Saving a custom tool as a template

You can save a custom tool as a template file, and then add it as a new tool in other workspaces. This allows you to capture all design objects, such as forms, fields, views, macros, and scripts, without also including data records. Creating a tool template provides a way for designers to distribute custom tools for use in workspaces. Custom tools in SharePoint Workspace may include tools created using a 2010 Lists tool, or tools created using the a 2007 Forms or InfoPath Forms tool.

You can lock the design of custom tool application before you save it as a template. Use this feature if you want to prevent others from updating the design in workspaces they create using the template.

Note: Custom tools created using either a 2007 Forms or InfoPath Forms tool do not allow access to the designer in this release of SharePoint Workspace. As a result, only workspace members who are still using Groove 2007 will be able to enable the option to lock the tool design.

1. Select the custom tool you want to save as a template.

2. Click the Workspace tab, and then click Save as Template.

3. In the Save As dialog box, select a disk location in which to place the new tool, or accept the default location, and click Save.

   The default location, the Groove Tool Templates folder in My Documents, displays when you add new tools by clicking the Workspace tab, Add, and then Browse for Tools...

4. If you want, set password information in the Template Options dialog box, and click OK.

About distributing tool templates

A custom tool template is simply a data file, with a *.gta file extension. As such, you can distribute it to other users just as you would for any other data file. For example, you can send it as an e-mail attachment, place it in a Documents tool, or place it on a file server or Web site.

To assist other users, you might provide instructions on where to place the template file, such as the folder location that will allow the tool template to display in the Browse for Tools list: the Groove Tool Templates folder in My Documents.