How to Create File Templates on Your Mac With Finder's Stationery Pad Feature

[MacRumors]

Stationery Pad is a handy way to nix a step in your workflow if you regularly use document templates on your Mac. The long-standing Finder feature essentially tells a file's parent application to open a copy of it by default, ensuring that the original file remains unedited.

Stationery Pad doesn't get much attention these days, but it's a neat alternative to repeatedly editing templates and using the "Save As..." command, which can lead to overwriting the original file if you're not too careful.

Almost any file type can be defined as a template with Stationery Pad - it could be used to streamline common Photoshop jobs, create skeleton HTML/CSS files, or help with Word document invoicing. To make use of Stationery Pad, create the file you want to use as a template, then follow the steps below.


Click here to read more...

Article Link: How to Create File Templates on Your Mac With Finder's Stationery Pad Feature

 

[Pupi]

Cool tip, thanks. Mac is such a beast. I can’t even imagine how it would be by now if they kept developing the power-user side of it, instead of making it more and more like an iPad.

 

[LiveM]

This is a great tip, just what I need instead of opening old client reports and creating a duplicate for the next one.

 

[Starfia]

Whoa!!

I've been a programming-enthusiast Mac user since well before the dawn of OS X and I never truly noticed that check box. That was one truly rare high-value meeting of article and reader.

 

[star-affinity]

It's a something that's been there for ages (even before OS X if I remember correctly) but I guess it's a feature most aren't aware of – I don't ever use it myself, even tough it might be a good idea sometimes.

 

[twistedpixel8]

Pretty useful. I tend to use the same grid template file in Photoshop for most of my web designs so this will save me from accidentally overwriting the template!

 

[chucker23n1]

It's a something that's been there for ages (even before OS X if I remember correctly) but I guess it's a feature most aren't aware of – I don't ever use it myself, even tough it might be a good idea sometimes.

Definitely before OS X.

Possibly before System 7, but definitely added in some 7.x version. One of the interesting long-standing Mac features.

 

[341328]

And here I thought the macrumors readers were smarter than the average haha

 

[FlyersPh9]

This is awesome, I will definitely use this!

What if I create a stationary pad file in a cloud like Dropbox and share the file with a Windows user? Can they open it? Is it still a non-overwritable template file for Windows users?

 

[CreatorCode]

Definitely before OS X.

Possibly before System 7, but definitely added in some 7.x version. One of the interesting long-standing Mac features.

The original concept is actually a relic of the Lisa. The original idea behind the Lisa was that users would create files by tearing off the appropriate type of Stationery (Word processing, spreadsheet, drawing) and then start editing it. None of this "launching apps" business like today.

The ability to designate any file as a Stationery Pad, though, was a System 7 feature, I'm pretty sure.

 

[chucker23n1]

The original concept is actually a relic of the Lisa. The original idea behind the Lisa was that users would create files by tearing off the appropriate type of Stationery (Word processing, spreadsheet, drawing) and then start editing it. None of this "launching apps" business like today.

The ability to designate any file as a Stationery Pad, though, was a System 7 feature, I'm pretty sure.

Username checks out.
[doublepost=1525878320][/doublepost]

This is awesome, I will definitely use this!

What if I create a stationary pad file in a cloud like Dropbox and share the file with a Windows user? Can they open it?

It probably opens as a regular file to them.

Is it still a non-overwritable template file for Windows users?

Most likely not, no. This is a Mac-specific feature.

 

[mariusignorello]

I always wondered what that did. Very useful feature.

 

[lec0rsaire]

I can honestly say I would’ve never known about this. I spent nearly my entire life with Windows and it’s fun to discover little things this OS can do.

 

[ignatius345]

4. Click the red traffic light button to close the Get Info window.

Is "red traffic light button" really what we're calling the close window button now?

 

[Serge88]

A bug ?

It doesn't work if I put the template on the docker and click on the icon, it open the template, remove the Stationary pad and save on the original file.

Serge

 

[MichaelQ]

Never heard of this and already it's one of my favourite Mac things.

 

[MacBH928]

Astonishing that I have been using OS X for 15 years+ and never noticed or knew about this although I use the "Get Info" panel a lot. Sometimes I feel software creators hurt themselves by not featuring what their software is capable off.

Another tip is that your mac can read articles for you if you highlight it and click alt+esc, how many people know about this.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Is "red traffic light button" really what we're calling the close window button now?

I believe it used to be a relatively popular way of describing the close button, but I haven't heard it being used for quite some years now.

 

[loby]

I have been opening docs and “save as” daily and sometimes over-riding a file when making changes. Never seen or noticed this option. This is Great!!!! Wish I knew this years back.

I need to read a manual or something on MacOS to discover more handy options that I don't currently know..

Learn something new every day!

Thanks for the tip!

 

[ILikeAllOS]

Whoever came up with the idea to write these "how to" Mac articles starting a few months ago or so is a genius!
So many cool tips I've learned that otherwise never knew about.

 

[sophiacris]

Don t be upset The availability of no credit check loans proves to get an ideal financial provision for you. With the help of the loans it find a way to procure instant money backing occasionally of urgency without the problem,low interest personal loans suitable for your Preferences and needs.