Is there the possibility to create a template without container?
To explain further: I have a rather specialized Numeric input field with about 10 custom properties attached to it and some scripting code, acting based on those properties. I’d like to make a template out of it, because I need to use it many times, changing only the custom properties values. But each new template instance brings a new containter with itsself. Is there any possibility to create something like a Numeric input field specimen, a very specialized Numeric input field as per my needs, without adding the GUI complexity of new containers?
No, but you can put the custom properties on the template container itself.
But there is a way to do what you are asking but it isn’t using templates. You can customize your numeric input field anyway you want, then you can add it to a custom palette. Then you can reuse your custom numeric input field by dragging it from your custom palette to any window. The database-backed user input forms use this approach. You can see what a custom palette looks like in that blog post: nickmudge.info/post/new-componen … n-Ignition
You can create a custom palette by right-clicking on the Component Palette and selecting “New Custom Palette”. Keep in mind that templates have certain advantages that custom components on a custom palette don’t have – mainly a template can be changed and all its instances change automatically. Templates are the more usual and accepted way of reusing components.
Hmm. Interesting idea. I’ve seen similar in other GUI products. Just so I understand you: you would like to create a library of pre-configured components, with custom properties, scripts, and possibly bindings already present? Worth proposing on ideas.inductiveautomation.com. In the meantime, you could approximate it with a dummy window containing such objects. Then just copy-and-paste.
Very interesting your suggestion, nmudge! Only pitfall by using the custom palette method is that changing properties at a later time, as you said, does not affect already pasted components: it’s a pity! Maybe a suggestion for Ignition further develop: something like templates without container for single object templating or otherwise said components inheritance.
It's just what I was doing, but custom palettes are a bit more friendly. It's a pity that successive changes do not propagate: Inductive Automation should only add that feature to custom palettes and then it's perfect.
