Create a 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.

In IXIASOFT CCMS Web and IXIASOFT CCMS Desktop, the templates are available when a user creates a new topic. This allows users to create new topics with that template's structure.

Important: Make configuration changes in a test environment and confirm they work before copying them to a production environment. For dedicated SaaS deployments, test the changes and then ask IXIASOFT Customer Support to copy the changes to your production environment.

To create a topic template:

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, create a copy and rename it (for example, ProductFeatureListing). In CCMS Desktop you can clone the topic and then modify it.

CAUTION: Avoid references to 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.

Export the topic from IXIASOFT CCMS:

Application	Steps
IXIASOFT CCMS Desktop	Right-click the topic and select Generate Output. The Generate Output window appears. From the Output Format drop-down menu, select Export. Click Create. In the Save As dialog, choose a path to a local folder. Click Save. Open the location and unzip the file if necessary.
IXIASOFT CCMS Web	Add the topic to any map. You cannot generate an output from a topic. It is best to add it to a small or empty working map. If you need to create a map template, consider adding it to that map. For the map, click . Select Generate Output. From the Output type drop-down menu, select Export. Click Generate. Go to your My Outputs page. On the My Outputs page, click for the map. Save the downloaded file to a local folder. Open the location and unzip the file if necessary.

Application

Steps

IXIASOFT CCMS Desktop

Right-click the topic and select Generate Output.
The Generate Output window appears.
From the Output Format drop-down menu, select Export.
Click Create.
In the Save As dialog, choose a path to a local folder.
Click Save.
Open the location and unzip the file if necessary.

IXIASOFT CCMS Web

Add the topic to any map.
You cannot generate an output from a topic.
It is best to add it to a small or empty working map. If you need to create a map template, consider adding it to that map.
For the map, click .
Select Generate Output.
From the Output type drop-down menu, select Export.
Click Generate.
Go to your My Outputs page.
On the My Outputs page, click for the map.
Save the downloaded file to a local folder.
Open the location and unzip the file if necessary.

The file is saved locally and given a system name (typically a numerical string) and the suffix xml.

Rename the exported topic filename so the template can be easily recognized by users.
Open the template topic in a text editor.
Strip out all ixia_locid attributes and their values.
For example: ixia_locid="6".
If you are using an editor that uses regular expressions, you can use the following expression to find all instances: \b(ixia_locid)( |=)=? ?"\d+\b". This matches all occurrences of the ixia_locid attribute, along with values that have any number of digits.
If the template might be used in CCMS Desktop, add template variables:
Variables are not required. But for some specializations or template parameters you may require them. For example, you might have a specialization that uses a different element other than <title> for the title of topics.
If you are using variables for ID, language, and title, they must be {{ixia.id}}, {{ixia.xml:lang}}, and {{ixia.title}}, respectively.
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="en-us">
```
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.
Save the template.
Open the TEXTML Administration perspective and connect to the server.
Navigate to /system/templates/topics.
Depending on how your templates are organized, you might need to navigate to a subfolder, such as web or desktop.
If subfolders do not exist, you can create them by right-clicking the topics folder and selecting Create Collection.
You can use subfolders to organize your templates or differentiate between templates for CCMS Desktop and those for CCMS Web.
Right-click the topics collection and select Insert Documents.
The Insert Documents Dialog appears.
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: Import Dialog
Click OK.
The file is imported into the /templates/topics collection.
Restart the IXIASOFT CCMS Web service on the server.
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.

The topic template you created is saved and available for use.