Templates

[Mark Kristan]

I’m not sure if I should have selected to make it a template from the get go but I have a pretty big form I created (22 fields), I am trying to figure out how to use it, in probably slightly modified form, as my circumstance changes (I’m not a db power user but I’m pretty sure I am talking about creating a template). I had a similar form on Bento, I will eventually want to bring all those files over but for now I am learning this program and created a brand new form in Tap Forms. I think part of my problem may be how I open this form – it does not appear in the list of forms at startup, only “Sample Forms” and the folder called “Samples International” is in that list. I created this form/data base on a mid-2010 MBP, this involves sharing limitations (cannot use Airdrop, not that I think that matters in this case). After creating in on the book, it showed up in the list of entities on the list when I would start the program (along with “Sample Forms” and “Samples International). I wanted it to also reside on my (new) iMac, the only way I could see to do this with a custom db was to use the Export Tap Form Archive from the file menu, then once it was exported to my Documents folder on my MBP, I proceeded to copy it to the same folder on my iMac over my home network. Now I am able to use this form on either machine, I think I know how to sync info between them as well, but the problem is this form does not appear in the list when I open the program, on either machine (never did on the iMac), what I have to do is go into Documents and double click on it (or from within Tap Forms, go File/Open or Open Recent); if this was my only problem, that I had to get there in a kinda round about way, this would not be a big issue, but I am not sure this isn’t causing other problems. Let’s call the db that the form I created on the MBP resides in “Rips”, within Rips there is one set of records, let’s call that ABC Company (these are details of trips I do for various motor carriers). When I open the db Rips, in there, in the L pane, there is one entity, ABC Company, with the eleven records I added to it; now, as I am no longer with ABC Company, I want to create another entity for the new motor carrier, let’s call it DEF Company. I want the same fields, the same calculations, everything I had with the entries with ABC Company (I would probably make a minor tweak or three), when I click on DEF Company the click on the “+” to add a new record, I want to see the same fields I had with ABC Company. I’m pretty sure I need to make that from the template for this database, what I’m finding from the help menu in the program is to select the document, then choose File/Get Info (never tried pressilng Command-I as it states as an alternative, but the result should be exactly the same); it then goes on to say to select “Stationery Pad” under General, problem is this is greyed out on both machines. Do I need to figure out how to get that document from my main Documents folder into a different place on my hard drive? (I asked about where work created in Tap Forms is stored in an e-mail to support, but haven’t heard back – why I highlight a different document, such as “Sample Forms” or a template I downloaded, go Get Info and try to follow that path, it does not work). How can I make that form a template for every document (entity in the L pane, such as DEF Company) that I create in this database?

[Brendan]

Hi Mark,

I replied to your email this morning at 10:41 AM MST.

Check your junk mail folder to see if it went in there.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Mark Kristan]

HiBrendan, I am usually on top of these things, I monitor all inboxes of four e/m addresses but I always could have missed yours or accidentally deleted it or whatever, but I just checked two junk mail boxes again and I am not fining your e-mail. When you have a minute do you think you could re-send it, please and thank you.

[Brendan]

Hi Mark,

I just resent it. To a hotmail address that your email came in on.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Mark Kristan]

UPDATE: I have figured most of this out, what I am still working on is making the form for the one collection I have in the database into a template, so that when I add a new collection (or whatever, set of records for the new carrier), when I add a new one its fields will be the same as the ones for the existing collection, right off the hop.

[Brendan]

Don’t use the Template function in the Finder. If you want to make a template out of an entire database document, you can use the Duplicate Document function in the File menu to create a duplicate and give that to people of you want.

Or you can use the Export Form Template command in Tap Forms to generate .tff files that you can share with other Tap Forms users.

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