Creating Custom Templates

When you create a new LanFlow diagram, you start from a diagram template that contains an initial set of styles and diagram properties. In addition to the templates that come with the program, you can create custom templates to save diagram types you design.

Templates are simlar to saved diagram files. The only difference is that when you open them as a template (the New command) any actual objects saved in the diagram are ignored. When you create a new LanFlow diagram by choosing New from the File menu, you can choose any diagram template located in the Template folder. Therefore, all you have to do to create your own diagram template is to copy a diagram to this folder. In fact, you can open any existing diagram using the New command and it will be used as a template to create a blank copy of a new untitled diagram.

However, to further simplify the process of saving the LanFlow diagram you are working on as a template for future diagrams, the program has a Save Template feature.

Save Template

The Save Template feature saves the open diagram as a template for use as the starting point for new diagrams. Once you save a diagram as a template, it will be available as a new diagram type the next time you use the New command.

To create a custom diagram template

1. Create a custom diagram with all of your own styles and diagram properties.
2. Choose Save Template from the File menu.
3. Select a file name for your template. We recommend that you save templates with your own name rather than updating the original templates. This will insure that they don't get over-written the next time you upgrade.
4. If you do update an existing template, you will be asked whether to keep the existing preview from the old file. This is often a good idea. The alternative is to include diagram objects in your file so that a new preview will be generated.
5. The next time you create a new LanFlow diagram, you can choose your custom template as the starting point.