Open and Close Template Manager

You can open Template Manager from the HotDocs template library. As Template Manager opens, it scans through the entire template library and creates a database file that lists all of the files in the library as well as all the components used in those files. (This happens even if you select only a single file to explore.) HotDocs uses this database to track changes you make to templates and components so that your changes won't adversely affect other files in the library.

For example, perhaps you want to rename a single template file. When you select it at the template library and launch Template Manager, HotDocs will create a database of all the files in the library, even though you have selected only one. This allows HotDocs to make sure that when you rename the template, any other place where the file is referred to in the library (either in the library itself or in another template), those references are updated with the new file name.

This database file is saved to the same file location as the template library. Do not open this file directly with the intent to modify its contents. Changes you make may have potentially serious consequences. For example, the change may cause HotDocs to make incorrect assumptions about what files and components are being used. This may make you think it's safe to delete something you shouldn't, thus "breaking" templates. Additionally, changes in the database may cause HotDocs to crash if it receives data it is not expecting.

To start Template Manager

1. At the HotDocs template library, select the library items you want to work with and click the Template Manager button. A dialog appears telling you that HotDocs is building a component database. (Depending on the number of files in the library, this process may take several minutes.)
   • If it encounters any errors when compiling the database, HotDocs displays an option to view the Error Report, which appears in a temporary text file. The report lists the folder path and file names of the files that contained the errors.
   • If it doesn't encounter any errors when compiling the database, it launches Template Manager.
2. Once Template Manager appears, you can perform any number of tasks, such as:
   • View the contents of a Template Manager window
   • Work with Template Manager
   • Convert multiple templates to work with HotDocs 11
   • Convert templates and clauses to Microsoft DOCX
   • Rename templates
   • Copy and paste components
   • Rename components
   • Delete components

To close Template Manager, click the X in the upper-right corner of the Template Manager window.