Creating and Using Journal Templates
Published: April 22, 2003
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Summary
You can save time by creating and using Windows Journal templates. Templates are Journal files that contain a specific type of format, such as an agenda or to-do list.
Make your work more organized by setting up templates for items you need to use on a regular basis. For example, you can create a template for a report with the headings that you use every week. Then, each time you use it, you can write in only current information rather than having to re-create the headings each time.
Learn how to create personalized templates in Journal, and then place them on your desktop for easy access.
Creating and Using Templates
Whenever you want Journal notes to have the same structure and look, you can use a template. A template allows you to create multiple notes with an identical appearance. Use a template when you want a standard format for a particular type of note, such as a meeting agenda.
Journal comes with several sample templates. You can use the To Do List template in Journal to keep track of tasks. Use it as is, or personalize it to suit your needs.
If you don't see a sample template that works for you, you can create your own. Create the specific type of item that you need in a Journal note, and then save it as a template. For example, if you need to gather information by phone in the same format every day, you can create the structure you want in a note and then save it as a template.
Using Sample Templates
Journal offers several standard templates that are ready for you to work with right away. If a sample template is almost but not quite right, you can modify it to suit your needs. See the table below for a list of some of the most popular templates.
Graph | Creating diagrams, charts, or sketches |
Blank | Writing in free-form or making designs |
Month Calendar | Scheduling tasks, resources, and so on |
Memo | Writing memos |
Music | Composing music |
Making a Template That Suits My Needs
If you don't find a suitable sample template that you can use as is or with slight modifications, you can create your own easily. First create a note, and then save it as a template.
Start with the sample templates. If you don't find one that's exactly right, you can modify it. If you want to create your own unique template, you can create one simply. You can also create a shortcut on the desktop for easy access to a template.
To create and save a note based on a template in the Templates folder
This is the quickest way to take advantage of the sample templates already available for you to use. Just open a copy of the template, and then enter the information that you want.
1. | On the File menu, tap New Note from Template. |
2. | In the file list, tap the name of the template that you want to use, and then tap Open. Note: The My Notes folder contains the sample templates included with Journal. You can also keep templates that you create in this folder. |
3. | On the File menu, tap Save As. |
4. | In the File name box, enter a name for the note. |
To modify a template
You can easily modify an existing template. If you want to keep the existing template unchanged, save the modified version using a different file name. You can modify a sample template that comes with Journal, or you can modify a template that you have created yourself.
1. | On the File menu, tap Open. |
2. | In the Files of type box, tap Windows Journal Template (*.jtp). |
3. | If the template you want does not appear in the file list, browse through the Look in list for the folder that contains the template you want to modify. |
4. | In the file list, tap the template, and then tap Open. |
5. | Make the changes that you want. |
6. | On the File menu, tap Save As. |
7. | In the File name box, enter a name for the template. |
8. | Tap Save. If the Save as Template dialog box appears, specify the save option that you want. |
Notes
| • | The Save as Template dialog box appears if your template contains ink strokes. You can indicate which parts of the template are permanent and which parts can be changed in notes that you create from this template. |
| • | The sample templates that are included with Journal are located in the My Notes folder. You can delete these if you want to. You can find copies in C:\Program Files\Windows Journal\Templates. |
To create a new template
Creating a template is a two-step process. First you create a note that you want to use as a template, and then you save the note as a template. The template is a copy of the note. The original note remains unchanged.
1. | Create or open the note that you want to use as a template. |
2. | On the File menu, tap Save As. |
3. | In the Save As dialog box, in the Save as type list, tap Windows Journal Template (*.jtp). |
4. | In the File name box, enter a name for the template. |
5. | Tap Save. If the Save as Template dialog box appears, specify the save option that you want. |
Notes
| • | The Save as Template dialog box appears if your template contains ink strokes. You can indicate which parts of the template are permanent and which parts can be changed in notes that you create from this template. |
| • | You can save templates in any folder. However, keeping templates in the My Notes folder ensures that they appear in the file list when you tap the New Note from Template command on the File menu. |
To create a shortcut on the desktop for easy access to a template
1. | Tap Start, point to My Documents, and then tap My Notes. |
2. | Use the right-click equivalent to open the right-click menu for the template you want. |
3. | Tap Send To, and then tap Desktop (create shortcut). |
Using Pictures in Templates
Use background pictures to enhance your templates. Background pictures are graphics, such as logos, that you can place in a note for the background of your template. You can position a background picture and adjust its transparency.
To set a background picture for a template
1. | On the File menu, tap Page Setup. |
2. | On the Background and Title Area tab, under Background, tap Browse. |
3. | Browse to a folder containing an image file that you want to use for your background picture. |
4. | Select the image file and then tap Open. |
5. | In the Position list, tap a background picture position. |
6. | Move the slider to adjust the transparency value of your background picture to ensure that the picture does not distract from the ink on a page. View the level of transparency of your picture in the Preview area. |
7. | Tap OK. |
Notes
| • | To print background colors and images, be sure to select the Background colors and images checkbox on the Options page in the Print dialog box. |
| • | You can find a variety of images suitable for use as background pictures on your hard disk in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery. You can download more from Design Gallery Live. |
Template Tips and Tricks
| • | Keep your templates lightweight. When you use pictures and images, remember to use ones with small rather than large file sizes, to keep file size down. |
| • | When you need to align text boxes, use a grid background to help line them up. Turn off the grid when you're done. |
| • | Use the freedom of the tablet pen and ink as a quick way to get going with designing something. For example, if you need to see how furniture could be arranged in offices of varying sizes, you could sketch a basic template of the rooms, desk pieces, chairs, and bookcases. Then, to see alternative arrangements, drag around the images of the furniture on the template. |
