Working with document templates

- [Instructor] So far we've seen how to create new GIMP documents by changing one of the templates listed in the new image dialogue to suit our needs. And that's fine to do every now and then but you wouldn't want to have to do that 10 times a day. Instead, you can create a custom template with all of the values that you want. So, let's see how to do that. I'll create a custom template in the Templates dialogue. So I'll start by making sure that's open by going to Windows, Dockable Dialogues, Templates. And here you can see a list of the available templates that you can use to create a new document.

It's the same as the list that appeared in the new image dialogue. So whatever changes you make here will also appear there. And in fact the templates dialogue gives you a really fast way to make new documents. All you have to do is locate the template you want and double click it. So if I want a new 1024 by 768 document I can just double click and it is created. Clicking the button at the bottom left of the templates dialogue accomplishes the same thing. It makes a new document from whatever template was selected.

There are also buttons to create a new template, to duplicate a template, to edit a template, and to delete one. In this case I'll click the button to create a new template. Let's say I often have to make images of a specific size for an email newsletter 300 pixels wide by 200 pixels tall. So I'll start by giving it a name, "Newsletter," and I can customize the icon that appears along with the template by clicking here and choosing one. I think the globe is a pretty good one for and email newsletter so I'll pick that.

And in image size I'll enter my pixel dimensions 300 for the width, and 200 for the height. I'll click on the triangle next to Advanced Options to check them and I'll make sure I'm using an RGB image. The rest of the defaults are fine so I'll click OK. And I have a new template for my email newsletter image. I can drag it in the panel to move it to a different spot in the list if I want to. And if I want to rename a template I can just double click on the name and type the new name. So I'll just change this to email newsletter.

And now I can double click the icon here in the templates dialogue any time I want to create a new image for my newsletter. And there it is, a 300 by 200 file. If later on I need to change this template because the format of the newsletter changed, I can select the template by clicking on it once, and then choose "Edit Template." And I could make it say 400 by 300. Click OK, and now double clicking gives me a new 400 by 300 image.

Finally I want to mention that you can also set a template as the default for new documents. In other words, to have the settings in the new image dialogue be the same as one of your templates. To do that, open GIMPs Preferences. Here on the Mac I'll choose GIMP Preferences but in Windows you'll find Preferences in the Edit menu. Then choose Default Image and pick your template from the pop up. You may notice that the width and height didn't change to match that of my email newsletter. That's just because GIMP didn't automatically refresh these values but the next time I open the dialogue it will show those.

So I'll click OK and then if I quit GIMP and relaunch it that will be my new default image size. If you want to go back to original settings just go to back to Preferences, Default Image, and click Reset. Just be aware that doing so will reset all of GIMP's Preferences back to their defaults not just the Preference for Default New Image. Using Templates allows you to make new documents with any desired properties very quickly and easily. And in this movie we saw how to use the Templates dialogue to create and edit a new custom image template.