Template files contain HTML mostly. The header template contains the HTML that goes at the top of the results, the footer contains the HTML that goes at the bottom and the body contains the HTML that is inserted for each record matching the criteria specified in a form. In addition to HTML, templates have field placeholders. A field placeholder indicates a spot where a field value is to be substituted. In headers and footers input paramter values substitute for the place holders - thus allowing the users input to be echoed. (Note that any input parameter can be echoed in this manner, regardless of whether or not it corresponds to a data field) In the body, placeholders are substituted with the actual corresponding field values.

To create a placeholder in a template file, simply put bullets (option-8) around the field name. As in •lastName• Your browser may be showing funny looking bullets. Do not panic. Just remember to use option-8.

There are a few special placeholders that can be used in header and footer files. These are summarized in the following table:

Placeholder name	use	Sample Value
matchCount	Total number of matching records	253
firstMatch	Number of first displayed matching record	101
lastMatch	Number of last displayed matching record	200
shortDate	displays web server system date	5/19/96
longDate	displays web server system date	Sunday, May 19, 1996
theTime	displays web server system time	8:32 AM

You can use these special placeholders to put something like the following in your header template:
There are •matchCount• items matching your criteria.
Matches •firstMatch• to •lastMatch• are displayed.
or something like the following in your footer template:
•shortDate• •theTime•
Note that the values for these special placeholders can be overridden by form inputs of the same name. So if you wanted to display the time from the user's machine rather than the server time you could create a hidden form input named theTime and set its value using JavaScript.