Terry's TMG Tips

Creating a Custom Source Type

This page updated 30 Aug 2003

Version note: Applies to TMG 8 & 9

This article covers the more advanced aspects of customizing sources — creating custom Source Types. The more basic aspects of editing of Source Output Templates is discussed in the article Working with Source Templates.

Use the Custom Source Category

You must have the Custom Source Category selected (Preferences > Current Project Options > Other) to create any custom Source Types. This is the default setting for new projects, so generally it will already be selected. But if you have imported an older Data Set or changed your setting you may have another Category selected. To change the Category, use the File > Preferences menu to open the Preferences screen, then click on the Other section under Current Project Options in the left pane. In top drop-down on that screen, labeled Source Categories, select Custom. Then click OK to exit Preferences.

Caution – If you have the Mills or Lackey Categories selected, and you have previously customized any of the Output Templates of the default Source Types, you must be very careful when you change to the Custom Category to avoid losing your previous customizations. (This does not apply to Output Templates customized in individual Source Definitions, only to those for Source Types.) Immediately after changing the Source Category in Preferences, before making any new changes to Source Types, you must "Initialize" your Source Types back to your previous state. To do this, go to the Source Types screen (Tools > Source Types) and click the Initialize button. Then choose the same style you previously used, either Mills or Lackey. After you do this, do not Initialize again after you make any new changes to any Source Type because those changes will be lost and cannot be recovered.

Creating Custom Source Types

Once you have verified that you have the Custom Source Category set, you are ready to start creating custom Source Types. There are a number of procedures that can be used. I describe here the one I have found works best for me.

• Create New Source Type - Use the Tools > Source Types menu to access the Source Types screen. I pick the closest template to the one I want to create, and make a copy of it using the Copy button. You could use the Add button, but that creates a Source Type with all the Output Templates empty, and you have to create them from scratch. I find it easier to modify a similar one.

Select the copy and click the Edit button to access Edit Source Type screen. Change the name to what you want the name of your new Source Type to be. While you could edit the templates here, I don't think this is the best place to do that. Click OK until you are back to the main screen.

• Create Any Custom Source Elements - If you want to use any custom Source Elements, I would create them next. See my article on Working with Source Elements and Groups for more information on this.
• Edit the Templates of the New Source Type - Rather than editing the Output Templates when I first create it, I edit it from an actual Source Definition in order to have ready access to real data and the Preview feature to test my work. Use the Tools > Master Source List menu to open the Master Source List. If you have an existing Source that you want to change to the new Source Type, select it and click on the Edit button. If not, click Add, select your new template, and click the Select button. In either case you are then in the Source Definition Screen. Click on the Source Type button, which takes you to the Source Types screen. Select the new Source Type you created in the first bullet item above, and click the Edit button. This opens the Edit Source Type screen, where you can edit or replace the templates for each of the three Output Templates. Edit each one to suit your new Source Type. For additional discussion of editing Output Templates, see the article on Working with Source Templates.
• Testing Your New Templates - When you are done, you can test your new template by clicking OK, then Cancel to get back to the Source Definition Screen. Here you can enter some real data in the appropriate Source Elements, and check the Preview button on the Output Forms tab to see how it looks. If necessary, go back to the templates by clicking on the Source Type button on the General tab as before and edit your new templates again. In addition to the data elements themselves, pay attention to punctuation and the flow of the elements. When you are satisfied with your new Source Type, exit to the main screen and you are done.

Copyright 2000- by Terry Reigel