference topic that contains a table listing common characteristics belonging to a product family that need to be updated by a subject matter expert with information specific to a product release.

The names of the topics contained in the template are available from the Create Topic dialog box when the user clicks IXIASOFT CCMS > Create Topic.

To add a new topic template, do the following:

  1. Create a topic with the required structure, along with any other content that will be common to all documents based on this template.
    Tip: If using an existing topic as your starting point, clone it first and rename it (for example, ProductFeatureListing).
    CAUTION: Do not include images that can vary from document to document, because if these or their dependent images are deleted, topics created using the template will have errors.
  2. Right-click the topic and select Generate Output.
    The Generate Output window appears.
  3. From the Output Format drop-down menu select Export and click Create.
  4. In the Save As dialog, choose a path to a local folder. Click Save.
    The file is saved and given a system name (typically a numerical string) and the suffix xml.
  5. Rename the exported topic filename so the template can be easily recognized by users.
  6. Open the template topic in a text editor.
  7. Strip out all references to codeph and the number that follows it within the topic.
    For example: ixia_locid="6", along with all other instances. If you are using an editor that uses regular expressions, you can use the following expression to find all instances of ixia_locid and its following number: \b(ixia_locid)( |=)=? ?"\d+\b". The matches all occurrences of the ixia_locid attribute in content, along with values of any number of digits.
  8. If the template will only be used in CCMS Desktop, you will need to add template variables:
    Important: If the topic includes ID, language, and title information, they must be re-created as variables, otherwise the topic created from the template will be invalid.
    1. Delete the existing topic ID attribute value and replace it with the following variable: {{ixia.id}}
      For example: 
      <reference id="{{ixia.id}}" xml:lang="{{ixia.xml:lang}}">
    2. Delete the existing xml:lang attribute value and replace it with the following variable: {{ixia.xml:lang}}
      For example: 
      <reference id="{{ixia.id}}" xml:lang="{{ixia.xml:lang}}">
    3. Delete the existing title and replace it with the following variable: {{ixia.title}}
      For example: 
      <title>{{ixia.title}}</title>
    4. If your organization has custom template variables, add those variables to the template.
  9. If the template will be used in IXIASOFT CCMS Web, ensure the template does not include any of the variables mentioned in the previous step.
    Important: Template variables are not yet supported in CCMS Web. Omit variables in the template source files that will be used as map templates or topic templates in CCMS Web.
  10. Save the template.
  11. Open the TEXTML Administration perspective by clicking the TEXTML Administration shortcut on the tool bar. If the shortcut is not displayed, follow these steps:
    1. Select Window > Perspective > Open Perspective > Other
    2. Click TEXTML Administration.
    3. Click Open.
  12. In the TEXTML Administration view, double-click the server. If your server is not displayed in the view, you must add it to the view.
  13. When the Connect as dialog opens, type your username and password and click OK.
  14. Double-click the name of your Content Store to open a connection to it.
  15. Navigate to /system/templates/topics.
  16. Navigate to a subfolder such as web or desktop to differentiate between templates used for the CCMS Desktop and CCMS Web.
    If the subfolders do not exist, you can create them by right-clicking the topics folder and selecting Create Collection.
  17. Right-click the topics collection and select Insert Documents.
    The Insert Documents Dialog window appears.
  18. Click Add File and browse to your desktop.
    1. Select the file.
    2. Click Open.
    The file path and name appear under Import As.
    Figure: Importing a topic


  19. Click OK.
    The file is imported into the /templates/topics collection.
  20. Inform users of the changes.
    The changes will be applied automatically once users close and then reopen their IXIASOFT CCMS Desktop. Users can also apply the changes without restarting their CCMS Desktop by clicking IXIASOFT CCMS > Synchronize Configuration.