# Templates without root container **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [October 26, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/templates-without-root-container/10672 "2015-10-26T14:31:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pgmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d07c76/32.png) [@pgmo](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pgmo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/templates-without-root-container/10672/1 "2015-10-26T14:31:28Z")
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? Thank you in advance Regards ---
**Author:** ![nmudge](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/nmudge/32/3394_2.png) [@nmudge](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nmudge)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/templates-without-root-container/10672/2 "2015-10-26T14:58:33Z")
Hi pgmo, 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](http://nickmudge.info/post/new-components-for-database-backed-user-input-forms-in-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. Best, ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/templates-without-root-container/10672/3 "2015-10-26T15:23:53Z")
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](http://ideas.inductiveautomation.com). In the meantime, you could approximate it with a dummy window containing such objects. Then just copy-and-paste. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/templates-without-root-container/10672/4 "2015-10-26T15:24:58Z")
😊 Custom palettes. What Nick said. ---
**Author:** ![pgmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d07c76/32.png) [@pgmo](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pgmo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/templates-without-root-container/10672/5 "2015-10-26T15:26:44Z")
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. Thanks and regards ---
**Author:** ![pgmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d07c76/32.png) [@pgmo](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pgmo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/templates-without-root-container/10672/6 "2015-10-26T15:30:40Z")
> [@pturmel](#): > > 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?. That's right > [@](#): > > In the meantime, you could approximate it with a dummy window containing such objects. Then just copy-and-paste 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. Thanks